The Greyhound, Battersea  

Elegant, refined, continental. All these adjectives can describe media-hyped pub du jour the Greyhound. Stuck at the wrong end of Battersea High Street, the décor was understated and well-considered. Describing itself as a gastropub, there was nonetheless a clear demarcation between drinking and eating with the overall formality of the decor shouting 'restaurant'. Many newspapers and magazines have graced the Greyhound's doors since first opening and there's been an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the food, which we hasten to add isn't cheap. Their philosophy was laid bare upon arrival, when we were immediately offered the the most extensive and stunning (monthly-changing) wine list we've seen in a long time. If you can't stretch to the 1961 Hermitage for £3,100 there were various others around £30-£100. Consequently, we stuck to the Leffe. Sadly, service without a smile seems to be de rigueur here; although polite, we weren't exactly bathed in warmth. We also noticed a couple having a poor experience, which was exacerbated by extraordinarily dismissive staff. Considering this is a pub review (and despite the probability that herein lies a fantastic restaurant) we have to conclude that drinking here is ultimately a rather joyless experience.

reviewed:
27/03/2006

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