The Thatched House Review

Best for: local gin; wholesome pub grub; fairytale endings.

Great: if you want to get lost in west London.

Once upon a time there were two hungry kids called Hansel and Gretel. One evening, Gretel, who was also a food writer, was sent to a review a restaurant near Ravenscourt Park tube. Because Gretel didn’t know the area at all and had a very bad sense of direction she thought she and her friend Hansel would get lost. "Don't worry!” Hansel said. “We'll find our way with our iPhones”.

But both Hansel and Gretel forgot to charge their iPhones the night before and the battery juice had run out. They kept walking until suddenly they came across a curious thatched house smack bang in the middle of a residential street. The walls of the house looked like they could have been made of chocolate and icing. So hungry were the children that they started nibbling away.

"Woah, there! This isn’t that kind of story?" said a very kind voice behind Hansel and Gretel.

“Thank goodness!” sighed Gretel, “That door frame didn’t taste like a Flake bar at all!”

“And this menu is not made of sugar coated paper,” spluttered Hansel, as paper letters came flying out of his mouth.

The kind voice belonged to a young gentleman who emerged from behind the well stocked bar full of gleaming bottles of Sipsmith spirits. His name was Mike.

“Welcome to The Thatched House,” he said. He really was a jolly nice man with not a hint of the wicked witch about him.

“The Thatched House! That’s where we’re meant to eat tonight,” squealed Gretel with glee.

“I know,” said Mike with a knowing twinkle in his eye. “We’ve been expecting you.”

Hansel and Gretel could tell they had reached a rather wonderful place, even though the furniture was not edible.??Because it was such a glorious day, Mike placed the kids on a table and said that he would make sure they were fattened up with lots of food from the menu. He recommended a couple of gin cordials to start with. "The gin cordials are rather refreshing. We make them with Sipsmith gin because it’s the best and it’s from the local distillery, just around the corner from us.” He whisked up two gin cordials; the cool cucumber and mint and the herby Earl Grey and coriander infusions. ??Throughout the evening a delicious array of dishes were presented; the gorgeously gooey Scotch egg; a prawn cocktail on a bed of lettuce leaves; and an incredibly flaky and flavoursome salmon and cod fishcake. Because Hansel was still a growing boy at 28 years old, he gobbled a 250g rib eye steak. For sweets, they gorged on sticky toffee pudding with hot toffee sauce and pancakes with ice cream.

So sated with food were Hansel and Gretel that if a hungry cannibalistic wicked witch was to feel their fingers she would have fired up the oven, and declared a spread of tasty grilled girl and delicious baked boy. When the last sip was slurped up and the feast was finally over, Hansel and Gretel, somewhat dizzily, fumbled around for their belongings, got up from the table and were given a fond farewell by Mike and his the staff.

They made their way out into the heat of the summer night. Having found their way to The Thatched House, they promised to return soon and make it their regular gin home away from home. They reached their homes safely and without much problem on the tube. Hansel and Gretel had found some great treasures in The Thatched House; the Sipsmith Summer Cup being one of them. With that discovery coupled with a cross-your-heart promise to return to The Thatched House, they were destined to live happily forever.
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Nina Koo-Seen-Lin 31 Jul 2012

The Thatched House Description

The Thatched House is a grand Victorian corner building gastro pub run by Oisín Rogers, the man also behind the award-winning Ship in Wandsworth. Located in Brackenbury Village near to Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush, this pub offers alfresco drinking and dining in the secret summer garden as well as roaring open fires in winter.
 
The menu takes inspiration from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, offering comfort classics made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Light bites come in the form of anchovy soda bread toast; a signature scotch egg made with Cotswold Legbar egg and free range pork; and a plate of Sipsmith Sloe Gin cured salmon. American dishes such as salt beef with mash and pickles, burgers and macaroni cheese sit alongside traditional British pub dishes like fish and chips and seasonal pie of the day.
 
At the large wooden bar, pull up a retro leather stool and shoot the breeze with the bar team whilst enjoying specially-brewed, sputnik-conditioned, chilled Sambrook’s Thatched House Pale Ale – a brew exclusive to the pub. Rejoice in a choice of gins with the in-house tonics in flavours such as chai tea and hibiscus, cucumber and mint and earl grey and coriander. There’s also Sipsmith Summer Cup – a deliciously refreshing interpretation of a traditional ‘cup’ with infusions of lemon verbena, delicate tea notes and cucumber. Alternatively, an extensive wine list offers new and old world favourites with over a dozen wines by the glass.
 
The pub’s décor echoes the comforting and homely food on offer. A mismatch of cosy and functional furniture, some new and bespoke, some reclaimed and rustic, adds to the Thatched House’s character. One wall features a beautiful portrait by Ailbhe Phelan of ‘Prudence’, a unique handmade copper pot still and the first produced in London for 200 years by the local Sipsmith distillery. Stained glass feature windows, exposed brickwork, antique lamps and a beautiful fireplace completes the charming picture inside. Outside, the garden hidden away at the back of the pub provides a suntrap for summer parties, evenings with friends or dining alfresco....read more

Customer Reviews for The Thatched House

Average (based on 3 votes): 3 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 Thatched House.

“I wish this was my local! I always go for the Earl Grey gin cordial but now it's summer I think I'll try the Summer Cup. I'm a bit obsesed with their Salt Beef dishes (especially the sandwiches) and always go for the Cherry Jam Roly Poly (because I'm a retro gal!)I love the atmosphere, particularly in the summer when everyone heads to the garden. My friends and I try to squeze into the little hut lit up by fairy lights - it's like our own boozy Wendy House!”
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Marie, London (9 months 25 days ago)

“My only complaint about this pub is that it's not in Clapham! I want it to be my local. Food is great and the service is always with a smile - you have to try the Scotch Egg - must be one of the best in London. A fab place with real charm and live music too!”
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Laura, London (10 months 6 days ago)

“Great local with delicious food and friendly staff! I fell in love with the scotch eggs, they are divine!!”
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AXW, London (10 months 7 days ago)

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: British
• Dress Code: Not Specified
• Group: Youngs