BOB HOLLI DAY'S easy-walk guide to Earls Court eating out

22nd September 1972, Page 174

22nd September 1972

Page 174

Page 177

Page 174, 22nd September 1972 — BOB HOLLI DAY'S easy-walk guide to Earls Court eating out

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Meals without wheels

THE FACE of Earls Court, 5W5, changes so rapidly that even the Earl himself would not recognize it if, like me, he hadn't been there since the last Commercial Motor Show in 1970. It was then that I offered in CM some suggestions about eating out of the Exhibition without having to traipse up to the West End, or even walk for more than five to 15 minutes from the Show.

In the course of researches for the following notes I found, in addition to a vast construction project in West Cromwell Road, quite a number of new hotels and restaurants, as well as the disappearance of several that I mentioned two years ago.

Still a good pot On the basis that establishments which have remained in business that long must be retaining their attractions, I first revisited some of the places I had written about earlier. And at once I had a pleasant surprise. The Original Pot, opened three years ago at 15 Penywern Road, almost within sight of the Warwick Road Show entrance, was displaying alongside its bill of fare a "blow up" reprint of my first comments on its amenities. I had said then that it was a cheerfully small place, offering just about the best value you'd find hereabouts. And I have not had to eat my words. Instead I ate a promptly served, generously proportioned meal of tomato salad, spaghetti bologliaise and guvas with cream, all for only 42p. There is seating for 40, bistro-style, no cover or service charge, no licence but no corkage. Lunch is served from noon to 3.30 pm; dinner 5.15 to 10.30 pm Mondays to Saturdays. Le patron Barquin eats from his own menu along with his customers — and looks very well on it.

Over 40 curries My favourite Indian restaurant, Naraine, at 10 Kenway Road (370 3853), must also be one of Egon Ronay's for he has given it a high rating for many years. In a split-level room with red velvet decor and a wealth of brass and copper, Bill Naraine supervises two chefs, one in charge of the tandoori (clay oven) kitchen and the other master-minding 41 different curries — 12 chicken, 10 lamb or mutton, 4 beef and 15 seafood. The pukka Indian cooking is geared to Western tastes and a substantial meal for two will cost from £5 to £6, less wine. Service charge is 10 per cent, but there is no cover charge. Hours 12-3 and 6-12 pm every day except Monday.

If you fancy a well-cooked plate of fish and chips, across the way from Naraine is the Hi-Tide, open practically all clay until 11.30pm. A walk up Kenway Road brings one to Cromwell Road and i the right is the London International (370 4200) opposite the Terminal. A big restaurant in keeping with a luxury hotel talc good: care of the carriage trade and there is also the Cromw Coffee Shop, open from 10.30 ant to 2 am serving reasonak priced, simple meals such as steak and French fried at 80p.

A ,hundred yards or so farther on is the Lincoln Hotel (3 4444), which used to be called the Frobisher. Its Steak Hou serves an 8oz fillet at £1.30, grilled Dover sole at £1.20 and de fried 'scampi at £1.10, all dishes included French fried and pei Fully licensed and open 12.30-2.30 and 6.30-11prn.

Facing Kenway Road is Marloes Road wherein, by t DevOnshire Arms pub, is Stratford Road, in which, at No. 7, it famous little restaurant, La Bretagne. The host, Alberti, has fm good many years been looking after discerning, hungry peop His comfortable and restfully decorated accommodation h recently been extended to two levels to seat 60 people. T cooking is of a high order and the wine choice is wide and w selected. A house speciality is escalope de veau Cordon Bleu £1.50. For table reservations ring 937 6388; open every clt except Sunday, 12-2.30 and 7 to midnight.

Higher up Marloes Road, set back behind a garden at No. f is one of London's most popular. Chinese restaurants, the Sabi Junk. Advance booking is essential (937 2589 and 5833). In aura of green silk wallpaper and bamboo, swift service brings finely prepared Cantonese set dinner at about £2.15, less wi The house is open weekdays 6 to 12 pm; on Sundays 6 to 11 p I repeat you must book.

Earls Court Road, itself, of course, abounds with eating plac Across the street from the underground station, actually narrow Hogarth Place, is ii Piccolo Mondo, claiming to serve t best Roman-style Italian food in London. An excellent dim costs about £1.50 to £2 including a cover charge. Lunch is serv from noon; dinner from 6.30-11.45 pm. Telephone number is 3 1799.

Also almost opposite the tube station is a newly open American Haven, specializing in "genuine American hamburger .cooked on a charcoal grill. They come in about eight differ( ways — for example, "embosomed in melted Swiss cheese" (6( or "glazed with our own sweet-sour sauce, pagoded w pineapple, onions and green pepper" (65p). Prices quoted are for half-pound jumbo-sized jot quarter-pound versions are available. I never tasted any be when I was Stateside. Seven days a week, 10 am-1 am.

Fancy a swift pint and a snack served by hot-panted beauties Continental-style beer garden? I doubt if you know it's there for was only recently opened and you'd never suspect its presence orn the odd-looking facade that has been given to the Duke of ichmond pub on the corner of Nevern Place and Earls Court dad.

Going south from the Underground, one comes to Old mtripton Road where there is a cluster of good nosheries. For stance there is that "little corner of Yugoslavia in Kensington", e Restaurant Dubrovnik, strong on shish-kebab and German er. ,Starters range from 15-30p, main dishes cost 50-85p and ieets from 15p. There is no cover charge; lunch noon-3 pm, enings 6 pm to 2 am every day.

At 234 Old Brompton Road is a new Greek restaurant named Ler the island of Mykonos and admirably run by Dimitri Vitos. a below-ground room, seating about .60, two can dine well for ; on meals prepared by a knowledgeable Greek chef who will commend suitable wines of the country. There is a 10 per cent service charge. Telephone 373 3056. Luncheons are not served; dinners from 6.30 pm to 2 am every night. Plate throwing is allowed, even on Sundays.

Walter Mariti, who, for some 10 years, has officiated at Pontevecchio will not mind, I think, if I say no more about his famous trattoria (256 Old Brompton Road) than that he is maintaining his very high standards without appreciably raising prices. So popular is the restaurant with Show visitors that reservations, especially at lunch time, really are advisable (373 9082).

At The Secret Place de l'Artiste Affami not only artists but other famished folk find, behind a rather forbidding black oak door, at 243 Old Brampton Road a most unusual setting for dining. On the street-level floor you can eat on a wooden carousel dais, sitting at scrubbed-white tables that were once butchers' chopping blocks. Old-fashioned magic lanterns project slides on the white walls and the room is dominated by an ancient cider press. Downstairs there is a large dining room furnished in the modern style. Either way, you will get splendid food from the super-kitchen of Chef Michel, from Aix-en-Provence, a Frenchman who really knows his iognons gratinee, not to mention a carte of French dishes from which I feel compelled to quote a few mouth-watering examples, such as avocat, creme et caviar (55p), la fondue Bourguignonne (115p) and steak . ambassadeur (125p). Cover charge is 15 per cent, service non compris, 12+ per cent. Ring 373 1659 to book a trip to Old Provence. Open at 7 pm; last orders midnight, Monday to Saturday.

By the way, I should say that the restaurants in the Old Brampton Road area are best reached by leaving the Exhibition building via the West Brompton exit.

My last three "nominees" come within the I5-minute-walk limit — I've timed it, but perhaps a taxi? Two of them are in Meld Road, which forks off Finborough Road to the south of Old Brompton Road. They face each other, are under the same management and of approximately of the same size. Nick's Diner at 83 Ifield Rd (352 0930 and 5641) is open from 7.30-11.15 pm but is closed on Sundays. It has been operating for 12 years and is well known to regular Show exhibitors who like the private room facilities. Nick provides a loose-leaf menu that reads like a Goons' cook-book. Here's his entry for the house speciality; filet de boeuf en croute (£1.60), "Has become — forgive the pun — a holy cow'. He describes his Fish Pie Mount Olympus as "the ambrosial mixture of scallops, mussels, shrimps, plaice, hardboiled egg and garlic which lifts this dish to a region of heaven where Nanny looks like Miss World". Collectors' pieces are the framed original cinema posters advertising epics such as Marlene Dietrich in "The Blue Angel". Black candlesticks add an outré touch.

Across the road at the recently opened companion house, Malta's, the atmosphere is Russian. Again the menu is in book form, describing delicacies like blinis ("We only charge modest `caviarage' for caviar brought in") and "Pudniks" such as Granitee Potemkin (70p — "alledgedly invented by the only lover of Catherine the Great strong enough to satisfy the Imperial desires"). The bar stocks 30 different brands of Vodka. Use Nick's Diner telephone number if booking before 5.30 pm, otherwise hours as at Nick's except that this restaurant is open on Sunday evenings.

How about some Mongolian hot-pot? "One of the Mongol warlords specific contributions to Chinese civilization. On a charcoal fire a kettle of clear broth is the centrepiece in which customers cook their ribbons of lean meat, seafood and assorted vegetables to be dipped into a sauce cocktail. The meal is rounded off by drinking the aromatic soup you have cooked yourself." At £2.25 per person this exotica may be experienced at the Golden Duck, 6 Hollywood Road, SW10, off Fulham Road (352 3500), a Peking style, cosy, dark red Chinese restaurant that backs up an a la carte choice with three set dinners at £2.25, £1.90 and £1.40 and, as might be expected, the duck is delicious. Service is 10 per cent but there is no cover charge; fully licensed. Open every evening at 7 pm to 12.30 am. Lunches on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-3 pm.