32 Bowling Green Lane
EC1R 0BJ
Tel: 020 7837 4141
Date of Last Visit: Saturday, November 12, 2005
The Victim: Rutton
The Damage: 28 quid each
Rutton had been somewhere in Sardinia for a while and we kept missing each other, and I declined his offer last Sunday to hang out, drink beer, and watch rugby. So it was time to make it up to him. He had just arrived back in from Sardinia that afternoon, so we made plans to meet. The Bowler was in the Top 5 in TimeOut, so I had to check it out.
I arrived, and it was empty. Empty, empty, empty. That being said, it was also a nice clean and happy looking place. I liked how the bar area was painted red. And that there were free newspapers. (The Guardian is right around the corner.) So I settled in to wait for Rutton. And wait. And wait. OK, I didn’t wait that long, but I just like giving him sh*t.
I warned him that there was no one there before he arrived. He was okay with that. So we sat and we ordered and surprise, surprise, we were brought a little gift from the chef. It was lentil and cocunut soup and it was DELICIOUS. Really, really good. And you know I like surprises! So our expectations were still low, but they weren’t as low as they had been.
Starters…mine was okay. It was–oh goodness don’t make me say it, but yes, it was duck–and chestnut terrine. It was okay. A bit dry.I think other people would like it better than me because I am too much of a connesiuer. Rutton thought it was very rich. He went with the cheese and tomato–I say cheese because they didn’t call it mozzerella. They called it something else. And I don’t remember what. It was very nice.
Then, my entree. Cod and veggies. Sounds so basic, but yet, it was so fantastic. Rutton went with the lamb and it was also very, very nice. I had a bite. Good.
Service throughout was very very nice and friendly and professional. They have good staff there.
The Verdict: I’d go back. It was a bit of a bummer that no one else was there because the food was soo delish. I needed some people watching!
