On my way back to Victoria Thursday morning, I was determined to visit The Harp, 47 Chandos Place, inbetween Covent Garden and Charing Cross. This pub won the CAMRA National Champion Pub of the Year in 2010, and London Cider Pub of the Year in 2011, but I walked right past it! OK, I wasn't sleep walking, but the frontage is quite narrow, and there was scaffolding outside, it being redecorated at the moment, the windows were wide open (being of the sort often seen more on the Continent); I shall post a photograph of the outside when the work is finished, which should be by my next visit. But I did find it after walking up the (quite short) Chandos Place, and glad I am that I did!
This is what greets you immediately you walk through the door, a big hint of many ales served here in the past, and the many more to come. Apart from ales, ciders and pump clips, the overall feeling is of wooden boards, bare floorboards (always a promising sign for a real ale pub, I think) and panelling on the walls and bar itself. To the right of the bar is the standing area and, downstairs, seating is provided by bar stools and high tables and ledges; including upstairs, there must be about 20 stools in the pub. Upstairs, there is a seating area with a high ledge along the side with stools, comfortable room for up to about 20, I'd imagine, with 14 comfy chairs at 'normal' seating level tables.
Also, a very friendly barmaid greeted me, apparently happy to give my many questions answers, and I did ask plenty, hopefully, not boring her too much, and ensuring I didn't interfere with the running of the pub, but you can find out more at the website.
You'll see more about the food on offer on the website, the pub opens at 10.00 hrs, Mon-Saturday, and 12.00 on Sundays; though opens at 10.00 on the Sundays before bank holiday Mondays. Bottles of craft beers adorn cool cabinets behind the bar, usually 10-12 regularly changing ciders and perries (with 30 or so in the cellar for replenishment), and 8 or 9 ales, a fair old choice! Again, I'll just discuss the ales I drank, but the usual 'regular' ales are Dark Star Hophead (I could be back at home), Harveys Sussex Best (I can't get away from it!), and Sambrooks Junction and Wandle.
Now, I've never actually tried the Junction, despite my coming from and growing up in Wandsworth (this brewery wasn't around then, of course), so I felt I'd have to sort that out... It's a 4.5% bitter, with a medium brown colour, the malt and hops are obvious, malt in the quaffing and hops in the bitter aftertaste. I also drank a half of O'Hanlon's Stormstay, a 5% 'Premium Ale', again, bitter, a bit dry aftertaste, and easy to drink. My favourite ale today was the Dark Star Kiwi, OK, and I've drunk it before, but this was even better, and I did enjoy it before. A well conditioned pale, dry, hoppy ale, with a very fruity 'nose', very slightly hazy, which Dark Star own up to, but hardly noticeable, this was so good! OK, I know I say it often, but I shall return, and looking forward to it.
I got back to Victoria, via Buckingham Palace (I wasn't invited in, this time), with plenty of time before my train left, so took advantage of the 50p off CAMRA voucher at The Willow Walk, by the railway station. More expensive than my local Wetherspoons, this is Victoria after all, so, with discount, my ale was £2.39 a pint, instead of the usual £1.49 I pay a 'Spoons, but a decent enough pint of Hepworth Harvest Ale, a 4.5% golden ale. Though I do have to make a note of the service from one of the barstaff, Lydia, who was an excellent example of customer service, who handled all customers with respect and panache; had to be said. Great stuff, cheers!
