The Drawing Room Cafe Review

Best for: losing yourself at one of London’s best kept secrets.

Great: value for money in a beautiful “countryside” setting.

It’s hot and you can feel the sun prickling against your skin. This kind of temperature is made for Sundays. Thankfully, it’s Sunday. You’ve got 20 hours to go before you’re expected back at the coal face, and this is the thought that brings a private smile to the corner of your mouth.

“What are you smiling about?” she asks from across the table, as the infectious grin dawns upon her face too, before disappearing behind a home-made Scotch egg plucked from the enormous gardener’s sharing platter.

You don’t answer. You just offer a wink, which, considering you’re wearing sunglasses, probably doesn’t have the desired effect, so you combine it with a wry smirk, which retreats into a chilled wave of something white and Chilean. Ahhhh, bliss.

God, it’s hot. Bloody fantastic! Even that squirrel across the perfect lawn is apprehensive about coming out from the shade. Hang on, he’s staring right at you. He has a devious eye that squirrel. OMG, he’s hatching plans to get his tiny rodent hands on your piccalilli and stilton. Right, you’ll have to take evasion action before he succeeds.

“Oi, greedy!” she declares, slapping you lightly on the wrist as you shovel the last remnants of a stonking great wedge of cheddar into your mouth, nervously looking over your shoulder at the bushes beyond.

“Yeh, I showed you,” says your mind. “Mheh, mah mhou mhoo,” says full mouth.

In a tick, the smartly dressed, ebullient staff swiftly whisk the plates away and you are both left in silence, outstretched in your glory over wildlife. This English garden, this alfresco quaintness, this hidden oasis far removed from the mayhem of Monday, has London beat by country mile.

The subdued summer breeze drifts by almost silently, save for the clinking of afternoon tea china and the muffled conversations of families at tables close by. A bird tweets its appreciation for this countryside habitat, a small child giggles as her mother chases her across the expansive grass towards the ancient chapel, and then an enormous 747 ploughs noisily through this idyllic scene above your heads as though it’s coming into land.

“What the...?”

“It must be the flight path,” she mentions loudly and casually, as she begins tucking into an organic grilled salmon with capers and lemon that you weren’t aware had materialised until your reverie was interrupted.

“What flight path?” you ask, looking at the plate that has appeared in front of you, resplendent with thyme & lemon marinated Suffolk chicken, potato and haricot beans.

“The one that goes straight into Heathrow.”

“But we’re miles from Heathrow,” you begin to say, only moments before realising that the splendour of your surroundings and the pleasantness of the food and wine have actually conspired to make you forget just exactly where you are. “Oh yeh, we’re in Fulham.”

It hardly seems plausible that the river Thames flows just 100m away from this very spot, with Putney’s famous rowing squads manning the opposite bank. This is all so lovely, this is all so lush, this surely cant be London.

Delightful, summery dishes made with locally sourced produce (where possible, obviously) maintain your stupor long enough for you to suggest a walk with the lady around the Palace gardens. Suddenly, the whole experience is turning into a Jane Austen novel and your Mr Darcy aspirations are getting the better of you. You comment on how radiant she looks in her new skirt. She blushes (although that could conceivably be a reaction to the sun’s heat), playfully flirts, and deflects your advances by offering opinion on the ingenious wind-affected kinetic sculptures dotted amongst the pine trees. You feel compelled by the occasion, the setting, her beauty, to lean in for a kiss. But common sense reminds you that this is actually your ex-girlfriend and it’s probably best to keep things just as they are, you silly boy.

“Proof, indeed, that this has been a truly wonderful afternoon, Mr Darcy,” you say out loud, producing a look of confusion across her face.

The awkward moment prompts the second evasive action taken on an otherwise tranquil afternoon.

“Shall we have coffee and cake?” you suggest, offering a route back to the cafe via the courtyard and water fountain. She declines gracefully so you settle the very reasonable bill and saunter off through the woods towards reality: London....read more

Christian Rose-Day 11 Aug 2012

Customer Reviews for The Drawing Room Cafe

Average (based on 1 votes): 1 Atmosphere: Value: Quality:

The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of The Drawing Room Cafe.

“What a beautiful part of south west London. The house and the grounds are magical and if I ever decide to get married then this is where I would have my wedding. It's so idyllic and an Afternoon Tea or BBQ on the lawn would be fantastic on the weekend. What a hidden gem of a cafe!”
Atmosphere: Value: Quality:
The Restaurant Hunter, London (1 years 4 days ago)

The Drawing Room Cafe Opening Hours

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: Eclectic
• Group: (Independent/Freehouse)