Looking for a lift in spirits from the dismal summer weather I decided to have a midweek treat and headed for The Chelsea Ram – which has recently been re-launched and joined the Geronimo Inns family.
And as soon as I walked through the door to the buzz of an busy early Wednesday evening I was immediately taken in by the newly renovated pub. The atmosphere was welcoming, the surroundings comfortable and the Ram had the feeling of a friendly neighbourhood pub.
The Ram was re-launched a couple of months ago by Rupert and Jo Cleverly, co-founders of the award winning pub group, Geronimo Inns and there lies an interesting story. The Ram was actually the first Geronimo pub opened by Rupert and Jo in 1995 and 17 years on it has come full circle with them taking it back from the owners and into the family fold.
I am a firm fan of Geronimo pubs and they certainly have the recipe for success with good food and drink at value for money prices, well designed bars and eating areas and most importantly good customer service – and the Ram did not disappoint.
The refurbishment of the pub - in a quiet area just a few strides off the busy Kings Road – immediately caught my eye. It is fresh and homely with a light and airy eating area complimented by the distressed tables and comfy seating to relax in.
It's easy to see why people might pop in for a relaxing drink or linger a little longer with a bottle of wine and some food. I liked the striped linen on the walls, the interesting art and loved the 'fake' book case which acts as a door to the toilets.
The main menu delivers a range of British classics at affordable prices and there is also a daily specials board and while we studied them our cheery Australian waiter recommended a bottle of 2007 Rioja which came up trumps at a decent price to (£21.20).
We both decided to go straight for the mains having already identified mouth watering deserts we did not want to miss out on.
My partner Fiona rarely misses the opportunity to try a pub burger and her eyes lit up at the chargrilled burger, with fries (£10.50), attractively served on a wooden board with two pots of relish. She added extras of bacon and cheese (£1 each). It was cooked to order, medium rare, lean and tender, and shot close to the top of my partner's pub burger chart. Yes, she really does has one and was one happy customer with her Ram burger.
I was tempted by the whole baked plaice on the specials board served with braised baby gem, new potatoes and a lemon and caper butter (£12.50). It did not disappoint my taste buds with the delicate tasting fish cooked perfectly and the capers and lemon adding a nice tangy flavour to the dish.
My only gripe was that it arrived with some rather uninspiring broccoli and not the advertsied baby gem. However, a side of perfectly cooked courguettes and broad beans (£3) made up for the lack of lettuce with the dish.
We were glad we left room for desert, as our mouth-watering choices really hit the spot. My lemon posset and fresh berries (£5.50) was tangy, creamy and yummy and Fiona was in 'desert heaven' with her scrumptious well contstructed knicker bocker glory with summer berries (£5.50), which rounded off a relaxed and enjoyable evening at the Ram.
