Open Mon–Thu 8am–11.30pm; Fri–Sat 8am–Midnight; Sun 8am–10.30pm
The style:
This upmarket gastropub group has the effortlessly classy look down to a tee. With potted orange trees, rustic yellow walls and lots of beautiful aged wood, The Orange wouldn’t look out of place on the French Riviera. It is deceptively large inside with the light and airy main dining room situated upstairs. On the Tuesday evening that I visited every table was impressively full with diners.
The crowd:
Outside were about 20 young professionals enjoying alfresco, after work drinks, while indoors was full to the rafters of Sloany folk enjoying the food. The easy listening music was drowned out by the buzz of friends exchanging gossip, couples whispering sweet nothings and happy families.
The food:
Although it labels itself as a public house, it is hard to think of The Orange as a London ‘pub’; everything seems far too elegant, including the rustic modern European menu.
To start, I ordered the intriguing crushed peas, pecorino, mint and buffalo mozzarella on toast (£7.50). It was proudly fresh and vivid green and despite being slightly bland its unusual mix of textures made it very moreish. My friend ordered the roasted scallops with lemon, herb and garlic butter (£10.50) which were beautifully presented in the shell.
My main dish; pan fried sea bream with herb gnocchi and pea sauce (£14.50) looked pretentiously modest on arrival but was beautifully moist and turned out to be just the right amount. My friend’s herb-roasted chicken (£12.50) was served with a deliciously creamy garlic mash, cabbage and grain mustard; it was homely, warming and cooked to perfection.
My friend’s apple pie with clotted cream (£6.50) was the only dud dish of the night; bland, boring and luke warm. My crème brulee (£6.50) on the other hand was among the best I have tasted, with a refreshing accompaniment of fresh poached rhubarb and a perfectly thin crisp top.
The drinks:
A good mix of drinks to suit all tastes. From the usual suspects, guest ales and an affordable and comprehensive wine list (house wine from £4 a glass), to classic seasonal cocktails with contemporary twists such as the blueberry and grape daiquiri (£9).