The Bite Magazine - Spring 2019 - Issue 24

bite cuisine Steak & Ale Pie Steamed English Broccoli Owned by Livelyhood, a London-based owner, creator and operator of warm, witty and independent neighbourhood pubs, The Perky Nel has joined other southern belles like The Clapham North down the road in Clapham Road; The Regent in Balham; The Old Frizzle in Wimbledon; The Mere Scribbler in Streatham; and The Faber Fox in Crystal Palace. All of these facilities serve hearty and traditional British food that will make you feel right at home in a relaxing and favourable environ- ment. When we arrived at The Perky Nel on a Wednesday evening, the pub was already packed with locals who were either watching the game between Liverpool and Bayern, sitting down to a meal or having a drink or two. The curved bar on the left with rows of wooden panels and a copper top is quite big. On the top shelf you will find a couple of ornaments with faces on them and some greenery coming out of the top. There is also another one in the far corner which looks like a cupid hugging something. On either side of the facility and in the centre column, the brickwork is nicely exposed which adds a fresh tone to the place. There are a couple of high tables and stools with sets of lamps hanging over them in the centre and further back, along with a few lower tables. We sat at one of the tables that had banquette seating on the right hand side of the pub, with one of the exposed brick walls behind us. On this wall were pictures of a Victorian gentleman and a lady with flowers on her head and also four mirrored plaques below them. Perky Nel’s cocktails are made up of classic and popular con- coctions, rather than signatures. We decided to have Pornstar Martini and Livelyhood Martini which happen to be quite similar in colour and looks, but totally different in taste. Made with Eristoff, Passoa, Passionfruit, Vanilla, Lime and Prosecco, Pornstar Martini is described as the “perfect mix of sweet, sharp and fizz” which “makes this cocktail a modern classic. Vanilla flavours are balanced by tangy passionfruit, with a shot of pro- secco served on the side to make it pop.” Livelyhood Martini, on the other hand, made with Eristoff, Chambord, Pineapple and Prosecco is their unique twist on a classic French Martini. “A splash of Chambord black raspberry liqueur adds colour and sweetness while the Prosecco sharpens things up nicely.” I must admit out of the two, I preferred the Pornstar Martini. To balance things out, we also went for the Elderflower Fizz with Bombay, St. Germain Elderflower, White, Lemon, Sugar and Soda. This light cocktail with tart citrus flavours and creamy taste was very delightful. Made up of small plates, rather than starters, we had Lemon & Herb Fishcakes with tartare sauce and Cajun BBQ Siracha & Honey Chicken Wings. The fishcakes were soft, delicious and did not have a strong fish taste as I had expected. It literally melted in my mouth with every bite, which I loved. Although the chicken wings were messy because of the Cajun BBQ sauce, with plenty of serviettes to hand, they were very tasty and cooked exactly how I like them. They weren’t overly spicy which was fine with me and so were very enjoyable. For the main dishes, we decided to take the recommendation of Hannah who looked after us throughout the evening, to try the Pie of the Day which on this occasion was Steak & Ale served with mash, kale, honey roast parsnips, carrot and gravy and one of their special dishes, Pan Fried Skrei Cod with celeriac, pancetta bacon, new potatoes and spinach. The sides were made up of Truffled Cauliflower Cheese in garlic & herb crust and Steamed English Broccoli with garlic & herb butter which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Steak & Ale Pie was absolutely amazing with chunky pieces of meat and sauce that were cooked perfectly. I don’t normally like cooked carrots but these ones were delicious as were the parsnips. The mash that came with this meal was also nice as well. The Pan Fried Skrei Cod was soft and light with a crispy topping and the potatoes were sliced in pieces which had been nicely cooked. It was a wonderful combination of flavours with the pancetta bacon not being too salty.