The George of Harpenden

Published in The Herts Advertiser July 2019

The George of Harpenden

You will have seen the building work taking place at The George on Harpenden High Street in the last few months, and at last the scaffolding is down and it’s open. It’s quite a transformation!

Dating back to the late 19^th century, it was originally known as The George Hotel, and it now has a slightly more aspirational name: The George of Harpenden.

I hadn’t been in for years, and the new look is dramatic; it’s a really large pub and they have created a lovely open feel, with areas for drinks at the front, booth seating, a large dining space near the open kitchen, a conservatory area (‘the garden room’), and outside seating too. And it’s open all day, from morning coffee through to dinner, so I think it will be a really useful addition to the town. Family friendly, which it needs to be in Harpenden, but you can also find a quiet corner if you want to work during the day or have a child-free drink. The styling reminds me of The Ivy in St Albans, with jungly wallpaper and swish seating; they have clearly spent a fortune. The open kitchen with a huge pizza oven and Josper grill is at the heart of the pub, which gives the place a buzz.

We went in for a midweek lunch; it isn’t clear when you walk in where you are meant to go (maybe someone at the door would help?) but the bartender was friendly and helpful. The menu is extensive, with sourdough pizzas, sharing meze plates, a ‘fire’ menu, steaks, burgers, pub classics, as well as a brunch menu, so I am sure you will find something you like. A huge menu is usually a bad sign, but they seem equipped to handle it, with plenty of staff walking around, and a busy kitchen.

The Josper grill menu has its own introduction (400C coals, everything roasted to perfection etc) so we ordered Moroccan spiced cauliflower steak, which came with tabbouleh and saffron soya yoghurt sauce (12.5). This was a generous, delicious lunch. Roasted lamb shank and tuna steaks sound good too, and I am sure suit the grill approach, although at 17.00, a bit pricey. Sides are extra.

I chose a pub classic to see if they can do that well too, and my cod and chips was lovely and well presented, with grilled lemon, pea purée, and a tartare sauce made with samphire and pickled cucumber. At 15.00 it’s quite pricey for the area. We sat near the bar at the front of the pub, not realising that there was a huge dining area at the back, but we weren’t forgotten and service was good.

You can definitely just go in for drinks; the cocktail and gin menus include all the classics, and there is a sensible wine list too – nothing hugely exciting, but absolutely fine for a pub of this size. The beer menu focuses on bottled beers but they do have Meantime pale ale on draft, which went well with my fish and chips.

Brunch and breakfast is available 8 until 3 (8–11 on Sundays) and sounds great, with cooked breakfasts, granola, pastries, smoothie bowl, shakshuka, eggs benedict and bubble and squeak. I have to mention the vegan English, as everything else is self-explanatory, and I haven’t seen this elsewhere locally – you get vegan sausages, tofu scramble, Josper-roasted tomatoes, bubble and squeak and butterbeans in tomato sauce. I think that sounds amazing, whether veggie/vegan or not. Sunday lunch will be hugely popular here, and they have plenty of large tables, ideal for groups. They serve the pub classics, and also mushroom wellington, rib-eye beef, lemon chicken and pork belly with prune and brandy stuffing. You can book online or ring, and I think weekend booking will be essential.

A lovely transformation, and I hope it can maintain its great first impression!

Smallford Farm Shop

Have you been to the new cafe and farm shop in Smallford yet? You will spot it as you drive towards Hatfield, next to Glinwell’s giant greenhouses.

Stylish and spacious, the farm shop sells a really good range of foods such as bread, cheese, chocolate, wine, beer and much more from local, independent suppliers. The co-owners Sam Cannatella and Joe Colletti have worked hard to find products that you can’t find everywhere else, and it’s a lovely place to browse.

A must-buy are the tomatoes, aubergines and peppers that Glinwell grow themselves. They also make their own Cannatella & Colletti pasta sauces, which you will find right by the door as you go in. I was pleased to see that Hedges Farm supply the meat, and I spotted Twist Teas from Harpenden, oils from Mrs Middleton’s, gin from Campfire and Blackbridge, and Three Brewers and Farr Brew beers. The seeded loaf I bought was very good, and is baked by Seven Seeded in Watford.

There are some wonderful Easter treats in the shop at the moment. I really like the iced easter chick biscuits and pretty bars and boxes of chocolates, which I thought were reasonably priced. If you are quick you can enter the competition to win the giant (2.5kg!) Easter egg that you can’t fail to spot in the shop. Just go to the website http://www.smallfordfarmshop.com to enter by Sunday 14^thApril. The Jolly Choccy Sticks and Nom Nom bars are really unusual and would make good gifts; bee pollen chocolate sounds amazing!

The big draw is the cafe and on the times I have been it is far busier than the shop; we do all love a coffee shop in St Albans! The menu covers breakfasts and lunches as well as teas, coffees and cakes, and there is a nod to the family roots with some interesting Italian options. Breakfast includes full cooked options (9.95), smashed avocado with eggs, salmon or feta, pancakes with berries or bacon, and porridge and pastries. Lunch has a seasonal soup (4.50), sandwiches such as fish finger or salt beef served with salad or fries (around 7.50), and salads which are displayed in the counter, although they were almost finished when I went in.

Local suppliers are also used in the cafe, with sausages and burgers from Hedges and Glinwell’s own tomatoes feature in the Smallford tomato, burrata and basil salad. My goat cheese, pepper and red onion marmalade panini was good, although the salad needed a dressing of some kind. The arancini were a little oily, but the roasted tomato sauce with them was lovely. Blood orange pannacotta with vanilla biscuits on the specials board sounded amazing; one to try. Neal’s Yard supply the cheeses, and you can buy them in the shop or have a cheeseboard in the cafe, perhaps with some of the Italian wine or local beers on sale.

I think the popularity of the cafe has caught them out as it was a little chaotic when I went in. Customers had to ask for menus while they queued, which meant they didn’t know what was on offer before they reached the till; I wonder if a board up somewhere, or menus on the tables would help? There isn’t much space between tables either, but I noticed they were putting more tables outside on the terrace area, which will help with demand! It is early days though, and it is a nice problem to have.

The farm shop and cafe are open every day, and there is plenty of free parking in front of the shop. A welcome new addition to the area!

Fade to Black

I’ve lived near the Quadrant shops in St Albans for many years and I don’t think I’ve eaten lunch there, or been for a coffee; living just five minutes walk away makes it hard to justify! A new cafe has changed that, and I have now been three times to Fade to Black, as everyone seems curious to try it.

Fade to Black is owned by locals Vicky and Lee, who also own a cafe in Hanwell. The cafe has a great look, with dark grey painted walls, an exposed concrete ceiling, reclaimed wood counter and old school chairs. The space is larger than I expected, and there is seating for about 30 people, and when I went in one morning it was pretty full, with people having breakfast or working away at their laptops. It has a nice family-friendly feel too, and there is a large chalkboard on the wall near the loos that will amuse kids (or adults, of course!) for a while, as well as a box of toys.

Coffee is by Ozone who are based in Shoreditch and it’s great; a good depth of flavour and with the all-important crema. You can get all the usual coffees including flat whites, espressos, long black, cappuccino and latte and my long mac was perfect. They do a good range of teas and turmeric chai latte too; I had a rooibos one afternoon and it came in a smart pot that made enough for two good cupfuls. Prices compare well with the city centre coffee shops.

There is a nice selection of cakes and pastries on the counter; I noticed a gluten-free toffee cake, as well as brownies, flapjacks and carrot cake, and my caramel slice was excellent. Cakes and bakes are made locally by Lucy O’Reilly, and Jane’s Bakes in Wheathamstead.

They can make fresh juices while you wait, and they keep the menu simple, so no staring at an over-complicated menu trying to work out what the green goddess is. Simply choose one, two, or three juices from the list of orange, grapefruit, apple, carrot, beetroot, cucumber and spinach. You can add a shot of ginger or turmeric too. My orange and grapefruit juice was delicious.

The all day food menu has a really sensible range for what they can make in their open kitchen and I think is great value with most things under a fiver. It is mainly toasties, sandwiches and wraps, and my chilli smashed avocado on toasted sourdough for 4.20 was generous and the avos were perfectly ripe. I’ll choose the toasted tuna with tomato, paprika and rocket next time; I’ve never thought to pair tuna with paprika but it sounds good! Service has been good each time I’ve been in.

Meat-lovers might choose the croissant with ham and cheese, or the pastrami, swiss, pickles and mustard – a taste of New York right here in the Quadrant. As we go into spring, the two salads on the menu are bound to be popular too; they do a Greek-ish salad with feta, spinach leaves, tomato, olives and cucumber, and the mozzarella and basil salad, with avocado and pesto oil dressing sounds good, and again, both are under a fiver. Dolce Forne supply the breads, and ES Hulse & Son, the vegetables and fruits.

Vicky explained that they chose the name Fade to Black as the plan is to open in the evenings too, and the cafe does have a bar feel; keep an eye on how that develops. They already sell some almost-alcohol cocktails during the day including Seedlip-based English Garden and Citrus Zest.

Fade to Black is a great new addition to the Quadrant and I am sure I will be back.

St Albans Museum and Gallery Cafe

Published in The Herts Advertiser June 2018

I feel quite emotional writing about the new St Albans Museum and Gallery – the transformation is, at last, complete, and we now have a terrific cultural space right in the centre of our city. I had been to the old cafe in the Town Hall, as it was known then, over the years and it was always busy, especially on market days when people would sit outside. I think it looked dated with the swirling fans and dark panelling everywhere.

The new cafe space feels very different. As you walk into the Museum and Gallery, the counter and kitchen occupies the right-hand side of the entrance, leaving space opposite for tourist information and the shop (with the poshest tea towels ever). Queue up with a tray along the smart, marble counter, and order lunch, cakes and drinks as you move along to the till. Seating is either outside under the four large umbrellas, or you take your tray into the courtroom, which now has seating. I love the new use of the courtroom – when I went in people were really exploring it, sitting in the judge’s chair and standing in the dock before heading down to the cells. Tables are located as you walk into the courtroom so there is flat and easy access if you need it (cafe staff will help you with your tray if you need it). You can also sit at benches that wrap around the courtroom or sit in the ‘pit’ area; light floods the room and there are fresh flowers on the table. Surely this must be one of the quirkiest cafes in the country? The loos are in the old cells so go and check those out!

We went in last week for lunch and the cafe has a short and seasonal menu that changes most days. The chefs you see working in the kitchen make all the food (save a few baked goods) so they can vary the menu easily. There is usually a soup (good value at under 5 a bowl), a couple of cooked options and hearty sandwiches. I chose stuffed pepper with two salads for under 8; I thought the watermelon salad was delicious. The potato salad was pleasant but together they were an odd combination. The pepper was very good but I would have liked both halves for the cost. The feta, rocket and chutney sandwich looked lovely and generous, and I saw a few people choose the sausage turnover with date and ale chutney (a nice British touch). The queue moved along quickly and the staff were smiley and keen to help.

I’ve been in twice for cake; the first time was towards the end of the day and they had run out of nut-free cakes (for my partner), but the second time the selection was excellent. Bakewell tart, pistachio and blueberry buns, carrot cake, raspberry and oat slice, chocolate brownie, and with prices from 2.50 to 3.95, good value. I shared an almond and raspberry cake, which was divine and you could pick up a free recipe sheet if you want to make it yourself. Coffee was very good and I like that you can get a mug of tea for 1.50. The herbal teas were a little pricey at 3, but you get enough for two cups. There are jugs of tap water with proper glasses (yay, no plastic). It was easy to find somewhere to sit, and there was a lovely atmosphere outside on market day, with music from a nearby stall.

Keep an eye out for the late night events at the Museum and Gallery; the bar will be open and the plan is to offer food specially themed to the touring exhibitions. I love that the cafe team run by Leafi (who also run a cafe at Somerset House, Turner Contemporary and Burgh House in Hampstead) can offer this flexibility – the large chains just can’t. I look forward to going again.

New Year, New You?

Published in WH Times, Jan 2019

There is a lot of information about eating at this time of year: veganuary, weight loss plans, juicing, 5-2 diets, marathon training plans… but what many of us need is just some sensible support and advice that is tailored to us. We are all different, after all, with different needs.

I have been following Deirdre Swede on instagram; she is based in Welwyn and I like her sensible, real-life approach to eating well. I got in touch with Deirdre to ask if she had any advice for our readers this January.

Deirdre has been a Registered Nutritional Therapist for a year, and offers relaxed, one-to-one support as well as group workshops. She is very easy to talk to and her focus is on helping you to feel great, more energised, and to make small, positive changes if you need to. Deirdre told me that we tend to focus on what we need to cut out, but her approach is to make sure we eat enough of what our bodies actually need. “So many of us beat ourselves up about what we eat; I think we should focus on what we do well”, she explained.

In January, Deirdre suggests eating plenty of warming and nourishing porridge, soups and stews. She mentioned that eating salads and raw foods can be a bit tough at this time of year. One tip is to treat yourself to a veg box delivery scheme; it is a great way to make sure you eat seasonal, fresh vegetables, including some you might not always buy, and will help you to “eat the rainbow”.

Deirdre also offers group workshops: her most recent was on hormone health and was ideal for peri- or menopausal women (basically most of us in our 40s and 50s!). At the workshop Deirdre spoke about how sleep and stress can have an impact on your health, and cooked beetroot dip, dahl, roast vegetables and soup to show how easy it is to get more vegetables and pulses into your day. The next workshop is planned for 11 February (19.15-21.30). You can contact Deirdre via nutrition@deirdreswede.co.uk and her facebook page has lots of ideas for eating well.

St Albans’ best restaurant?

The Abbey, George St, St Albans

Published in The Herts Advertiser, November 2018

The cathedral quarter in St Albans goes from strength to strength and has attracted some very good restaurants, bars and food shops recently. It always looks lovely at this time of the year, and I am sure many of you will be heading there for Christmas drinks and food.

I have been meaning to write about The Abbey for a while, as it opened earlier this year with a very smart launch, but I wanted to go when the fuss had died down, to see what it is really like. Executive Chef Cat Ashton has an excellent background; she was head chef at Petersham Nurseries and at Paradise by Way at Kensal Green. Petersham Nurseries held a Michelin star and is known for its creative seasonal cooking, and Kat has brought that experience with her to St Albans. It’s also interesting to note that Kat is the only female head chef in Hertfordshire at the moment; I hope this is the start of a trend!

Set in an old, narrow building on George Street, The Abbey has a smart bar area as you go in, though space is limited so it is probably best for a quick pre-dinner drink. The area at the back of the ground floor is lovely, with a quirky floral wall that brings a lot of character to the enclosed space. Upstairs there are two rooms, one of which is ideal for private dining, which is becoming ever more popular in St Albans. The Living Room at the front of the building has a large fireplace and views over George Street and the smaller Abbey View holds one long table that sits up to 10 people and would be lovely for a group of pals.

We were seated downstairs and I didn’t love the spot; it felt like we were in a busy corridor – I realise this is tricky to avoid in a narrow building, but they might need to rethink the room layout so every customer gets a good experience. It is busy, so you do need to book.

The menu is short and seasonal, with four starters, four main courses and four puds. I chose Grilled sea bream with curry butter, corn and coconut purée, curly kale and mushrooms; it was a clever combination of seasonal elements with a nod to Kat’s Australian background. It was beautifully presented, well-balanced and delicious. My husband chose Brown-sugar glazed short ribs with celeriac purée, fennel remoulade and pomegranate, and we ordered some autumn greens which went well with both, I also liked the sound of the roast pumpkin and halloumi wrapped in filo with pistachio mayo, which is more interesting than the usual veggie options. Mains range from about 15 to 22 pounds, which is pretty standard for this level of cooking.

I loved my medjool date and Kahlua crème brûlée with fresh figs and walnut cookie for pud; the date compote was a fab combination with the brûlée. I tried some of the dark chocolate torte with pear and rosemary honeycomb, and that was excellent too. Service of 12.5% is added; I prefer to add my own, but this does seem to be the norm now in many restaurants. The food arrived promptly, which shows that the kitchen is well-organised but otherwise I thought the service seemed a bit chaotic which added to the feeling of sitting in a corridor.

I have heard good things about the bottomless brunch they serve at weekends. Main courses sound wonderful, for example: Cream cheese stuffed french toast with crispy bacon, blueberries and maple syrup and Scrambled eggs on sourdough with chorizo, rocket salad and roast pumpkin. You can get Autumn cherry Bellinis to go with it.

The Abbey has already gained a good reputation locally for great cooking and I think has the potential to be St Albans’ best restaurant; it just needs to work out how to make the best of its historic building.