Everyone has their favourites, right? Good. So I’m not being biased. Because last night, I realised that to totally relax in a new place, I tend to need at least a W in the postcode, preferably adjacent to an S.
My absolute comfort zone is Chelsea & Mayfair. Round there, everything feels familiar. Parsons Green at a stretch if I’m feeling truly rustic. To be pefectly honest, the North – North London, that is – scares me just a little bit, and let’s not even get started on the East. I’m just not cool enough. (No comment, Racer Boy..)
So with this in mind, last night’s rendevousz with my lovely girl Lilah was back in good old Chelsea, at the Builder’s Arms.
I’d not been to the pub before, and frankly I think I may have struggled to find it without the assistance of our lovely black cab man (think I’ve mentioned my lack of direction sense in the past) plus Racer Boy’s wallet (we may have taken the odd wrong turning en route).
Anyway. So I said pub, but actually I may have mis-sold this foody haven – there is nothing old man-ish about it. More of a gastro-pub really. You know the sort – all countryside practicality (think pchalked blackboards and solid oak furniture), with grouse-endowned cushions over every conceivable mis-matched velvet surface (sat or otherwise). There’s an obvious feminine influence too, though – even the bathrooms are labeled Builders and Ballerinas. Nice touch.
We were pretty hungry by the time we arrived so shunned a two-course option and went straight for the three way. I had smoked salmon then steak (for which I went off-menu and swapped my sides around. Can a beauty journo really be seen eating chips?!), and Lilah had carrot soup followed by duck. For dessert, we shared mango and blackcurrent sorbet. And of course if was all washed down by a steady stream of vodka tonics, fizzy water and vino (natsch).
Pre-booking is a must. Chelsea may be a small place (the old faithful “fancy seeing you here” in MIC isn’t entirely fictional, FYI) but the good places are always full. And Builder’s Arms is way up there. Visit their website to book by clicking here.
Love, Laugh, Liverty x
