November 21, 2014

Shepperton Wine Bar & Grill

I’ve been to check out the revamped, renamed Blubeckers in Shepperton for lunch. Ownership has stayed the same but the concept has altered.

Gone is the unmemorable old Blubeckers and what’s emerged is a fresh new dining and wining spot.

The feel is certainly much nicer than it was. Presumably the wine bar element is to make it a little more upscale. White washed walls actually work in this space, as the building has tons of character without any help. Black & white photos on the wall are interesting.

It’s actually a sister pub of our first review, The Mute Swan though it isn’t obvious.

We did find it a little perplexing that the desireable front room with the fireplace and the window wasn’t set for lunch.

A cute bar greets you at the door. Unfortunately they don’t have draught due to the cost of installing it with the thick concrete floor.

Service is youthful and enthusiastic.

The menu is impressive, not too big, not too small. Think American classics with interesting twists and flavourings. Polenta even makes a few appearances. It’s easy to find more than one thing you desire.

He had the ‘crispy cod in beer batter with chips and crushed minted pease £11.75.’ It was very good, nice crispy batter. Unusual, tasty warm tartar sauce was the highlight of the dish (underneath the fish.)

I had the ‘portobello mushroom burger, grilled portobello mushrooms stuffed with halloumi, lettuce, red onion, gherkin, chipotle mayonnaise and brioche £10 and corn salsa.’ with ‘polenta chips £3.‘ This was possibly the tastiest veggie burger I’ve had. Lovely textures and flavours with a bit of heat and a super yummy bun.

The chips were different with good spicing that certainly look good on the plate. Next time I’d prefer a mix of these and regular chips.

The corn salsa is cold (it’s an alternative to coleslaw.) It’s nice enough but there was far too much of it for me to finish.

They have some pretty tempting desserts but we were far to full. With titles like ‘caramelised lemon tart’ and ‘red velvet cheesecake’ we will definitely have to go back to try one. Or two.

The Shepperton Wine Bar & Grill is another great new addition to the Surrey food scene. They’ve done a good job updating the feel while still preserving the character of the building. Though part of a chain, it definitely feels and tastes unique.

Church Square, Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 9JY
www.homecountiespubs.co.uk/sheppertonwinebar
Car park in square opposite

October 13, 2014

Red Lion Shepperton

In another Sunday lunch outing with just my husband (no kids!) we headed over the river to test out the completely revamped Red Lion in Shepperton.

It’s not often you’re greeted by a beautiful display of fresh flowers upon entering a pub. That was the first clue we were in for a treat.

New, enthusiastic owners have completely redone The Red Lion, from top to bottom.

The result is possibly the most current pub in Surrey. Fresh, stylish and modern but with original features and loads of character. It also manages to maintain a true casual feel.

The new version opened its doors on September 1st.

The indoor pub area was perhaps my favourite room. It had such a great vibe and was unique and fresh feeling – not your standard stylish gastropub.

On busier days they open the ‘snug,’ which is a room in the ‘other’ building, alongside the front patio. It’s bright but cosy and a calm space to relax in.

The restaurant “room,” though nice enough, was my least favourite area of the pub (something’s got to be last place.) If I were to eat in the restaurant section I would specifically request a table at the front of the pub, in the restaurant area beside the bar (near the big fireplace pictured above.)

A restaurant al fresco dining area (full table service) is nicely enclosed from the road.

There’s an eyecatching outdoor pub seating area, though there’s no backs on seats.

There’s a riverside garden along the Thames (across the road from the pub.) At the moment it’s the only part of the pub that hasn’t been redone however they have big plans for the space. In spring they are going to deck the entire area to create seating for 60, along with building a pagoda with an outdoor kitchen.

The menu is changed daily. This means that the food is both interesting and fresh. It also means a smaller selection, which is generally fine though vegetarians may struggle.

Our service was very helpful and friendly.

We enjoyed our window seat.

We didn’t feel like an entire appetiser each but were lured by the sound of the ‘cauliflower soup, with mushrooms & brioche £5.75‘ They suggested splitting the portion between us and served it to us in two cups.

It ended up being the perfect size. It was super yummy, the taste was enhanced perfectly by the mushrooms.

My husband had the ‘salt beef stovie with spinach, fried egg & mustard sauce £11.50.’ It was very tasty with a good mix of flavours and nice textures. It was a good lunch sized portion but he was glad he’d had the soup.

I had the beetroot & onion tart, caramelised goat cheese, apple & walnut salad £7.55. Technically a starter, there are a few ingredients I find impossible to pass up – beetroot and goat cheese are two of them – even if they are on the wrong course.

The pastry was so flakey it actually made a crunchy sound when cutting through. Everything about it was delicious. With the 1/2 soup, it was filling for me for lunch.

Our food was fabulous and the ambiance was fabulous.

Move over Surrey pubs, there’s a new lion in town. If this sets the new standard for Surrey pubs we’re very excited indeed.

Russell Rd, Shepperton, Surrey, TW17 9HX
Small car park.
Dogs welcome outside and in the bar area.

May 21, 2014

Thames Court

Friday offered us some gorgeous weather so we headed to the popular Thames Court patio in Shepperton. Located on the tow path at the top of Shepperton Lock. Large car park.

The river at this point is very wide, almost giving the feeling of sitting on a lake. Which means lots of sun and a great feeling of openness – an excellent place to be on a sunny day.

Don’t be put off by the road, it’s very, very quiet.

The patio is large, but the demand is larger. It can be a wait to get a table but there are benches to scout from. Lots more benches (with backs) are located further down if you only want to come for a drink.

The patio furniture is stylish and comfortable (no picnic tables here.)

Though the patio is busy, the vibe is very chilled out. Some people bring games and seem to stay for lunch and dinner. The staff never make you feel rushed to leave.

Service is prompt but the queue at the bar to order food can be long and slow. The best strategy is to go early or at the lull between lunch and dinner.

On busy days food can take a while to arrive but on this visit it was with us almost immediately.

Ann had the bacon and brie melt, described as ‘melted Cornish brie, bacon and confit tomato in a crusty brown cob, served with seasoned chips.’ The sandwich was tasty enough on a nice bun. The chips were pretty standard pub chips, no seasoning detected.

Not much chance of eating healthy here, Marie compromised with BBQ chicken burger (soooo healthy.) ‘Grilled chicken breast topped with smoked cheddar, sweetcure bacon and BBQ sauce in a crusty cob, served with seasoned chips.’ Undercooked bacon and overcooked chicken but otherwise good.

Thames Court is popular for a reason. The location is fabulous and the prices very reasonable given the location. A visit to the patio, provided you get here early and get a table, is a highly recommended way to spend a summer afternoon.