On Chiswell Street, in the shadow of the Barbican Centre and a stone’s throw from its namesake tube station, lies a gastropub that has developed quite a reputation for bringing the finest, seasonal cuisine to hungry city workers.
In my experience, finding pubs or restaurants in central London that claim to transport the rustic bounty of the Great British countryside to city tables has never been a challenge. Finding the ones that do it well is always trickier.
But there’s an annual event that puts that to the test; The Glorious Twelfth.
The Glorious Twelfth marks the start of the game shooting season with the first grouse served in mid-August before partridge, deer and pheasant make their way to our tables.
There are several fine example restaurants that do it well in The City. Quo Vadis’s game pie springs to mind and Cinnamon Club’s Vivek Singh does a chargrilled grouse breast with ‘Achari’ spices that is simply divine, while Rules takes a more traditional approach with a roast grouse that is served alongside chicken liver parfait and a blackberry vinaigrette.
Few, however, do it as comprehensively as The Jugged Hare, with a Gourmet Nights series that showcases the finest ethically sourced game dishes and highlight the unique flavours of this cherished tradition.
Working with some of Britain’s most eminent suppliers and wineries to curate a daily changing menu and wine list at the restaurant, their passion for seasonal, sustainable and fully traceable Great British produce is put on show to create a best-in-class dining and drinking experience.
A recent evening showcased just how far they are prepared to go to push the boundaries in the name of intrigue and interest.
Norfolk squirrel croquette was served as an amuse-bouche with sour cherry – admittedly a first for me – while pike quenelle proved to be a classically balanced and moreishly creamy starter.
The main course is what I’d been waiting for, a Suffolk hare loin served with liver pate and king oyster mushroom wellington, and it didn’t disappoint. In a night that was all about variety, it provided the very essence of game season in one dish, leaving me longing for log fires and Beaujolais wine.
A heather-smoked Yorkshire grouse was dispatched from the kitchen next, served alongside the leg, fermented barley and a sherry jus.
And with guests now pining for the change of seasons, a final hammer blow was delivered with an incredibly creamy Cashel blue cheese and greengage chutney and a duck egg custard for dessert. Both sublime.
Best of all, the dishes were paired exclusively with British wine and, perhaps more surprisingly, with exclusively still British wines.
A Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Simpsons Wine Estate (be sure to check out the ‘Fruit Shute’ Helter Skelter) were pared with the pike and the grouse respectively, while a superb Barons Lane Red from New Hall was a worthy partner alongside the cheese.
The pick of the bunch was a pinot blanc from urban producers Blackbook Winery in Battersea, which was accompanied by astonished cries of “imagine if they made wine in Paris” from the French head chef Rafael Liuth.
But he of all people should know that, when it comes to wine, the times are a-changin’.