This capacious bar and restaurant was created at considerable expense over the summer of 2014. It has a small, enclosed terrace facing onto The Strand, with views of Nelson’s Column in the distance; a small bar inside the entrance; a split-level dining area; then, down some steps, a much larger bar and dining area that evokes the glamour of the art deco era.
The Strand opened in the autumn of 2014 to some lukewarm reviews in the press. In the spring of 2015 it was announced that Mark Sargeant – a former lieutenant of Gordon Ramsay – had taken over the executive chef role, presumably to pep things up. Sargeant also overseas a few other restaurants in London and Kent.
We started in the front bar, where a Nelson’s Collins (geddit?) will set you back £12. This set the pattern for an evening where the bill ramped up more quickly than you might reasonably expect. A main dish of whole roast wood pigeon cost £24.50, and was oddly bland for a game bird; not even the stuffing of whole garlic cloves could rescue a dull dish. A side dish of potatoes cost an extra £4. One of the more affordable dishes was a vegetarian main course of roasted beetroot and broccoli. We liked the details such as the inclusion of horseradish to give it kick and the honeyed walnuts to add crunch, but at £12.50 it was still no bargain.
The set menus offer better value (from £19.50 for two courses), but the evening set menu is only available from 5-7pm. The dining room appears to provide respite for footsore tourists, so perhaps those restricted hours aren’t a handicap if you’re able to eat at off-peak times.