The Queen Adelaide
Queen Adelaide, as the wife of the then King George IV, once acted as counselor, confidante and guide to the young heir apparent Princess Victoria. In 2010 along the Uxbridge Road out of Shepherds Bush two aptly named pubs are themselves elegantly transforming west London’s boozers. Whilst a similar relationship between these two pubs would in most minds be quite the reverse were it to exist at all, the comparison of a brash young Princess Victoria already great but perhaps set for immortality, and the much beloved and respected Adelaide, is readily made.
So enough with the historical anecdotes- lets talk pubs. We are west yet again- yes we’re being very West-centric of late, but I say don’t leave town till you’ve seen the country, and in fairness we’ve already been everywhere, fought the war and now we’re picking through the spoils, so be patient- the best of the rest is on the way. To be totally transparent we can, for now at least, visit loads of great pubs and still get a reasonably priced cab home.
The Queen Adelaide, like the Victoria, is (and was) a stunning Victorian building transformed into a gastro joint replete with dark woods, slouch worthy couches, scatterings of yet more wood in its tables, the requisite lamp shades plunging southward and a decent yet frustratingly unlit fire place that had even Bobby whining at the cold. The lampshade thing seems to be en vogue through most of the pubs we visit but lamp geeks would suggest table-standing versions with more intricate tassels as the way to create a true Victorian parlor/pub feel- but I’m not one of those. The Adelaide has been blessed with two separate visits by Publocation- a Thursday evening and a Saturday afternoon so it got a thorough once over. Put this repetition down to passion or poor time management- I’m saying nothing.
Our first look on the Thursday is hot on the heels of The Princess Victoria, so akin to offering the cat that got the cream a cream egg really, but we can only call it as it is through pinot streaked eyes wedging our carcasses to the bar.Birra Moretti on tap- sensational. Not seen for some time outside of a pizza restaurant so our eyes are widening already – wider even more with horror as the bar tender forgoes branded glasses for bulk standard. Our wide-eyed shock stops him in his tracks- the Moretti glasses are warm he offers up in a firm defence. Good point, well made, now brand me with great haste and don’t spare the super silica heated Italian finery.
The branded glass thing is another point of excellence that we attend to obsess over as you’ve probably gathered and typically it always seems to go wrong on my watch. We understand the rationale in a busy pub but you’re paying for an experience at London prices, not just a pint, and that factor is well and truly part of the package. If they are hard to come by or often thieved from beneath your noses then make sure you have plenty of attractive looking un-monikered (I’m declaring this a word) vessels close at hand- so easy really.
Enough already- the service is relaxed and efficient- no Csaba to spin our heads but solid enough. The bar nicely stocked with premium lagers and bottled offerings and the wine list is strong (to follow). The kitchen itself opens nicely to our left so you can see what the white hats are up to and feel part of the experience, whether you’re at the bar or in the cozy little restaurant area itself. We page through the tasty looking menu despite our sated appetites and as so often is the case place it down with a sigh wishing we could eat everywhere and give you readers the full low down (so unselfish of us) Then again if we could do the Michelin Guide end to end I would sell my soul and throw in a knife sharpener as well, so that rather belies our personal agenda. We are also about to head to the recently revealed off-the-scale Angelsea Arms so you can see our dilemma.
Fortunately we are back for a Saturday afternoon for the opening match of the Six Nations and a very comfortable sport watching pub it is-plenty of interested parties but not enough raucous behavior to detract from a perfect living room couch experience. I happily choose raucous for the really big occasions but am never hugely displeased to find a balance like this. Bobby has expertly secured two comfy leather armchairs at a perfect angle to the big plasma with matching Birra Moretti pints, correctly branded of course. Me? Late again? Rubbish! Pressures of family life I say. As a complete aside I once tried the on time principle steadfastly for a good two months and everyone was always late anyway so I gave up- as Evelyn Waugh once declared-“Punctuality is the virtue of the bored” – hear, hear.
On the bored theme a boring first half of rugger is unfolding, but no mind as I can now turn my attention to the menu- set lunch, dinner and breakfast variations. Looks great without any Blumenthal like freak outs – Pollock, Guinea fowl, aged rib eye, Barbary duck, pork belly are all easy on the pallet. The starters including oysters, prawns and mussels all look good enough to keep the press-gangers at bay for 30 minutes at least. The desserts are all belly warming custard-congealed stodge that make you want to purr. That said this a game of rugby and we’re only here for that so we go for the Angus Beef Burger- sold, moist and tasty with chips thick enough to wedge the pharaohs’ tomb. We push on regardless and as our satisfied hunger warms our hearts so to does a late England victory. The wine list as promised- clearly big fans of the 2007/2008 vintage because it dominates. If new and fresh is your angle then in for a penny in for a pound and there is something from each of the giants in both red and white from Volpe to Tasmania and a cheeky 98 Rioja or 2004 Llande de Pomerol if 2007/08 leaves you huffing and puffing.
Haven’t mentioned standards hygiene-wise to this point as I wanted to do the food review first in case you gagged. Overall within the pub itself no problems, however when I ventured in to the black tiled toilets which looked elegant, stylistic and clean on the surface, sadly the Thomas Crapper had suffered a Pearl Harbour like attack. Heavily damaged, seat hanging askew, with shrapnel everywhere and little or no warning. I’ll blame the inconsiderate punter more than the staff with an air of majestic benevolence in case it was just timing, but word for the wise, if that toilet roster has fallen by the way side. Reinstate.
Can’t possibly end any review on that note- anything that ends with S*** has got to colour anyone’s impressions. The Adelaide is best described to its huge credit as a pub for all seasons- for me the best all rounder of our picks so far. Great food with a choice of restaurant or bar seating, tidy bar and service, a living breathing kitchen, sports watching (rarer and rarer in any decent pubs these days- much like the pool table- another day J another day…), changing lunch and dinner menus, a fabulous looking weekend breakfast menu with eggs done in every possible fashion to go with every breakfast accoutrement known to man, great old building, sympathetic refit and if you’re feeling you’re slumming it, The Princess Victoria three minutes away- what’s not to like?
Little – sit back and enjoy- it’s growing on me.
J
Where: The Queen Adelaide, 412 Uxbridge Road, London W12 0NR
When: 9.00pm Thurs 21st Jan, 2010 and Saturday 6th Feb, 2010
Stars: 
Unpublicised: Somewhere classy yet comfortable for the big match- grab a leather armchair and stay for dinner.
Tel: 020 8746 2573
Website: www.thequeenadelaidew12.co.uk
Menus: Lunch, dinner and breakfast variations. Sat & Sun breakfast menu(see website)
Interest: The Princess Victoria on the same road and Westfield Shopping Centre around the corner.
