The Coach Clerkenwell

Classy pub food in Clerkenwell

Duck confit, grilled purple sprout broccoli and anchovy sauce

Every once a while, I crave for a good classic pub food experience. Good quality British pub food in a gastropub setting is not that in common anymore, which is sad. The Coach at Clerkenwell is a casual pub that has always been a popular joint for after-work drinks, but the restaurant within has also gained a reputation since 2018 after installing a new chef in the name of Henry Harris. He has rejected his French fair into Britsh pub food cooking, you would no longer see burgers or pies on the menu, instead, some brasserie-style food with a rustic pub feel to it, using a range of British ingredients.

Beef carpaccio and parmesan

Smoked duck, walnuts, tomato, green beans and anchovy

For my starter, I opted for beef carpaccio and parmesan. I wasn't expecting much but turned out it was fabulous. The beef is not your usual dark and chewy carpaccio, thinly sliced with a nice tone of peppercorn and the olive oil just blended everything in harmony. The smoked duck salad was also outstanding, the anchovy worked like magic, the richness was a complete contrast to the fresh leaves and tomatoes which resulted in a lovely balance of umami taste, with the walnut added beautiful crunchy texture. The main was weak, however. The braised feather blade beef lacked taste and it was rather bland, the garnish of pommes sarladaises was so much better than the beef and completely overshadowed it.

Guinness braised feather blade beef

Bavette, chips and green peppercorn butter

The starters were outstanding so it was a shame that the mains did not match that standard. However, based on what I have witnessed, the cooking at The Coach indeed is a notch of an upgrade to most of your pubs across London, and it is pretty innovative. It was understandable why the pub gained such positive reviews from many newspapers, perhaps I went on a bad day as overall I did enjoy the vibe of the dining room, and the service was pretty decent too.



Food 3/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£30

26-28 Ray St, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 3DJ


https://thecoachclerkenwell.co.uk/