Review: The Alice House
Queen’s Park in North-West London is the sort of place where every day feels like a Sunday. There is a regular farmer’s market, a smattering of quirky bookshops, and a plethora of coffee shops serving up swarthy cappuccinos. It’s almost as if it’s purpose-built for middle-class sophisticates (which, thinking about it, it sort of is).
The Alice House is a restaurant-cum-bar which opened here a couple of years ago. In keeping with the trendy tone of the area, it is a stylised spot, with funky string lighting and glass panes amongst the wooden furniture, although it is looking a little tired around the edges (much like the young parents which frequent it). Part pub, part restaurant, part café and part place to chill out, it is wholly unpretentious and clearly a hit with the locals – it was buzzing on the lazy weekend afternoon we visited.
The menu is predominantly British, aiming to impress with comfort food rather than innovation. To start my friend and I opted to share glazed cocktail sausages which, although not exactly gourmet, were delicious. The succulent little things came drizzled in honey and mustard dressing, with more on the side in case you like your sausages particularly syrupy. Other starters include hot-smoked salmon and chicken liver parfait, and at roughly £6/7 a pop, they’re pretty reasonable too.
The lunch menu features pub classics (burgers, fish and chips etc.) and a few salads with a bit more flair. My rare roast beef rump salad was presented nicely, the generous helping of steak topped with lightly dressed mixed leaves and finished off with hearty dollops of horseradish sauce. The cold meat was flavoursome, if a little chewy, and surprisingly filling. My friend enjoyed the red onion and Oxford Blue puff pastry tart which was large and crispy, and topped it off with a serving of chips which were particularly good: incredibly thick cut, fluffy on the inside but with a bit of crunch, they are not to be missed. Condiments came in tiny jam jars, which was a kitsch and attractive touch.
We decided to forgo pudding in favour of cocktails. They have a decent selection here, many of which hint at the wonderland eccentricity implied by the restaurant’s name. The Plumble is a different and not-too-sweet combination of Beefeater gin, Victoria Plum jam and lemonade, and – like the ketchup – also comes served in a jam jar. The Blueberry Cheesecake is a truly decadent drink, comprising Absolut Vanilla, blueberries and fresh cream – if you have a sweet tooth, this one is made for you. There’s a good range of wines, plus bottled and draught beers, to keep less novelty-inclined drinkers happy too.
The restaurant touts itself as a place for ‘Glamorous Intimate Dining’ – it is perhaps more that intimate than glamorous, but that’s no bad thing. It is very easy to while away an afternoon here, eating and drinking fare which is essentially pub grub, nicely portioned and very well executed. Just make sure – à la Alice in her Wonderland – you don’t lose track of time.
www.thealicehouse.co.uk
The Alice House is a restaurant-cum-bar which opened here a couple of years ago. In keeping with the trendy tone of the area, it is a stylised spot, with funky string lighting and glass panes amongst the wooden furniture, although it is looking a little tired around the edges (much like the young parents which frequent it). Part pub, part restaurant, part café and part place to chill out, it is wholly unpretentious and clearly a hit with the locals – it was buzzing on the lazy weekend afternoon we visited.
The menu is predominantly British, aiming to impress with comfort food rather than innovation. To start my friend and I opted to share glazed cocktail sausages which, although not exactly gourmet, were delicious. The succulent little things came drizzled in honey and mustard dressing, with more on the side in case you like your sausages particularly syrupy. Other starters include hot-smoked salmon and chicken liver parfait, and at roughly £6/7 a pop, they’re pretty reasonable too.
The lunch menu features pub classics (burgers, fish and chips etc.) and a few salads with a bit more flair. My rare roast beef rump salad was presented nicely, the generous helping of steak topped with lightly dressed mixed leaves and finished off with hearty dollops of horseradish sauce. The cold meat was flavoursome, if a little chewy, and surprisingly filling. My friend enjoyed the red onion and Oxford Blue puff pastry tart which was large and crispy, and topped it off with a serving of chips which were particularly good: incredibly thick cut, fluffy on the inside but with a bit of crunch, they are not to be missed. Condiments came in tiny jam jars, which was a kitsch and attractive touch.
We decided to forgo pudding in favour of cocktails. They have a decent selection here, many of which hint at the wonderland eccentricity implied by the restaurant’s name. The Plumble is a different and not-too-sweet combination of Beefeater gin, Victoria Plum jam and lemonade, and – like the ketchup – also comes served in a jam jar. The Blueberry Cheesecake is a truly decadent drink, comprising Absolut Vanilla, blueberries and fresh cream – if you have a sweet tooth, this one is made for you. There’s a good range of wines, plus bottled and draught beers, to keep less novelty-inclined drinkers happy too.
The restaurant touts itself as a place for ‘Glamorous Intimate Dining’ – it is perhaps more that intimate than glamorous, but that’s no bad thing. It is very easy to while away an afternoon here, eating and drinking fare which is essentially pub grub, nicely portioned and very well executed. Just make sure – à la Alice in her Wonderland – you don’t lose track of time.
www.thealicehouse.co.uk