The Swan at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, South Bank

The Swan at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, South Bank

by: Tom Jeffreys



Reviewers of the Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre must all be sorely tempted to indulge in a Bard quotation or two with which to kick things off: “’Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers,” for example, or perhaps “Unquiet meals make ill digestions”. I of course would never stoop to such obvious tactics. And besides, our meal at the Swan is anything but unquiet. In fact it’s really rather delightful.

On the Friday evening that we visit, the downstairs bar is positively jam-packed – and I have to say,  off-puttingly so. It’s all rather clangy and noisy in there, but upstairs in the restaurant is another matter entirely. It’s cosy, calmly chic and utterly charming. Dark wooden floors are leavened with wittily winged contemporary light fittings. Behind the bar are shelves of old books (as well as bottles of boozy goodness) whilst in prominent position stands a wooden sort of serving area, laden with breads and cheese and other assorted deliciousness.

I quite quickly decide I’m rather fond of The Swan. We’re seated at a nice little wooden table, and look out through leaded windows onto a lovely view of the Thames, all a twinkle with lights and life in the darkness. The staff are also delightful – helpful and attentive without ever overdoing it. Basically, it feels like home. If, that is, home were a restaurant on the banks of the Thames. Which, alas, it isn’t.

The only slight drawback is the food. And that’s not to say it’s bad at all – it’s just I think that, what with the décor and the staff and a couple of glasses of a zippy little Grüner Veltliner (£31 for the bottle) I might have got my hopes a bit overinflated. Or we may well have just ordered oddly.

My starter – a special of Atlantic cod pate – was a highlight: all light and fresh with dill and pickled cucumber. My companion, New London Cocktail Review founder Kina Lillet, opted for the wood pigeon, lentil, mushroom and black pudding salad (£7.50), which sounded rather exciting but didn’t feel perfectly executed. The black pudding and pigeon seemed to fight slightly against each other and the lentil base was rather over-salted.

For mains, I opted for the Cashel Blue and leek macaroni cheese (£12) which was appropriately hearty and warming – perhaps it wasn’t quite as good as Canteen’s version, but then what is? Meanwhile Kina went for roast lamb, served with kidneys, and a thyme and haricot bean sauce (£18). Again the combination of meats felt like an odd one, and the sauce was extremely salty. So much so in fact that we felt compelled to order another bottle of wine – this time a seriously classy German Pinot Gris (£36).

I really liked the presentation of a selection of puréed vegetables (hidden away inside a little pumpkin house) and pudding of apple and pear crumble (£5.50) was lovely – although we were rather too full by this stage to do it justice.

Saying our goodbyes and pottering off home across Millennium Bridge, I look back at the Swan really rather fondly: forsooth, n’uncle I’d return post-haste if my coxcomb didst depend upon’t. Or some such Bardy twaddle.

16th November 2010.

www.swanattheglobe.co.uk

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Tom Jeffreys