hearty duke of sussex raises the game
Reopening provides West Londoners with an unpretentious eating house for Autumn cockle-warming
British and Spanish influences, carafes of wine and real ales on tap
LONDON, UK – September 13th, 2007:
The Duke of Sussex is proud to announce its grand opening, providing West Londoners with a hearty and unpretentious eating house that serves a well-sourced seasonal menu with British and Spanish influences as well as real ales and carafes of wine. Chris Payne, previously head chef at the long established and highly celebrated St John’s in Archway, is running the kitchen to help create an easygoing and unstuffy foodie pub.
Hidden away from the bistros and coffee shops of Chiswick High Street, the Duke of Sussex stands prominently over Acton Green Common. Restored to its former charms, the elaborately decorated Duke of Sussex of 1898 was designed by Shoebridge and Rising – acclaimed architects responsible for some of London’s finest looking pubs. Stuccoed and tile hung with three large half timbered gables and oriel bay windows, the grade II listed building also contains many intricate internal features. Yet the dining room’s theatrical atrium had previously been blackened out with paint to enhance the newly departed televisions. Fortunately it has now been sympathetically redecorated with traditional wood and leather furnishings, wall lamps and old prints of the local area in days gone by.
The menu features a mixture of British and Spanish dishes, all prepared using seasonal and well-sourced produce from responsible suppliers. The menu is not split into starters and mains – there are no rules in this eating house. Indeed, customers can eat or drink wherever they choose. Dishes range from potted rabbit, slow roast Old Spot pork belly, fabada or monkfish with black rice and aioli. All of which are simply but very well prepared – there are no unnecessary garnishes and no piling high on the plate – and many, such as the whole Cromer crab with mayonnaise or the pot roast guinea fowl with bacon and lentils, are designed to share. Game and hearty stews will be regular features over coming months.
“We’re keen to get people eating and sharing food like they would at home,” comments Chris Payne, Head Chef.
The menu also features a variety of simple but comforting puddings such as Bakewell tart, plum fool, English strawberries with cream, vanilla ice cream with almonds and arrope or Manchego with quince membrillo.
The old world wine list features a quirky collection of whites and reds carefully sourced from a number of different suppliers. The vast majority are under £20 a bottle but also come served in 375ml carafes, giving customers the flexibility to pick and choose different grapes and drink at whatever pace they choose.
On the other side of the pub is another spacious area set around a central bar, featuring high ceilings and stained glass partitions. The full dinner menu is also available at the bar when the kitchen is open and drinkers will always be able to feast on a plate of Spanish cured meats or grab a slice of the tortillas being passed around. The taps feature an excellent choice of real ales such as Harviestoun Ptarmigan, Mordue IPA, Titanic White Star and Hopback Summer Lightning as well as a long list of wines, again available by the carafe. Outside the pub is a substantial and well planted beer garden.
Average price – £20 for two courses and a glass of wine
For reservations, please contact the restaurant directly on 0208 742 8801.
Duke of Sussex
Fact Sheet
Address: 75 South Parade, Chiswick, London W4 5LF
Manager: Mike Buurman
Head Chef: Chris Payne
Pub Concept: Warm and easy going eating house serving a well-sourced and seasonal menu with British and Spanish influences. The wine is served in carafes as well as bottles and the bar includes an excellent selection of real ales.
Hours of Operation: Open Monday to Wednesday – 12pm to 11.30pm
Thursday – Saturday – 12pm to 12am
Sunday – 12pm to 10.30pm
Serving food: Monday to Saturday – 12pm to 10.30pm
Sunday – 12pm to 9.30pm
Décor: The Duke of Sussex has been restored to its former charms with many of its original features. It has been decorated in unobtrusive tones and with a collection of old prints of the local area. The addition of chandeliers in the dining room emphasise the height of the ceilings and provide a slight contemporary feel.
Seating Capacity: Bar capacity of 70; dining room capacity of 64; garden capacity of 100+
Menu: Well-sourced and seasonal menu with British and Spanish influences
· Credit Card: All major credit cards accepted other than American Express and Diners.
Reservations: Reservations are accepted but not required. Please call 0208 742 8801.
Duke of Sussex
Example Menu
Gazpacho £4.50
Potted rabbit £5.50
Smoked trout, avocado, green bean, caper & horseradish salad £5.50
Brawn with mustard, cornichons & toast £5.25
Whole mackerel escabeche £5.50
Beetroot, pea shoot, goats’ cheese & spring onion salad £5.00
Spanish cured meats £6.5/£13
Fabada £10.50
28 day Somerset Angus rib eye steak, chips, Bearnaise £14.75
Monkfish, black rice, aioli £13.00
Whole trout with almonds, runner beans £13.00
Pot roast guinea fowl with bacon & lentils (for 2 to 3 sharing) £23.00
Roast butternut squash, spinach & Wigmore £9.50
Pink fir potatoes
Green salad all £3
Fresh peas
Bakewell tart
Plum fool
English strawberries & cream all £5
Vanilla ice cream, almonds, arrope
Shropshire Blue & grapes
Manchego & quince membrillo
Duke of Sussex
Example Wine List
Whites 175ml 375ml Bottle
Bergerie de la Bastide, VdP D’Oc £3.10 £6.50 £12.50
Unoaked Chardonnay,Terres De Feu, VdP D’Oc £3.35 £6.75 £13.00
Cortello Branco, Estremadura, Portugal £3.40 £7.00 £13.50
Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine de Marce £3.60 £7.50 £14.50
Picpoul de Pinet, La Mirande £4.00 £8.25 £16.00
Muscat Sec, Mas la Pierre, VdP D’Oc £8.50 £16.50
Viognier, Domaine Vaubois, VdP D’Oc 2005 £8.75 £17.00
Three Choirs, Winchcombe Downs, Gloucestershire £9.00 £17.50
Palma Real Verdejo, Rueda £9.50 £18.00
Mivervois blanc, Pierre Cros £10.00 £19.00
Muller-Thurgau, Valle Isarco, Alto-Adige, Italy £10.50 £20.00
Gavoty Cuvee Clarendon, Cotes de Provence £23.00
Albarino, Abadia de San Campio, Terras Gauda £23.50
Sancerre, Henri Bourgeois £24.00
Greco di Tufo, Loggia Della Serra, Terradora £25.00
Mercurey, Vignes de Mailonge, Domaine Juillot 2004 £30.00
Reds
Marquis, Syrah/Grenache, VdP D’Oc £3.10 £6.50 £12.50
Barbera del Monferrato, Carlo Botter, Piemonte 2005 £3.40 £7.00 £13.50
Rioja Muriel 2005 £3.60 £7.50 £14.50
Petit Verdot, Dom la Condamine, Cotes De Thongue 2004 £3.70 £7.50 £14.50
Maris Syrah, Minervois la Liviniere 2004 £3.80 £8.00 £15.00
Cadet de Gascogne, Laplace 2005, SW France £8.00 £15.00
Palestra Tinto 2003, Douro, Portugal £8.00 £15.50
Rosso Piceno Sangiovese 2006, Bacchus Ciu Ciu, Marche, Italy £8.25 £16.00
Quinta do Ribeiro Santo 2003, Dao, Portugal £8.75 £17.00
Morellino di Scansano, Poggio Roncone 2004, Tuscany £9.50 £18.00
Corbieres, Vieux Parc 2003 £10.25 £19.50
Regnie, Dom de la Plaigne 2005, Cru Beaujolais £10.50 £20.00
Valserrano, Rioja Crianza 2003 £21.00
Primitivo Gioia del Colle, Falatone 2003, Puglia, Italy £22.00
Rioja Urbina 1998 £24.00
Vega Real Crianza 2003, Ribera del Duero, Spain £25.00
Baron de Ona Reserva 1999, Rioja £26.00
Chateau Lafaurie Maison Neuve 2004, Lalande de Pomerol £27.00
Gevrey-Chambertin, Dom Rossignol-Trapet 2002 £42.00
Rose
Domaine Montrose £3.60 £7.50 £14.50
Champagne Glass Bottle
Champagne Palmer £6.50 £33.00
Veuve Cliquot, Ponsardin N.V. £43.00
Dom Perignon ’96 £98.00
