A truly memorable pub lunch isn’t always easy to find, but Hackney is hiding a little gem that you need to know about. Opened just this year, The Richmond is nestled between Dalston, Haggerston and London Fields – slightly off the beaten path, making it a bit of an insider’s address.
Its previous incarnation was an eccentric Egyptian-themed restaurant, but now co-owners, Australian chef and restaurateur Brett Redman and stylist and fashion consultant Margaret Crow, have turned it into a stylish, cosy hotspot.
Not only is The Richmond a welcoming bar and restaurant with an exciting menu, but it’s also east London’s first raw bar. It offers fresh, light seafood dishes such as tuna tartare, scallop carpaccio and Portuguese prawns, but its speciality is oysters sourced from across the UK. There’s even a £1 oyster happy hour from Monday to Saturday, so you can easily sample them all.
Far from a typical boozer, The Richmond has a dining room set-up with an open kitchen and a cool bar for cocktails and bites. Its period features have been lovingly restored alongside contemporary furnishings by interiors designer and antiques dealer Adam Bray (without a hieroglyphic in sight). Even on the bitterly cold Saturday afternoon that we visited, it still has a warm atmosphere (and thankfully some heavy velvet curtains to keep out the chill).
We started with a refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail of elderflower, lime and soda, however you can go all out with a detox-retox Kale Mary, Quince Bellini or Irish coffee.
When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than a warming soup, so I started with the Crab bisque, samphire and aioli (£7). The velvety smooth bisque was full-bodied and packed with plenty of juicy crab, punctuated with salty sprigs of samphire.
The creamy, potent aioli on top made it even more luxurious, although I didn’t stir in all of it for fear of overpowering that bold seafood flavour. Every last drop of bisque was mopped up with slices of springy, crusty sourdough boule from a little bakery in Borough Market – definitely the best I’ve ever tasted in a pub.
Steven went for one of the raw dishes – Smoked salmon with avocado, creme fraiche and pickled onions (£9). The oaky smoked salmon simply melted in the mouth and was perfectly matched with silky avocado, tangy pink onions and a light emulsion.
I followed with Spit-roast poussin, pumpkin & sage stuffing, marsala gravy (£18). The poussin was ever so succulent and flavoursome, with a crispy, sticky skin. The pumpkin and sage stuffing was aromatic yet subtle and the rich, meaty marsala gravy brought everything together nicely.
Equally delicious and autumnal was Steven’s Hampshire pork, delica pumpkin, trompettes and port. The nicely browned pork fillet was complimented by caramelised pumpkin and smooth pumpkin purée, slow-cooked trompettes and slivers of soft shallot with dots of port reduction. Both main dishes were so delightfully tasty, with portion sizes that satisfied while leaving a little room for dessert.
Desserts stray from the typical pub formula into French territory and our waiter recommended the two hot desserts to keep us toasty warm. I got my sweet fix with the Apple beignets with caramelised apple and ricotta sorbet (£7). The warm, golden choux fritters were light as air and filled with a sour apple compote and rolled in powdered sugar. While beignets are usually paired with a dipping sauce, I liked the sweet and sour apple contrast and the tartness of the ricotta sorbet.
The dessert with the slight edge, however, was the Brown butter financier, cinnamon poached pears and crystallised almonds (£7). The heavenly financier had a moist, dense texture with an extra treat of whisky sugar syrup poured over the top. The juicy, fragrant pears were dusted with sweet candied almonds and the dish was finished with a glossy crème anglaise. The portion sizes may appear on the small side, but these desserts really pack a punch.
The Richmond is a real asset to Hackney’s dining scene, offering exceptional, creative food that is worthy of the high praise it receives. I’m thrilled to make it my new ‘local’ and can’t wait to see what’s in store at Brett Redman’s new Dalston yakitori restaurant, Jidori. Hopefully an east London restaurant empire could be on the horizon.
Lunch is served at The Richmond from 1pm-3pm on Saturday and 1pm-4pm on Sunday.
Chérie City was a guest of The Richmond
Food images by Chérie City and interiors by Ed Reeve
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