Notting Hill Diary

The North Pole
13-15 North Pole Road
W10

http://thenorth-pole.co.uk/

Best feature: comfortable space for just relaxing or for dining
Room for improvement: so far, so good

I was pleasantly surprised the first time I walked into North Pole—there are comfy couches and chairs with a view of the big-screen TV so you can order a glass of wine and take in whatever sporting event is showing, or you can venture to one of the wooden tables and enjoy a quiet meal.

Billed as a “gastropub,” the menu seems to specialize in burgers, but there is more for those who’d rather indulge in fish or pasta, and a blackboard menu above the kitchen has daily specials including a soup of the day.

We started with some cocktails and olives to pick on; it was a nice portion that went well with the wine and mixed drinks on hand.

For dinner I chose a skate wing special for the day, with an herb and parmesan crust. The fish was quite good, though I will admit to being a little disappointed by the “crust”: I was thinking more crispy/crusty, but it was more a smear of herb and parmesan. Still good, just not what I’d expected. Served with some delicious small potatoes and a veg, it made for a good, well rounded and satisfying meal.

The burgers come on ciabatta and with chips, and will be served to your liking; my companion did enjoy his. A small dollop of cole slaw also accompanies the meal, and the burger has lettuce and tomato as well as a small side of salad.

There are also a few salads to choose from, and one of my tablemates tried the chicken Caesar salad. We both enjoyed the fresh anchovies, and the salad was lightly dressed, which is a nice change of pace from greens that are often too drenched. The chicken was good; it’s hard to get that wrong.

The wine list is nice (there is also a nice selection of Belgian ales and lagers) and the service was attentive enough to recognize when another glass of water or wine was in need. I will certainly have to try North Pole again, perhaps when they have one of their music nights, which the venue has regularly. Stay tuned!

This review very kindly supplied by Donna Kusman, who writes an excellent blog about her life in London at http://donnakusman.blogstream.com/

[I've already reviewed the North Pole myself, but more as a pub than a restaurant - ed]