Ok, hands up, I should have written this about a month ago. There was a whole Fulham thing that we did that, due to various lame excuses, neither of us has got around to writing up. However I will stress, with vehemence, that it has nothing at all to do with the quality of the venues we visited. Far from it. In fact we went to some of our best pubs yet so this is the first step in redressing that balance.
It’s fortunate that the Atlas is a great pub, this being the case, I’ve been before. A few times. In fact when I used to live on New King’s Road I was here most weeks, so even my tenuous memory has a huge amount of data to stumble through until something sticks.
It’s a pub in the fairly consistent stable of George and Richard Manners (see also, in order of our preference: The Fox & Hounds, The Swan, The Cumberland Arms & The Dartmouth Castle – but there’s not a lot between them, in a good way) and sits maybe second or third among it’s peers. We’ll get to the rest in due course.
Wine is the focus here, it’s one of the registered homes of the London Wine Academy, and the hand-picked selection is all under £30 but top-drawer none the less. We went for the ‘Hatter’s Hill’ Marlborough Pinot Noir (£28) and were treated to a very fine example indeed. There are always special selections to choose from and you’re unlikely to go wrong.
The food is typical for the group, mainly rustic Mediterranean fare with a few English classics thrown in, but it’s unswervingly competent and comfortably above the gastropub average. We didn’t eat this time (keep an eye out for J’s review of the pub round the corner), but I have many times and I will again.
The gaff is fairly suit-heavy so if middle-earning excitable Fulhamites aren’t your thing then you’re best to avoid, but there’s always a good after-work buzz and they’re all pretty harmless before 9.
This was the first stop so no drunken tales to regale (again, keep an eye out for messy future reviews) but a worthy addition to the Publocation collection. A solid, consistent and thoroughly enjoyable boozer and one that will remain a favourite for some time to come.
Two reviews in as many days? Bobby’s on fire…
Bobby
Where: The Atlas, 16 Seagrave Road, Fulham, London, SW6 1RX
When: Can’t remember exactly, March 2010 sometime…
Unpublicised: Neat little outside area down the side of the pub plus a private hire room upstairs for up to 100
Closes: 11pm
Restaurant:
Lunch Mon-Fri 12 – 2.30, Sat 12 – 4, Sun 12 – 10
Dinner 6 – 10
Tel: 020 7385 9129
Website: http://www.theatlaspub.co.uk/
Menus: http://www.theatlaspub.co.uk/menu.pdf
Interest: I always call it The Eagle for some reason
