Tanner and Co, 50 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UD

Tanner and Co, 50 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UD

20/12/2013

www.tannerandco.co.uk

She said: A curious place kitted out as a school gym from the 80’s with pommel horse booths and leather banquettes. The dining space is long, open and bright with plenty of British fare on the menu. It was disappointing that the soup he ordered for lunch ‘wasn’t ready yet’; vegetable soup not being available when a restaurant opens for lunch is to me like saying a swimming pool has no water in it when you’re already in your bathing suit. Anyway, I ordered mushrooms on toast to start which took a while to arrive but when it did was delicious. My hake main course was cooked perfectly but unfortunately the leeks it came with were hard, chewy and drowned by a very salty, heavy buttery sauce which went cold within a few moments making it all a bit gloopy. At £20 a head for two courses it’s your standard mid-range London price. There seems to be a new genre of restaurants we’ve been going to lately which is the ‘lovely place, shame about the food’ category. With this genre, you really, really want to like the food because the setting is so great and so you make allowances. Tanner and Co is one of those places where I would probably come back thinking a different food order may generate a different outcome because I enjoyed the space so much...

He said: Bermondsey High Street is hip: White Cube's there, as are innumerable

coffee shops. Not edgy hip (there's not a single betting shop or stabby youf in sight) but more cosy, been there done that hip. Among the half dozen restaurants on the street, the cool kid is Tanner's. It certainly looks good with its devil-may-care, mix-n-match and stylishly distressed interior, full of knick knacks salvaged from some condemned comprehensive (local, I hope!) including monkey bars and the dreaded beam from the gym, diagrams from science class, maps, etc. Luckily the comparison ends there - no sight of fag ash in the mash, or mystery-meat burgers.  I tried ordering the soup which, alas, wasn't 'ready yet'. Being a benevolent dictator I give chef the benefit of the doubt, and instead happily munch my way through a too small mushrooms on toast.  Next a veggie pie with Jerusalem artichoke (brrppp!) and more mushrooms, which worked very well, the crust kept nice and crisp by one of those baked-in clay valves (bird shaped!) to let excess steam out. Simple and nice. My only negative was that we had 3 different people waiting our table, a bug-bear for an impatient sob like me. Tanner's could be a top choice in the area if it took things more seriously and applied itself. A for effort, C for attention to detail.

Rum Kitchen, Kingly Court, London Carnaby Street, W1B 5PW

Rum Kitchen, Kingly Court, London Carnaby Street, W1B 5PW

13/12/2013

www.therumkitchen.com

She said: We tried going to the Notting Hill site a few months ago for lunch only to be told they don’t serve lunch, so were excited to learn we could satisfy our Caribbean lunch-cravings at the new Soho site. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Rum Kitchen sits atop the Kingly Court courtyard and is done up to look like an ocean-side chic-shack with lots of colourful lights and nostalgia on display. The bar is a throwback to the same with a chilled-out barman happily pouring his own-defined generous measures into various concoctions. I was excited before even sitting down. I ordered a Bloody Mary which had a super spicy kick but was strangely addictive…For food I ordered some salted fish fritters to start which were indeed salty, juicy and tasty. For mains I chose the pumpkin, coconut and chic pea curry which came on a bed of roti. The portion was huge and after eating as much as I could the plate looked untouched (until he helped out). The curry was full of flavour and definitely hit the spot. Service was friendly and the waiter asked if we were full which if the first time I remember a waiter ever checking I was appropriately stuffed. I loved this place. Prices are very reasonable and yes the fact that I had a 50% Rum Kitchen discount helped but quality and value stand up on their own. This is a great place for food, to socialise and to just have a relaxed, decent meal. Definitely going back.

He said: My knowledge of Caribbean cuisine begins and ends with Jamaican patties, and rice & peas, so I can't really comment on the authenticity of the food. But what we ordered I liked, especially Her curried veggie stew. What I liked most about Rum Kitchen is the no-nonsense, keep-it-simple principle: a short menu of classics well executed. It's because of this streamlined menu that I ordered the swordfish burger. That's a fish I've avoided ever since being told by someone whose job it is to know that you'll be hard-pressed to find more parasites in any other of neptune's denizens. Still, in for a penny, in for a pound, it was delish and I gobbled it up. The service was friendly and efficient, and the portions generous. You know a place's MO when the waitress asks you at the end: 'did that fill you up honey?' Drinks were tasty and potent, mixed as they were with free pours - something I have not seen I years in London, and one of the few things that I miss about America. The brains behind Rum Kitchen are visibly genuinely keen for every punter to walk out satiated and happy.  It has all the hallmarks, funky decor included, of a future franchise roll-out (though I really hope not). There is nothing not to like about Rum Kitchen. I'm going back next week with the guys.