The White Lion

ADGS

Dropped in for a pint yesterday - the decor was generic gastro dullness, the music was dire and the menu was having a laugh. Even were I not moving away, I'd be very unlikely to return. RIP WLM.

NorthNineteen

I guess its the difference between drinking because you enjoy it and drinking because you want to get drunk.  Amazes me how many people fall in the later.

Mirandola

It'll do fine, is my guess. There's a scary amount of money moving in round here.

vetski

I had a pleasant enough evening & meal - esp. once I'd got them to turn down the music in the dining area! - but while the menu & prices are Season-ish, the quality of cooking isn't. Hopefully that's just because it's early days.

krappyrubsnif

Was that you - very sorry about your cod, @NorthNineteen, these things happen. Hope you got it in the end, and that it was as good as my trout. Food really very good indeed - what I'd originally written off as a pretentious menu turns out to be very tasty, interesting and well done. (Pudding with figs not a success though.) And not sure about these prices. I think people reaching deep into their pockets for food of this quality would expect a Season-like restaurant environment and not a bar with loud music and shouty conversation. Obviously a few teething problems (like our fish mix-up) to overcome, otherwise my only gripe was bar service. The young guy serving me had obviously never ever pulled a pint in his life before, served short measure, didn't know how much wine was in a 175 measure, and then poured the wrong wine. Also didn't offer 'straight glass or jug?' All basic - he had to be shown how to do it. Er...training? The charitable explanation is that they'd pulled him away from the restaurant service to help out in the bar, but it didn't inspire confidence. Overall looking good.

krappyrubsnif

Mrs K:   'Thank goodness, no more male drunks'.<div><br>Me:  'No - a better class of male drunk'.</div>

TescoPigeon

<span style="font-weight: normal;">Myself and my friends thoroughly enjoyed the food. The lamb, the crab croquettes and the ham hock were the standouts, although the price is pitched a little too high in my opinion.</span><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">The music was too loud, but that might have been because they had a DJ on this opening night so I hope in future it will be at a more background level.</span><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">As for the bar staff - I agree totally with krappy. It took one barmaid a full 5 minutes to prepare two half pints and a G&T. The G&T was then served in a tiny glass, without ice or lime... that's just unacceptable. These are things that can be easily fixed however, so I will return. I prefer the feel of this pub to the Old Dairy and the furniture/overall comfort beats the Stapleton. Fingers crossed it settles down and becomes a great pub. TP's rating: </span><b>3.5/5</b></div></div>

Arkady

<font face="Arial, Verdana"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">"W</span></font><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">hile the menu & prices are Season-ish, the quality of cooking isn't" - I'm afraid I have to agree with Vetski. The starters were OK but nothing special. My lamb was reasonably priced at £15 - it was rather good. But the steak was more expensive than Season, and neither the cut nor the sauce were a patch on Season quality, and the chips were brown, dry and shrivelled.</span><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#555555" face="Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I like what they have done with the pub. I'm much more likely to visit than I was before. It is a tad generic I suppose - I wonder whether they might have gone for something a bit more unusual given that the Dairy and Hopsmiths both go for the distressed stripped-brick look. But the central bar works well. I think it will be great in summer when they can open up the front windows.</span></font></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I broadly agree with NorthNineteen (you should have said hi!) about the cost of the beer - you expect to pay premium prices for premium beer.</span></div>

south_to_north

The whole premium prices for premium beer argument is fine.... Until you pay 3 quid for 450ml for neck oil at Blighty Coffee. Even at the Bedford it's less than 5. The hopsmiths sells a range of similar premium beers for less than 5. The WB Yeats sells Brewdog beers on tap for 4.30 and 4.80. 6 quid is just..... Irritating. Makes me not want to go for a quick pint. I understand it's probably not their fault though, probably has something to do with the price they could negotiate with the sales reps at beavertown.

Arkady

Neck Oil was well over a fiver when it was on at the Hopsmiths.

south_to_north

Overall I thought the pub was nice though. A bit generic, and might have an issue differentiating themselves in an already crowded market, at least as far as casual drinkers are concerned (as discussed earlier in the feed). I had hoped for somewhere more interesting, but it's unfair to judge the place on what I hoped the place would be. Didn't eat there but will do after hearing the good things on here.... Also, please turn the music down. If the management end up reading this, understand that that's not because I'm a grumpy old man (not that there's anything wrong with that). I'm 23, and I like to be able to talk to people without shouting thank you very much.

Papa

I work near Kensington High Street, we have a few nice pubs dotted about on the side streets, on some of the UK's most expensive roads.<div><br></div><div>The White Lion is now as expensive and probably more expensive than some of them.</div><div><br></div><div>It's definitely been gastrated.</div>

Peter Crumb

Neck Oil is less than 2 quid a can in most of licences.

NorthNineteen

I've seen it in several off licenses, once at £2.40, twice at £2.70 and once at £2.80.  It's £2.20-£2.80 online excluding postage.  Where have you seen it less £2, even direct from the brewery in Tottenham Hale I think it still works out at £2.20 buying in bulk!!

NorthNineteen

Shotgun BBQ in Soho was charging £5 for a can the other day.

Peter Crumb

Bottle Apostle in Crouch End and Prohibition Wines in Muswell Hill. Jacks, which unfortunately is a rip off, probably charge a higher price. From Tottenham Hale the beers are 2 quid a can except the limited addition ones which are often alot more. Beavertown beers work out at 3.75 a pint in their brewery which is great value for craft beer. Sorry bit of a beer geek and a tight Yorkshireman, so always analysing beer prices!

Peter Crumb

Londis (I think) near the triangle restaurant seems to have decent prices too. They're selling that Hawaiian beer quite cheap.

krappyrubsnif

Totally confused by this blitz of emails about different breweries, names, brands and relative merits per litre of different drinking establishments. Can someone spell out in words of one syllable for a beer drinker anxious to upgrade from Greene King IPA, what are the best value beers to try without moving from N4, and where. I had a pint of something pale but tasty enough last night for ten pence off £6. I thought this was taking the piss, myself, but call me old-fashioned.

Peter Crumb

It was. Beavertown gamma ray or punk IPA are good to try. Punk you can buy in tescos.

NorthNineteen

N1 Pale Ale from Hammerton is a good upgrade from Greene King IPA, can be found at Bedford Tavern.<div><br></div><div>Hopsmiths have some very good value beers - late knights do a good IPA which is excellent value plus very good Best Bitter and Pale Ale.</div><div><br></div><div>I'd think these would be more your kind of thing that some of the craft beers.</div><div><br></div><div>Cod was lovely by the way, no need to apologise - this is why places do soft launches!</div>

NorthNineteen

@Peter Crumb thanks for the heads up on Bottle Apostle - under £2 is a good price for Neck Oil.  Was £2.80 in Oddbins!

Peter Crumb

Just checked 1.95 in BA.

south_to_north

Greene king ipa and brewdog ipa/beavertown gamma ray are exceptionally different beers. Both those beers use american hops, which give the beer an incredibly floral and fruity taste. No doubt they're worth trying - because they're great. But if you're used to trying conventional british bitters (Greene king ipa, despite its name, is so lightly hopped that it might as well be a best bitter), then those beers might not be the best thing to try. If I were you @krappyrubsnif , I'd try ELB's pale ale - which they had on at the White lion the other night. I believe they still use American hops, but because it's not as cold and fizzy as the keg beers it should be an easier transition. Regarding price, ironically the best place to get a huge variety of great value craft beer is a wetherspoons - but alas it's too late now....

south_to_north

(To give an example..... the coronet on Holloway Road has 15 craft ales on cask, every one under 4 quid and some under 3. If it also did posh roasts and had a distressed shabby chic interior people would be going crazy about a beer selection like that! )

Peter Crumb

What Krappy had for 6 quid a pint I doubt was a traditional pale ale. If that is what you want then Adnams Mosaic is great.

Peter Crumb

WLM had sod all craft beers. They did for a bit but presumably nobody was buingw them. Thankfully the Mossy Well has a great selection.

miss annie

I reckon Wetherspoons should just add £15 to the price of all their meals. Gullible folk will flock in on the current trend for 'if it's expensive it must be good'. Card carrying regulars and old time locals could get the original cheap deals (the Venetian way). I went in a Wetherspoons in Holborn the other day to have a pre War Horse matinee breakfast and it was excellent. They even managed to get hot toast to the table which nowhere expensive, except the Wolsely, ever does.

south_to_north

Wouldn't quite go that far.... Their food is still thoroughly average if not poor. But that's what it's expected to be so it's fine. Wetherspoons is the cafeteria for the local community.

miss annie

The food is not poor. I eat in a mixture of top end places paid for by publishers and cheap and cheerfuls if I'm paying for myself. Wetherspoons is not poor.

south_to_north

Mostly average. Some poor. With a menu as big as a wetherspoons one there are always some stinkers on there. Just my own observation.