The Troubadour (Bar, Restaurant)

263-7 Old Brompton Road, Earls Court, Kensington, London, SW5 9JA
Cuisine: European
Average Price: £25
Tel: 020 7370 1434
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The Troubadour Review
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The Troubadour’s owners - charming Susie & husband - are a little bit Branson. They’re not content with offering just a singular type of service. Their aims are high, fingers-in-all-pies high, and the eccentric curiosities they’ve built are Virgin on the fanciful. The Troubadour is a towering bohemian monolith held together by the glue of time. It’s purpose? To undo the tangled web of frustrated London life that barks and breeds outside its door.
It’s historical. Having been born in the 1950s, it slowly leeched into the neighbouring commercial spaces at the expense, the story goes, of a Pizza Express; Beatnik Academicals - 1, Pizza Athletic - 0. The inner cells of The Troubadour are festooned with the minutiae of the past, the objet d’art of forgotten souls: a wonky tennis racket, an injured pot, a battered wall sign, a farmer’s erstwhile champion plough. Musicians, understandably, have long been enamoured with its ramshackle posturing, many even going so far as to use The Troubadour as the backdrop for their album covers (some of which can be seen mounted on the walls).
Yet, what was once just a simple bar is now a multifarious beast. Its faces are motley, and its appeal very tangible. There’s Troubadour the wine shop, proffering chiefly boutique vintages and a subterranean function bar for locals (all reminiscent of Mr Lawrence in Brockley). There’s Troubadour the cafe, boasting six street-set tables predominantly taken by smokers judging the world as it saunters by. There’s Troubadour the boutique hotel, provider of one rock star apartment at the apex of the complex. There’s Troubadour the art gallery, which is often also utilised for yoga and very important meetings (squeezable Marmite was apparently invented there).
There’s also Troubadour the club; an underground domain where the ghosts of legends such as Hendrix, Dylan, Mitchell, and Doherty linger in the shadows. They've all played here because, let’s face it, The Troubadour has been in existence since well before sound was even invented. It’s not unknown for the odd poetry reading to break out either, so emergency soliloquies are best kept at close range.
Myself and guest were quite taken with the club. We didn’t feel like we wanted to run off to Gretna Green with it, but it did convince us that Planet Earth is not shy and it does like to make friends. The private caves seats beneath the pavement, the alacritous table service, the slightly obstructed and subsequent inquisitive viewing of the stage where the double bass comes out and the banjo is probably not far behind; these all combine to help coax our languidly pleasured state. That, and the fact that the lead singer wore a tweed hat. Utterly awesome, regardless of how well they played (actually very well, to be honest. And I say that despite being tickled by the 6.5% Troubadour beer, a distant Belgian cousin of the venue, given right to adobe here in Earl’s Court).
But forget everything I’ve just said. If there need be just a singular reason for visiting The Troubadour, then it simply has to be the verdant garden. Easily one of the best al fresco dining areas in London for many good reasons: the alluring scent of honeysuckle that (mostly) manages to break through the haze of smokers’ puff (they’re everywhere); the vines; the foliage; the way in which everything seems to climb; the condiments housed in a homely bird feeder; the striped tabby cat that jumps out of a tree and bounds over the fence; the contemplative view of the brick and bright blue London sky (it exists); the over 30s in the afternoon; the under 30s later in the evening; the generous serve of peanut, pumpkin and chilli dip; the 2009 Castillo Del Moro Spanish Sauvignon Blanc; the delicious marinated beef salad (despite lacking in a tomato or two and not properly washed); the marriage of simplicity between lamb, rosemary and pasta; the proper banofee pie with mahooooosive biscuit base; the twinkling of the lights when the gloaming sets in (or are those fairies?). My two pieces of advice: two courses are plenty, and arrive before 7pm if you want such luxuries as sitting down.
So there you have it. The Troubador is a little bit Branson, only Rich in many other ways. Next stop: The Troubadour intergalactic commercial space flights. Wahhoooooo!
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Customer Reviews for The Troubadour
Average (based on 8 votes): 8
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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 Troubadour.
“Friendly, great drink and food, truely amazing”
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Emilie frasse-sombet, Nottingham (9 years 3 months ago)
“excellent place to be, will go again as much as possible”
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anne putt, swaffham (9 years 3 months 9 days ago)
“With fairly uninspired food, the ambience and setting makes up for any short-coming. A perfect venue for couples, singles and everyone what your persuasion.”
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Annie Lambert, Topcliffe THIRSK (9 years 3 months 14 days ago)
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“Excellent food”
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jeremy hill, Manchester (9 years 3 months 20 days ago)
“Excellent!”
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jack marshall, London (9 years 3 months 23 days ago)
“Great place for romance, the food is average but the bar and club make up for any downside.”
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ronald haslin, [ Unknown ] (9 years 3 months 27 days ago)
“This is one of my favourite bars in all of London. And possibly my favourite club too. It’s easily the best alfresco garden in west London. If you have romance on the mind and the summer sun is shining, get yourself to the Troubadour because you’re bound to succeed in your quest to woo your significant other. The food is pretty bog standard but that doesn’t really matter because there aren’t many bars in London as cool as this one. I recommend checking out the downstairs club once you’ve finished dinner (and a bottle of wine) in the garden. It’ll really seal the deal. Folk and funk tastic.”
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Ava, Earl's Court (10 years 5 months 15 days ago)
“A breath of fresh air (unless you are sat next to the smokers in the garden - can't we ban them from outside too??!) from the run of the mill gastro pubs all over london. Brilliant garden, quirkly rooms and bar area and an underground club hosting live music everynight! Definately worth a trip west and if you get off the OTHER end of the tube and take the rear exit from Earls Court, its a very short walk from the tube.”
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Bronwen Stephens, London (10 years 8 months 12 days ago)
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Food
The Troubadour is acclaimed for its breakfasts, coming 4th in the Independent's 50 BEST LONDON BREAKFASTS (served from 9am 'til late). Their lunches and dinners offer the famous Brompton Burgers, generous Troubadour Omelets, fantastic Fish & Chips and an excellent variety of vegetarian dishes. Daily specials include their popular home made soups & Moules Mariniere. New excellent value sharing platters have been introduced which include Coq au Vin and their delicious and generous Cote de Boeuf.
Updated 26/11/2011
Drinks
The Troubadour has served excellent coffee ever since it opened in 1954, using The Mokital blend from Andy Angelucci and Fair Trade Guatemalan filter coffee from Union Roasters. Wines are now their forte being specially selected by their wine expert, Atilio Falco, who has introduced excellent, good value wines from around the world, in particular Argentinian. German Pils from Rothaus are served in frosted glasses & their cocktail happy hour has their barman busy making 2-4-1 Mojitos & others...
Updated 09/10/2011
The Troubadour Opening Hours
Monday: | 9:00am - 12:00am | Friday: | 9:00am - 12:00am |
Tuesday: | 9:00am - 12:00am | Saturday: | 9:00am - 12:00am |
Wednesday: | 9:00am - 12:00am | Sunday: | 9:00am - 12:00am |
Thursday: | 9:00am - 12:00am |
Additional Information
- Cuisine Type: European
- Average Price: £25
- Dress Code: Casual
- Website: Visit the The Troubadour website
- Group: (Independent/Freehouse)
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