Tuesday 1 October 2013

THE MALT HOUSE, FULHAM BROADWAY

I am often busy being lazy at weekends and so never blog (it interferes with my lying on the sofa with a huge glass of wine doing nothing time) & so I have just realised that I haven't told you all about Pascal & my Friday night meal at The Malt House.

The Malt House is a pub with rooms in Fulham Broadway. It is the sister pub to the very popular Fox & Grapes in Wimbledon which is owned by the Michelin starred chef Claude Bosi & his brother Cedric. Cedric manages the place as Claude spends most his time cooking at his two star restaurant Hibiscus. As the Fox & Grapes has proved so successful, they opened the Malt House in Fulham at the beginning of the year and the chef is former Hibiscus Head Chef Marcus McGuinness. 

I ate at the Fox & Grapes over the summer and had a fantastic meal so was keen to try their place in Fulham.   

As it was a weekend without Arabella, we popped along to Locale for a few pre dinner cocktails - I am very keen on their Elderflower Collins....

We then wondered up to the Malt House & I was surprised about how big it is - it felt absolutely HUGE! It's nicely decorated - lots of white and light (I am a poet) & there was a particularly nice corner booth area if there were 4-5 of you - although despite the size of the restaurant, the tables were very close together which would be my only complaint. The bar was also massive - I doubt you would have a problem to ever find a spot there. The whole effect was aesthetically pleasing & you felt you were somewhere smart.

We were shown to our table & ordered some water, wine, oat cakes & hummus & some bread & butter while we looked at the menu:

http://www.malthousefulham.co.uk/static/Lunch_Menu_sept_2013.pdf



Pascal & I are massive hummus fans - I don't think there is ever a day when we don't have some in the fridge and we have been known just to eat it with a spoon out the pot if there is nothing to dip. Unfortunately this hummus did not live up to our expectations - it tasted more like babaganoush / auberginey. The oatcakes were not the usual kind and instead were more like a giant crisp bread but thankfully these were tasty as was the incredibly soft sourdough bread.



For my starter I chose Kings Lynn Potted Shrimps with sourdough bread followed by......a blue cheese burger (I really need to be more imaginative)!!! Pascal went for Scottish Smoked Salmon with Lemon & Chive Creme Fraiche & then 42 Day Aged Steak, Onion & Ale Pie with chips - good British food!!

I have always been a fan of potted shrimps as my dad used to make them with copious amounts of butter - I find them a good comfort food with some hot toast.



The potted shrimps were good - like the hummus not what I was expecting as the butter was tomato based but they were still very appetising - plenty of shrimps and delicious sourdough toast.

Pascal's smoked salmon was also very tasty.


He gobbled it up with the sourdough bread and said the flavours together were a real delight although his only gripe was he would have liked some toast too. The service was very attentive & I am sure they would have happily bought him toast but he was too impatient to wait!

Now my burger for mains was very good - obviously I had the burger at the Fox & Grapes & this one was even better as it came with blue cheese.



I didn't eat the bun as it was too much (I had had pre pre starters at locale as well - shhhhhh - I was a little embarrassed to add that earlier) but the burger was cooked perfectly - medium, a big wedge of cheese, pickles, lettuce & mayonnaise - (way superior to Byron)!!

The chips were fat chips and were crisp & fluffy but a bit too potatoey for me...Pascal's favourite type though.



We both had a generous portion each & for once were defeated (a very rare occurrence)!

Last but not least Pascal had a beef, ale and onion pie. Being French he had only ever had the chicken pie we make at home as isn't really a pie eater (?) but after his one here, I think that will all change.




Huge chunks of meat & onion, delicious sauce & better pastry than "jus rol"! He loved it.

All in all it was a good meal - good food, good service, good wine list - but, (there is always a but), as the pub is so big it did lack in atmosphere. There were several tables occupied but it still felt a empty. I think this would be a much better place to come for lunch at a weekend with a big group of friends, rather than dinner for 2 on a Friday night. 

On another note the garden is absolutely gorgeous, enclosed with little fairy lights and I expect hugely popular in the summer....I think they also do summer bbqs which I expect are a huge success....I think I will add that to my list for next year!!

http://www.malthousefulham.co.uk/index.php

17 Vanston Place,
Fulham,
London
SW6 1AY
Tel: 020 7084 6888
Email: reservations@malthousefulham.co.uk


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16 comments:

  1. Thanks, Emma! I just approved your blog claim. Now your Urbanspoon profile picture is displayed on your blog page. You can upload a blog-specific photo if you prefer, and can change a few other blog settings there. Also, if you vote for a restaurant that you've reviewed on your blog, we now show your vote next to your post everywhere on our site.

    http://www.urbanspoon.com/br/52/11960/London/THIS-LITTLE-PIGGY-LOVES-FOOD.html

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    Greg

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  2. It was my day one so tommorow in breakfast do i need to choose either grapefruit or egg or i can have both

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    1. You can have both - good luck!

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    2. Also thanks for taking real pics of the food, including the 'diet plan' food, very clever and gives a good idea what the food should be like :)

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  3. Thanks Emma for your detailed blog and great humour, (though prices would be good). Also I'll be starting diet tomorrow, (I still have food in the fridge that needs finishing)! Was wondering what you ment by 'fish salad', what type of fish etc? Also how about portions, salad, chicken, etc? Thank-you again for your help and advise as well as your time for typing these to help others. Kind regards. Bita.

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  4. Ok, I don't eat grapefruit, tomatoes or lamb. Will that affect me on this diet?

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  5. it hasn't worked on me Been so strict for the last 3 days

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  6. Hiya I've just came across this diet and am keen to start it tomorrow I've been complaining that I have put on some weight for a few months now I'm only 4ft 11" and have been weighed at my doctors at a health check I weigh just over 9 :( doc says I'm just over a stone overweight I have three children youngest is 5 my only concern is I have an under active thyroid which means my metabolism is slower I hope I can still shift a stone in a week or 2 x

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    Replies
    1. If you take sea kelp tablets ( Google them) they give them to people with that problem they might help u

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  7. Hello I was just wondering if you loose it fast will you have saggy exess skin like hanging??...

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  8. Hello I was just wondering if you loose it fast will you have saggy exess skin like hanging??...

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  9. Hiya I'm wanting to start this diet, the only thing is I work night shift so 1 of meals I'd have to eat at work during the night (early hours of the morning) will this make any difference to the results??

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    Replies
    1. I just swoop meals around so norm have the fruit meal while at work or pre the chicken extra and eat cold

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  10. hiya was wondering if this page is still active I've done this diet before and it worked. just had a question about drinks is Robbinsons sugar free lemon juice ok or does it have to be fresh lemon juice

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  11. Ive tried this twice and only made it to day 3, I need to lose a few pounds for a family trip, hopefully I can get past day 3, but both times I have lost 6lbs so I'd still be happy with that.

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