Jeremy Clarkson, Scotch eggs and cheesecake are the perfect combo (Image: Getty)
The Prince Arthur Pub in Belgravia has undergone a huge renovation, reopening its doors last year after taking over No.11 Pimlico Road.
Showing off a new menu which focuses on Basque cuisine, and features ‘s Hawkstone I couldn’t resist heading to the pub and giving it a try myself.
The new decor was nicely done, with the large space boasting a decorated ceiling, sleek dark wood, and even a seafood counter at the bar.
One thing I really don’t like about a lot of London pubs is when they try to be both a pub and restaurant and don’t differentiate between the two. There’s nothing more off-putting than heading into a venue for a glass of wine and sitting next to cutlery and being asked non-stop if you’re ordering any food.
The Prince Arthur avoids this problem, with the front space dedicated to enjoying just a drink, with stools and big screens to watch the TV.
The starters were delicious but had small portions (Image: –)
But as you make your way through the back, you’re greeted by white tablecloth tables and gentle lighting, which is also far away from the hubbub of the bar.
The menu was a mix of sharing plates and mains, with personalised touches made. The caviar is their own brand, sourced from the London Caviar Company. It’s a nice addition, along with their personalised Ciroc vodka bottles at the bar.
’s Hawkstone cider and lager was available, which was a huge bonus, although I couldn’t help noticing it was on the pricey side at £7 a pint. I enjoyed a rum and melon cocktail and an Aperol and tequila concoction, both of which went down very nicely.
The menu has been created by Basque-born chef Adam Iglesias has experience at the Michelin-starred Alameda in San Sebastián, so I definitely had high expectations for the menu.
The lobster rice with aioli sauce was delicious (Image: –)
For the starters, we opted for a Scotch egg with a beer mustard sauce, and an Txangurro crab with dripping potatoes. Both were delicious, but could have been a more generous portion. Paying £10 for a small Scotch egg did sting a little bit, and I found the amount of crab a little bit lacking. Perhaps that’s the greedy side of me talking though!
For our mains, we opted for the lobster rice and monkfish, clam and lobster Bisque. Again, with both dishes well over £30 each, you would want a decent portion of food with high quality. I couldn’t have enjoyed my rice more, which also featured dots of aioli sauce, with the lobster cooked to perfection and a rich sauce for the rice leaving me going back for more. However, the monkfish was a little dry, and for a Bisque, the sauce seemed to have been reduced too far, leaving you with too much seafood left over.
But things were salvaged when I decided to try the pub’s Basque cheesecake. This was the highlight of the meal for me – it was definitely a classic example of the iconic dessert. I was transported to San Sebastián as I tried the filling, which was undeniably creamy but light. The sauce balanced it out nicely, leaving it not too sweet. I would have happily had a whole cake if that’s what the rest of it tasted like.
The venue has certainly put a lot of time and attention into renovating, and the menu has clearly has had a lot of thought put into it, leaving even the pickiest of eaters with a lot of choice. The menu is a bit on the high side, especially for the mains, but for that location in London, it is probably to be expected. Overall, would certainly approve!