THE SHIP

41 Jew's Row, Wandsworth SW18 1TB
Tel: 020 8870 9667
Website: The Ship



So it was one Sunday afternoon when her Royal Hagness and I decided to head to The Ship for lunch. Well, it was after a gym session (all this eating comes at a price) where the both of us and the prince consort had decided that we'd walked past this place often enough and that it was time to try it. And seeing as it was a nice day, we were lucky enough to snag a table in the alfresco dining area without a reservation (definitely recommended). After being ushered to our table and giving our drinks order, we perused the interesting menu. Unlike the Farm, there were plenty on the menu which appealed to the taste buds but finally I decided on the lamb shank with mash. Her royal couple decided on the special of the day - beef rib roast for two with portabello mushrooms, rocket salad and handcut chips. And seeing as we had just worked hard, we also decided to share a starter portion of mussels in white wine sauce.

After what seemed like ages (well, in reality it wasn't that long - we were just REALLY hungry), our mussels arrived with some wonderfully warm bread. The mussels were coated in with a lovely golden sauce which imparted a lovely garlicy, white wine flavour. We made quick work of these yummy and extremely fresh mussels. I'd never seen such big mussels in a long time - it was so big that her hagness had some trouble getting it down her gob (well, it wasn't helped by an unfortunate comment about what the mussel resembled but lets not go there). I'd post a picture of her royalness and the offending mussel but I value my life.

Our mains finally arrived and we were slightly gobsmacked at how large they were. It couldn't have been more different than the Farm but the Ship definitely offered better value for money.



My lamb shank itself was the size of a small chicken and the beef rib roast for two looked like it could feed three.

The lamb shank is probably the best that I've had and almost as good as the shank from The Old Trout in Thame, Oxfordshire. Achingly tender and melt in your mouth lamb with a lovely buttery mash made this meal such a memorable one. Across the table, her Royalness was getting almost orgasmic over the handcut chips - they were good.



To all the future chips that we will have - this is the bench mark which you will be compared to. The rest of the roast was also as good, according to her hagness and you'll know from past reviews that she's one tough cookie to please when it comes to food. She will accept no compromises when it comes to her taste buds.

After our plates were cleaned, I was looking for another stomach to house dessert, but alas, it was not to be. This just means that we have to go back for more next time. Overall, it was a most enjoyable experience - the food was excellent and the service was nothing to complaing about. After the meal, we took a walk around and found out that the Ship also has a less formal eating area outside with a bbq and a more casual lunch menu (burgers, sandwhiches etc). The outdoor eating area is certainly inviting on a fair weather day - right by the river, beers and bbq at your beck and call. What more can one ask for?

Compared to the efforts of The Farm previously, we consider that the bar for gastropubs has been raised - the Ship has thrown down the gauntlet and we challenge others to come and meet it.

TOH






POSTED ON THE 17th APRIL, 2005

Yes the Hags have gone again for a second spell to The Ship. The Other Hag wanted to show The Man what he had been missing out on in sunny Dubai. Once again we dutifully whipped our arses into shape at the gym – we were expecting a feast. To our pleasant surprise, the menu had changed. It seems it changes daily. This time we sat in the pub. You receive the same menu and food as the restaurant, the only difference is that it is self-service. This time there were a few hiccups.

There were four of us and we went up to the counter to order. I went first to order for the prince consort and myself. After a hitch with the credit card going through, The Other Hag placed her order for herself and The Man. What ended up happening, was that the prince consort and myself had finished the meal even before the other two received theirs. We were in good spirits anyhow and the staff apologised profusely for the wait.

The Cauliflower and Roquefort Soup (£3.85) drizzled with olive oil was tasty but we all agreed that it tasted a little diluted and weak.



My smoked duck and soft boiled duck egg salad (£7.50) looked a treat and tasted divine. The smoked duck was succulent and tasty. The duck eggs were gorgeously done and perfectly arranged so that the golden dripping flow of yolk tentatively and teasingly sat within the egg white. The only way to eat this was to throw your head back, roll back the eyes and murmur “Mmmmmm”. The duck and eggs were arranged on a bed of designer salad leaves with fresh sun-dried tomatoes and red onions.



Prince consort had the home made Ship burger with hand cut chips and salad (£8.75). The beef patty was full of flavour and had a generous portion of melted cheese slathered on it. This combined with the now famous ‘orgasmic chips’ made this dish a winner with the prince consort who wolfed it down in no time.



The Other Hag had the warmed smoked trout with spinach soufflé (£8.95). The soufflé was delicate and light. The trout was a little too salty for my liking…but I guess it was because it was smoked. Anyway, she ravaged this up in world record timing.



The Man had the roasted cod with lemon and thyme risotto (£11.95). This dish was a winner. The cod was firm and moist. The risotto was smooth and of just the right consistency. He struggled to finish this nevertheless. It came to light he had a pretzel after the gym session. What was he thinking? He rationalised that he needed the carbohydrate fuel after the work-out….puhleeez.



We enviously eyed the other table who were savouring their deserts. We contemplated. The Other Hag tried in vain to devise a way to fit another course in. We debated. In the end, reason won out. For gawd sake….we had just been to the gym.

Despite the serving hitch, The Ship is still a winner in our hearts. It’s nice to know that places exist where they sell fresh, original and delicious food for very reasonable prices. They even have Hoegaarden on tap! And for better or for worse…it’s near our gym.
HRH

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