Bermondsey Larder
Modern British
Bermond Locke, 153-157 Tower Bridge Rd, SE1 3LW
£££
Bermondsey Larder is a farm-to-table restaurant whose journey began in Clapham back in 2012. The Dairy – and its sister restaurant Counter Culture were some of my favourite spots to dine in Clapham – they were organic, seasonal produce, quality small plates. You could taste the difference – from the passion put in from the chefs to the flavour and experimental pairings of the plates. Unfortunately, back in 2020, both of these establishments were victim on the Covid crackdown on small, independently owned restaurants and closed their doors for good. All was not lost, however, as merely a month later they announced they would be opening a new establishment on Tower Bridge Road, enter Bermondsey Larder…
Bermondsey Larder was recommended to me by a colleague who lives in the area, I passed on the advice to a close friend who raved about it after visiting it with some in-laws. The glowing reviews, coupled with my previous love of the Dairy led me to insist on seeing what all the fuss was about. The first thing to note was how large the place was – so much so that it still felt light and airy despite it being pitch black outside by the time we arrived. The staff were immediately warm, guiding us to our table which was a high one placed nearby the central feature bar. I usually don’t like high tables as I can’t fully relax and settle into a meal, I find the chairs uncomfortable, plus there’s something about being able to put your feet on the floor whilst you eat that I enjoy. Having said that, there were hardly any grounded tables in Bermondsey Larder, the majority of them were high, even for larger groups, and even the lower chairs had a pitiful excuse for a backrest.
The staff were super friendly and entertaining throughout: explaining the menu, drinks list and the breakdown of each dish as it came with perfectly rehearsed detail. We started with two espresso martinis (£10), before moving onto a Carafe of the Galets red wine (£21). Both drinks choices were wonderful, as expected, and around the right price mark for us to not be too bewildered when the bill came. We pondered both the tasting menu (£48 each) and the a la carte, and actually decided on ordering individual dishes rather than going for the tasting menu (which ended up being a considerably cheaper option too for pretty much the same amount of food, which I’ll be keeping in mind for future tasting menus now).
For food we ordered the potato & rosemary sourdough with chicken fat butter (£3.5), the house pickles (£2.5), and the winter tomatoes with olive dressing and capers (£6) from the top. The bread was sublime – a crusty outer layer giving way to a warm, soft interior peppered with secret pockets of potato. The butter was salty, creamy and sprinkled with crispy chicken skin, further instilling my belief that the sign of any good restaurant truly is its ability to bake perfect bread and accompany it with an exciting butter. The method is simple: it sets you up for success, gives you a grounding of quality and an excitement of things to come.
The house pickles followed and arrived as a bold, colourful plate of unrecognisable strands. We had pumpkin, dandelion and rhubard strands, all perfectly sweet and sour in their own right: a caramelised tanginess to them, all still holding a slight bite and crunchy texture despite the process – they were unexpectedly great. The tomatoes were also good, though potentially the least impressive of the three. The capers and olive dressing being great complimentary flavours, and the waiter explained that the tomatoes had been ripened from an extreme cooling and heating process, which made the whole thing a little more dramatic and interesting.
Next up was the venison tartare (£10) - strong, gamey undertones of tender purple meat placed elegantly on a crunchy piece of bread and topped with parmesan. Really rich, deep flavours here that meant the small portion was plenty. The cuttlefish (£10) followed – which was delicately intertwined with fresh orange, pickled fennel . This was a great contrast to the bold flavours of before. Much more subtle, the fishiness just managed to seep through the sweet tang of citrus and herby counterparts. The texture of the fish itself was incredibly tender and juicy – it held a slight chew and reminded me of a razor thin version of squid.
Next to arrive was the truffled baron bigod (£10) which was a plate of pure naughtiness. Also spread lavishly over a piece of crusty bread, the melted, oozing cheese was dotted with black specks of truffle. I’m always amazed at how small but mighty on flavour truffle is, so much so that we could smell this dish from the moment it touched the kitchen counter for collection by one of the waiters.
The journey came to a close with two utter showstoppers of a dish: the Monkfish (£18) and the Venison (£24). I’m not sure I’ve ever had monkfish before, and I’ve definitely never had monkfish like this. It was thick, tender, juicy, with a slight chew: almost like a hybrid between cod and squid. It was delicious. Served alongside was sprouting broccoli, salty anchovies and a garlic sauce. Everything on the plate danced together in perfect harmony: the fresh earthiness of the broccoli spiked with salty anchovy, laced with a creamy garlic component that altogether seeped into and accelerated the humble white fish. It was the most I’ve enjoyed a fish dish out, ever. I wish it had lasted longer.
What better finale than a farm-to-table perfectly pink, melt in the mouth cut of venison? It was here that two small but perfectly formed slabs of meat, with a strong and pungent flavour, were embedded within green leaves, greasy roast potatoes and topped with parsnip crisps. It was warm, wintery, festive cooking: how I imagine every Christmas should taste. The dish also contained a faggot which was a first try for me again – it was the meatiest thing I’ve ever tasted, with such rich depth that I actually found it too much (I’m not a particular fan of offal if I’m honest). I ended up giving my half back to Tom, who happily gobbled it down in one gulp. Must be the Yorkshire in him.
We gave the desserts a glance but were more than happy to finish the meal with two Cappuccinos instead, being just the right side of full and wanting to go on for a couple of drinks elsewhere afterwards. We ordered the bill from our lovely waitress, and thanked our young, enigmatic waiter on the way out for all of his well thought out descriptions. The bill came to a total of £147.83 – expensive, but for everything we had and the quality of each dish, more than worth it. Bermondsey Larder is a modern and urban take on your favourite country retreat. The produce is incredibly fresh and the service professional and upmarket, yet friendly and down to earth. I would recommend it as a Southeast destination for the next time you wanted some opulence and refinery without breaking the bank.
OVERALL RATING: *****
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