Review: The Prince Albert, Battersea, London

Situated mere metres from the gates of Battersea Park, the recently refurbished The Prince Albert is the perfect park side pit stop. This royal retreat boasts a menu of classic British fare, such as Young’s ale battered cod, Dingley Dell pork loin chops and a rather delicious looking brunch menu (available 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday).

The Vibe
The decor is classic London gastropub with a cosy, homely feel; think book lined walls, faux  taxidermy, and Farrow & Ball-esque colours. Come winter I’ll undoubtedly be back to curl up with a roast in front of the open fire. We visited on a Tuesday evening and was buzzing and obviously hugely popular with locals. The pub has regular events to keep people entertained, including live acoustic nights and a Monday night pub quiz. 

The Food
From fish & chips to a killer Sunday roast, The Prince Albert’s menu is just what you’d expect from a London gastro pub.
I started with some delicious fresh charred asparagus served with a poached egg, Isle of Mull cheddar and a dangerously moreish truffle dressing. My friend tried the melt-in-the-mouth, house-cured Severn & Wye salmon with pickled cucumber, Vodka crème fraiche (something we’re going to be recreating at home methinks…) and avocado purée. So far so good - refreshingly light starters to set us up perfectly for the main event.

The chicken Kiev, a succulent butter-filled breast, was utterly divine and was served on a bed of crushed purple potatoes and parsley root purée. Similarly sublime was the grilled Cornish squid, baby monkfish, Suffolk chorizo, samphire, squid ink spelt and cockle popcorn - definitely a dish you want to try. The arrival of a pie at the next table, however, did incite some food envy -  there’s a return visit booked in for that one!

Ensure you leave some space for pudding or you’ll regret it. The sticky toffee pudding, with caramelised banana, toffee sauce and cornflake ice cream was to die for.

The Drinks
With an expertly chosen wine list of almost 50 bottles with a range of southern hemisphere bottles and vintages alongside classic European wine as well as a rich selection of bitter, premium and craft beers. We settles on a Rioja blanca at a very reasonable £22.50.
 
The Verdict
Great vibe, delicious food and the staff were brilliant - attentive, friendly, chatty without being annoying or overbearing. It’s perfectly located for lunch after a stroll round the park, and I’m looking forward to visiting in winter when cosy pub grub like this really comes into its own.

Our experience overall

Food and drink ****
Ambience ****
Staff attentiveness/friendliness *****

Laurel Waldron
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