The “Hung, Drawn and Quartered”:https://www.hung-drawn-and-quartered.co.uk/ is a pub name that’s not easily forgotten and possibly reflects its location near the Tower of London.
We first discovered it when we were too early for an appointment in the area and popped in for a quick drink to kill time. We were so impressed by the friendly service and the interior décor that following a visit to the Sky Garden, I booked lunch for three of us as it was a short walk down Eastcheap.
At 12.30pm on a Thursday, it wasn’t particularly busy, but I was pleased I’d booked as I always think you get slightly better service. Having used the NHS Covid App and sanitised hands, we were shown to our table near an open window which provided welcome air, on what was a steamy day.
We were told we could download the menu, but when we gave the ‘we’re old, can we have paper menus’ look they were provided without hesitation. Although there is no drinks menu, when asking for a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc we were given a choice of French, Chilean or New Zealand and chose the Chilean priced at £27 a bottle. Tap water in a swing top bottle was provided with glasses of ice and lemon.
This is a Fullers Pie and Ale pub, so the “menu”:https://www.hung-drawn-and-quartered.co.uk/food/main-menu specialises in both regular pie mains, but also mini pies served with mash. There is also a sandwich “menu”:https://www.hung-drawn-and-quartered.co.uk/food/sandwich-menu. We spotted a sharing platter which we thought would be a great choice until we realised it came with tasters of three award winning beers. However, the very helpful and friendly young man suggested if we all chose a different mini pie, we could share. We thought this was a fabulous idea but couldn’t resist adding a portion of chips. Our three pies, all with shortcrust pastry, were: steak and Fuller’s London Pride, traditional East End meat and roasted cauliflower with Lincolnshire Poacher.
The dishes of pie and mash were placed in the middle of the table and three small plates provided. Each pie was marked in the pastry to distinguish the filling and one looked like a smiley face. They all came with a small dish of red wine gravy or a cheese sauce. Each was cut into three and, with the portion of mash, was a brilliantly light but very tasty lunch.
The pub has very high ceilings, beautiful dark polished wooden flooring, big pillars and huge chandeliers.
We loved our experience and is certainly one to be repeated in either this pub or another of Fullers interestingly named pubs e.g. Butchers Hook and Cleaver and The Counting House.
