I’m going to be straight: I don’t like sharing. Not least when it comes to food. It makes me nervous, a relatively recent development which can be traced back to the moment I met my now-husband, who devours food with such appalling speed that by the time my fork first makes contact with the plate, his plate has been licked clean. And so it is that I succumb to mild panic upon picking up the menu at Tredwell’s, which stands on Upper St Martin’s Lane – directly opposite Bill’s Restaurant or Stringfellow’s strip club, depending on your frame of reference.
Situated in the heart of London’s Theatre Land, this is the latest enterprise from Marcus Wareing, Chef Patron of the 2 Michelin-starred Marcus at The Berkeley in Knightsbridge – and the man who is replacing Michel Roux Jnr as a judge on the forthcoming series of BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals. It is pitched as a fun, easy-going spot for food with friends or family. “Combining accessibility with a relaxed, informal atmosphere, great food and cocktails,” so reads the literature.
We arrive on a particularly drizzly Sunday afternoon, and find ourselves immediately perked up. Set over three floors, the main dining room at Tredwell’s is arranged with a few booths along one wall, opposite a bar laden with cocktail shakers, and a smattering of tables. The overall effect is like being in an Art Deco version of Ed’s Diner, which is a most excellent genre, it turns out: all gold, dark green, leather and highly-polished floors.
Owing to a recent diet of party cake on the children’s part, I’m equally wary of what their reaction to the food will be
Arriving with one child who is in the midst of post-fourth birthday blues (“I NEED MORE PRESENTS”) and another who, aged almost-one, has just consumed his first decent quantity of refined sugar is, let’s say, exciting. But despite my concerns for the welfare of the staff and other diners, there is just about enough noise and goings-on in the dining room to detract from our revolting gang. Owing to a recent inclination towards a strict diet of party cake on the children’s part, I am equally wary of what their reaction to the food will be. But their three-course meal, which consists of two portions of chicken skewers (£4) for starters; two roasted cod and sweet potato puree (£4) for main; and – because it is the only flavour available and I have somehow Jedi-mind tricked the four-year-old to believe it is chocolate – one salted caramel ice-cream (£3), with pineapple sticks and coconut yoghurt (£3) for the bairn, is a major hit.
Equally well-received is the spread of grown-up dishes which we’ve basically picked at random from a series of menu sub-sections entitled Pots & Jars, which involves things like olives, feta, tomatoes (£4) and chicken liver mousse, bacon jam and toast (£6.50); Small Plates, including pulled pork belly, ginger & apple slider (£2.50, pictured above) and Cobble Lane charcuterie, cornichon lardo, toast (£7); there are also Small Bowls which include my personal favourite, the courgette & ricotta fritters and pine nut butter (£5). For main, the hanger steak and mushroom ketchup (£15) and Grilled squid, courgette, peppers and bottarga (£12) are both delicious though – at risk of sounding greedy – could have done with being twice the size. But at least it left room for the virtuous chocolate brownie, coconut yogurt (£5) which tastes blessedly devilish.
As for the sharing? For a start, the staff are so friendly it’s hard to feel stressed about anything, even my husband’s hyper-speed gluttony. Better still, the food is cleverly pre-sliced into equal portions so that within seconds of it arriving, you can carefully siphon off your share and place it onto your own plate. Thus avoiding a mid-lunch panic attack. Which, I now see, might be the sign of a personality disorder. But hey, who’s perfect?
4a Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9NY; 0203 764 0840; tredwells.com
Food 3
Service 3
Value 4
Kid rating 3
Adult rating 4
