Ted finds a new man ...

The next big thing to happen in burgers is .. the bagel bun. Yes you heard it here, although it has nothing to do with today’s musings at all. It was a rainy Sunday in the middle of summer, as can be the way of London. When I say rain I should say torrential almost tropical storm like downpours, which is not the way of London rain at all .. normally. So what better to do in these conditions than to have a little lunch and "while away" a few hours in a nice little tavern, warm and dry.

I have wanted to go to the Newman Street Tavern for a “while” now, and finally, with the Doll in tow last weekend we finally made it. It takes its name from the street it’s in but I think it’s also fitting given the history of Newman as a name. It was originally a pre-medieval nickname for somebody new to a particular place, and has a range of spellings, depending on where in Europe you were at the time. Surnames became necessary in many European countries and the UK in the 12th century when governments introduced personal taxation. Yep … that far back!

Opening in late 2012, situated on the edge of the dining riches of Goodge and Charlotte street in Fitzrovia, it provides chef Peter Weldon with a wonderful opportunity to bring to his experience to bear in showcasing the best of seasonal and wild produce from around the UK.

The Doll and I shared some rock oysters from Colchester to start with a glass of champagne. The wine list is full of little gems sourced from independent and smaller producers, many available in various sized servings, all at pretty good prices.

Next came cured wild trout, a cucumber and fennel salad, with a honey dressing. Roasted pork with roast potatoes is hard to go past and so I didn’t and my taste buds were handsomely rewarded for my choice. The Doll went for breaded kid (no one we knew), girolles from Scotland with a warm pea and broad bean salad, and pronounced it good. While we were deciding on whether to have desert or not one of the tropical downpours occurred, with raindrops the size of side plates .. so that made the decision easy. 


We left replete and happy when the sun decided to shine again. I’ll be back on a rainy winters day.