Review of 'Annie's'

I have to admit that our visit to this tiny out-of-the-way eatery was precipitated because of a last minute change to our anniversary plans on the previous day. It was one of the few restaurants in the area that I was interested in going to that had any tables free. Having said that, the reviews were kind and it turned out to be a very pleasant evening indeed though, thinking back, this may have been in no small way to the company I was keeping…

Annie's is a small local restaurant in the middle of a residential area that seems to appeal to the locals. It's eclectic and informal interior made us feel welcome as soon as came inside with the kitch decorations giving it a sense of fun as well. Our small table was in the corner at the front window but this suited us fine - out the way so we could quietly enjoy our meal and each other's company. There are only a dozen or so tables in the front room but I believe there is also a back room seating more with a bar area in between.

Interior

The server who showed us to our table was a bit brisk and not terribly over friendly but quite efficient, asking the few questions we had about their dishes. The menu is refreshingly small and filled with quality though with a few pub classics such as fish & chips (£13.95) and shepherd's pie (£14.95) thrown in for those a bit less adventurous though I wonder would, perhaps, have been a better choice for us.

We both decided to start with the “Jerusalem Artichoke Soup” (£5.95) served with “toasted seeds & micro herbs” which was delightfully light though quite a large, filling portion. A delicate flavour and very warming served with a couple of pieces of slightly disappointing bread that I would have preferred toasted and served warm. The seeds on top added a bit of texture to the smooth soup and a delicious hint of nuttiness.

Artichoke Soup Starter

For our mains I had “Slow Cooked Maple Glazed Pork Belly” (£15.95) served with “crackling, savoy cabbage, bacon, onions & gravy” that was alright but not particularly amazing. The pork was dry (a risk with pork anyway but a surprise in pork belly), the crackling was soggy taking a great amount of effort (and tooth pain) to eat and there was no where near enough gravy particularly as I ordered a side of mashed potatoes (£3.95) which I was hoping I could use with the sauce. The cabbage with bacon was the highlight of the dish - perfectly cooked with no bitterness and full of flavour.

Pork Belly

My companion ordered the “Seared Sea Bass Fillet” (£17.95) served on a large bed of “herb risotto” with some baby spinach, and oven roasted cherry tomatoes on the side. The bass was fresh though quite fishy in flavour (so perhaps not as fresh as it could have been) with the expected crunchy skin instead soggy. The highlight here was the risotto though it's massive portion could not be comfortably finished.

Seabass

We both ordered our dishes from the “House Specialities” section of the menu so it was surprising that they were quite as disappointing as they were.

The restaurant by now was getting quite busy so it took some minutes before we were given the dessert menu. This had only a few fairly basic options of which I chose the “Banofee Pie” (£5.95) which was sickly sweet but absolutely delicious. The only complaint I had was that the thicker slices of banana on top of the toffee tart meant that trying to cut into it squished the whole thing everywhere - A complaint I could live with!

Banoffee Pie

My companion had the “Cheesecake” (£4.95) served with a raspberry coulis. The cheesecake was nicely smooth in texture and the coulis not overly sweet. Very tasty but quite a large portion for such a rich dessert.

Cheesecake

At this point we were getting quite full though we continued talking over the remainder of our drinks (as a non-drinker I was happy to find several imaginative alcohol-free options on the menu). The manager approached us and said that there was good news that we could keep the table for as long as we wanted it since the next diners to use it had cancelled. This was interesting since (a) we had not been told we had a time limit and, (b) to be honest, I am not that keen on this sort of thing preferring instead to leave these sorts of issues with the proprietors rather than with diner as, after all, we have paid to be here so we should be able to stay for as long as we wish…In any case we were done our meal and asked for our cheque. At £95.63, including a service charge of 12.5%, for the two of including drinks this was fairly reasonable.

After our somewhat lacklustre server when we first arrived our other servers seemed to be more friendly though they seemed to be quite stressed. It was a full house, after all, and so near to the holidays. The place had a pleasant, cozy and warm feel to it. Generally, we found our visit to be quite good though we were disappointed with the food and service. The price was reasonable but not fantastic. Not sure we will be back but it was a pleasant - though not amazing - experience.

If you visit be aware that really it is easiest to get to by car with free residential parking on the street.

Rating: “A bit better than average”

Review Date: 2016-12-20


Cuisine: American/British

Address: 162 Thames Road, London W4 3QS ENGLAND

Public Transport: NRLOGO Kew Bridge

Location: London (England) - Chiswick

Map:

 

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Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8994 9080

URL: http://www.anniesrestaurant.co.uk/