The Crown - Bow

12:17pm Wednesday 4th June 2008

The Crown is a huge pub overlooking Victoria Park in Bow, E3. It has just re-opened as a gastro pub by Geronimo Inns.

The interior downstairs in the bar and upstairs in the restaurant is fantastic, you feel like you have entered someone's laid-back, lived in, very cool and trendy house.

It is complete with book shelves full of books, colour coded of course, trendy sofas and cushions, heavy curtains, fireplaces and great pictures.

A lot of time has clearly been taken over the interior and it really works.

We went to The Crown on a sunny Saturday evening the pub was very busy with quite a young clientele.

We went inside and were shown to our table upstairs over looking the park, the dining room was light and airy and there is even a balcony if you wish to eat outside.

Upstairs had a very relaxed atmosphere considering how busy it was downstairs in the bar.

The menu is quite limited but has a good selection of fish and meat and a vegetarian option of a goats cheese brule, with jersey potatoes, parmesan and rocket.

The menu is quite limited but has a good selection of fish and meat.

To start with I had paper thin beef, beetroot and sardine dressing and my dining partner has potted brown crab, pickles and toast, each starter cost £8.00, which I feel was far too expensive for a pub starter.

They arrived on a chopping board and a slate which actually worked really well in the setting and they were really tasty.

We next opted for rib eye steak and chips, and dressed Portland crab and chips these cost £16.50 and £12.50 which is still a little pricey but these main courses were very filling and cooked perfectly.

For dessert we had, pistachio and olive oil cake with strawberries, and a ginger beer jelly.

These both cost £5.00 and seemed an odd combination and when a green cake appeared I must admit I was surprised but it was the best cake I've ever tasted. To drink we had a glass of pinot grigio and a dessert wine.

The wine list is extensive and a small glass cost around £4.95 and a large glass around £6.00, which again seems a bit expensive but it the wines are of good quality.

The service was a little bit slack and we often had to look for a waiter/waitress but overall the staff were helpful and very friendly. If you want good British food you won't get much better than a meal at the Crown.

THE CROWN
223 Grove Road,
Bow,
E3 5SN

Tel: 020 8880 7261

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