A PUB ON THE RIGHT TRACK!

Being situated right next to the railway station must have been quite a bonus for The Railway Pub and Dining Rooms in Victoria Road, Teddington…until the dreaded Covid put paid to its regular flow of commuters, of course! This independently run pub had been a well-kept secret, but now is one that really ought to be shared. Jenni and Gary O’Connell, who also run The Greyhound in Kew, and Greedies Deli in Isleworth, run the place, so they know their onions, and what the local clientele want.

I ventured over there recently with a friend, as well as Crystal Poodle, (who was made very welcome) and on arrival we were impressed with the stylish, cool, airy atmosphere and the warm welcome. The main menu is impressive (and they offer a great value weekday set lunch: £7 for one, £10 for two or £12.50 for three courses!). They offer renowned Sunday roasts, too.

Portions are very generous, and we shared a bar snack of padron peppers (£4) and a starter of the crispy squid and prawns (£8.50). Both were excellent and piping hot. My friend chose a salmon main course from the daily specials, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I opted for the spatchcock baby chicken, with Romesco sauce, chorizo butter and charred gem lettuce, served with skin on chips (£18). My chicken was delicious, the sauce really tasty and I loved the charred lettuce. It’s something I hadn’t actually tasted before, but it elevates those leaves to another dimension. The chips were really good too, but to be honest I was so replete that I couldn’t really do them justice. We were tempted by the dessert menu (£6) but decided our figures should be spared, but Jonno, our lovely server, persuaded me to try a great espresso martini instead.