The Admiral Codrington lives up to good first impressions
By Alex Larman, published on 27 July 2011
They say that first impressions are vital when you go along to a restaurant, pub, bar or other place that’s likely to involve munching, slurping and jollity, and they’re normally right. Walk into somewhere dingy, where the staff treat you with contempt, and you’re likely to be back out on the street within seconds. If, however, it’s a welcoming, fun-looking environment, with people who look like they’re happy to be there, then lingering is likely to be a much more enticing prospect.
The Cod, as it’s colloquially known, definitely gets first impressions right. Situated on a quietly salubrious Chelsea side street, it has a clubby wood-panelled atmosphere, with the sort of pleasantly boisterous bar that attracts a well-heeled, discerning clientele. Unfortunately, it rather fell down on the second impressions front, when there was no record of our reservation and a certain reluctance to accommodate us despite confirmation emails being produced to verify our existence. It all made for a grim and slightly awkward few moments, but given how busy the restaurant itself is, it had a certain inevitability.
Eventually, having vouched for our credentials, we were shown to a seat in the newly refurbished dining area, and perused the menu while nibbling on some excellent pork crackling with a couple of aperitifs of Three Choirs sparkling wine, a notable entry in the small category of English fizz. As you’d expect from somewhere so quintessentially British, the menu is both cosy but unafraid to push people’s boundaries slightly, somewhat like Alan Bennett. A starter of chilli salt squid with green chilli and coriander is excellent (if rather hearty), as is yellowfin tuna tartare. The other guests in the (by now packed) restaurant are all cheery and well-fed; my dining companion recognises his physiotherapist on a nearby table and mutters darkly about extortionate prices and fine dining, and the relationship between the two.
Main courses err towards the carnivorous, and are none the worse for that. I very much enjoy a lamb chop cooked on the bone, where the flavour of the lamb comes through strongly and satisfyingly, while my friend devours a duck breast with enormous enjoyment. Side orders of mashed potato and lentils with pancetta were both superb. Prices for this sort of place aren’t too outlandish – none of the starters cost more than £10, and only the Jack O’Shea steaks (which would almost certainly be a thing of wonder) trip over the £20 mark for mains. The same welcome restraint on pricing goes for the wine list – there’s a very decent selection, with the majority under £30. A fine bottle of 2008 Chianti Superiore was a practical steal at £29, but the more than speakable Berry Bros House Red is also superb value at £17.
If desserts – a fine but somewhat ordinary duo of blackberry and apple crumble and sticky toffee pudding – don’t represent a high water mark, it hardly matters. The Cod is a Chelsea institution, one that will cater to bankers, lawyers, professional intriguers and gentlemen-who-dine until the cows come home, whereupon they will be slaughtered, turned into steaks and served up here with Bearnaise sauce. And this, frankly, sounds about right.
The Admiral Codrington, 17 Mossop Street, London SW3, Tel: +44 20 7581 0005
The Admiral Codrington lives up to good first impressions
The Cod is a Chelsea institution that gets first impressions right. It has a clubby wood-panelled atmosphere, with the sort of pleasantly boisterous bar that attracts a well-heeled, discerning clientele. But can it deliver the food to match?
2 Responses to “The Admiral Codrington lives up to good first impressions”
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I’m a Cod fan of long-standing.
Lord Hackers
27 July 2011
Ah! The Admiral Cod! My chum the Count will love this!!! LH