Restaurant Review: No. 1 The Folley

Everyone has a little local gem don't they? A great little place that is just around the corner and does cracking food at a reasonable price. Usually it will take no more than five minutes to get to and have readily available tables.

Until recently I was lacking one. Nowhere in the local area really stood out. There was an anonymous looking place on the way into town. It made it securely on to the  'to go' list but we somehow never quite made it there. However recently there was a special offer on and if there is ever a good reason to investigate somewhere, it's a bargain!

And so it was that we ended up at No. 1 Folley Bridge.

I will tell you the details shortly but let me tell you my lasting impression first; overwhelming disappointment. Disappointment that I hadn't been there sooner.

The entrance is down some stairs in one of a strange collection of buildings that is on an island in the Thames. This unassuning entrance conceals a wonderful restaurant. Even in the evening the dining room was beautifully light and airy. The room was broken up with some elegant decoration an nicely ambient jazz was playing. However the main feature was the glass wall looking out on to the river and the pontoon that serves as a dining room extension. At night this was impressive. I can imagine a summer evening being breathtaking.

Now before this turns into an interior design blog, let me give you some more details. The staff were friendly and attentive without fussing. They took our orders swiftly and without note pads... nice touch!

Now to the food. It was sensational. I had some delicious scallops as a starter. They were perfectly cooked, meltingly tender and served with some delicious potatoes. Cat had some beautiful crab ravioli.

My main course was duck with potatoes cooked in the fat. I probably should have felt guilty eating duck given we regularly feed the ducks only 50 meters away from where I was eating.  The crispy skin combined with the beautifully pink flesh and the substantial portion soon banished any of these thoughts. Poached eggs put a stop to myle trying any of Cat's halibut but it looked delicious.

All of the dishes were beautifully presented and decently plentiful. The service was reasonably swift and the whole experience wonderfully relaxing. Price-wise, like I say we had a special offer. However looking at the menu, the prices offer excellent value at normal rates. My only one minor gripe is that the wine measures were a bit in the small side.

So a conclusion. I have my new local gem. We will be going back there repeatedly. Not only is it worth a visit while living locally,  it is worth travelling to for a meal.

TFB

The Local

The Local. Everybody should have one. A place that becomes a home from home.The automatic default choice when you fancy a drink. The place where you go when someone suggests going to "the pub". Somewhere that makes you feel instantly comfortable and relaxed when you walk through the door. The size of any community is defined by the presence of certain institutions; churches, cathedrals, shops and schools but a community is not a community without a pub.

Of course there's no reason to limit yourself to one local. In fact it could be said to be rather short-sighted. Several locals can serve multiple purposes and that's without mentioning the sub-category of regulars. More on that to follow.

Over the years I have had many locals. They started as being the places that had "enlightened" policies on checking for proof of age then moved on to ones that were less likely to be rammed on a Friday night. After that I went through a phase of seeking "atmosphere" (usually meaning smoky, dingy and with interesting facial hair on men and women alike) before realising my true niche; good beer ideally supplemented by good food.

At the moment I have two places I would call locals. The first is best described as a "boozer". It's principle function for those that frequent it seems to be the consumption of drinks. I discovered it mainly because it is at the end of my road and far enough away from the centre of town that it avoids tourist and student traffic. It has a pleasing simplicity about it. No elaborate polished glass furniture, pretentious bar snacks, thumping music or cocktail menu that relies more on hope than skill. Better still, it's dog friendly and child unfriendly. There's all you would expect for entertainment; a pool table, darts, dominoes and a big screen for the odd sporting function. The menu features excellent pub grub. Special note should go to the excellent Pieminster pies. This place is usually my default choice when I feel like a quiet pint on my own with a bit of anonymity or if I feel like more than one and don't have a lift.

My other local is a proper village pub (even if I don't live in the village). It was found when lost in the countryside and the inside turned out to be as picturesque as the ancient stone and thatched roof suggested. The beautiful surroundings are matched only by the warm welcome and community atmosphere. Oh and did I mention the picturesque garden with the friendly rabbits, docile border collie and vast amounts of parking just to finish it off. Unsurprisingly I have been making regular trips since I moved into the area and have as such got to know the staff and the owners... to the point my they recognise my voice on the phone. The food served is delicious home-cooking with plentiful portions. All in all it's hard to find an excuse not to go for a swift half fairly regularly. It's one of the few places I will make the effort to attend any of the functions organised.

So what of the other category; regulars? These are usually places I know of but don't visit frequently or make a particular effort to go to. Usually they are visited as a result of proximity. Naturally there are a couple of places in the centre of town visited when a pre-, mid- or post-shopping pit stop is required. They will have good beer and an interesting feature or two. I also have a couple of places along the river for refreshment if out for a stroll.

Pubs on the regular list are still familiar surroundings but less of a second home. At best there will be a spark of vague recognition in the eyes of the staff rather than recognising my voice. The huge advantage of having regular haunts is the comfort of knowing exactly what you're getting. The guarantee of a decent pint and a good sandwich when lunch is needed; a crackling log fire on a winter's evening or a sunny garden on a summer afternoon.

There is of course one final category; the potentials. Pubs that look worth investigating to find out if they are worthy of further visits. Obviously it would be silly not to try them in case you deprive yourself of an absolute gem. And being a scientist I would also have to recommend trying each one multiple times to ensure a high average and therefore reliable results! Naturally I will endeavour to try a decent spectrum and write them up here.

On that note, I'm off for a pint!

TFB