The Table – Food and Cocktails in Bankside

A Relaxed Bankside Cafe and Bar – The Table:

Bankside is one of those areas of London that has blossomed over recent years.  It’s close to foodie Borough Market and a stone’s throw from the river.  Within a few hundred yards you’ll find trendy bars and restaurants popping up.  The Table has been around for a while but their food menu has been enhanced with a creative and comprehensive cocktail list.  What better opportunity to go along and try a couple of cocktails, enjoy some food and generally chill out.

We started with a couple of cocktails.  Both of us are into a glass or three of fizz so Southwark Spritz was just the ticket, with house-made rhubarb cordial and Aske Stepheson Revery (London Dry Gin, Picon Biere, a type of bitters, sweet Italian vermouth and a special blend of beeswax!) topped up with Prosecco.

In the interests of sobriety (and perhaps of drinking more fizz) we decided that after our cocktail, we should carry on with Prosecco.  There’s a happy hour at The Table with cocktails for £5 and a bottle of prosecco for £15.  Not a bad way to spend an evening.

We decided to try some of the nibbles while we decided on what else to order.

We particularly enjoyed the deep-fried whitebait with salt-preserved lemon mayonnaise – lovely plump fish with crisp skin and a delicious mayonnaise dip.

And, a couple of boar prosciutto open sandwiches with pickles.

If you want to do more than grazing, when we went there were some delicious burgers (one veggie option) or ‘catch of the day’ .  Both of us opted for burgers and we had no regrets at all.

For me, a spiced lamb burger with homemade spicy tomato chutney, rosemary, olive oil marinated Greek feta and lettuce.  In a homemade brioche bun with a side of fries, this was the perfect thing to munch on while I caught up on some gossip with my companion.

She ordered the grilled buttermilk chicken burger with Scotch bonnet pepper sauce, tomato, sour cream and avocado sauce.  And, healthy roast sweet potato wedges.  Mind you, we’d already shared ONE portion of proper chips.  The char on the burgers looked and tasted convincingly like BBQ food, though everything was cooked in the main kitchen so far as I know.  Delicious!

Dessert for me came in the form of chocolate mousse, which was creamy, rich and smooth and tasted house-made.

My companion chose the Stilchelton with damson paste and Orkney Isles oatcakes.  A generous portion of cheese went down very well, though both of us thought it would have been good to have the option of a couple of other cheeses.

Both options worked well washed down with the paired dessert wine – Bodegas Bentomiz Ariyanas Naturalmente Dulce 2012.  According to the menu this is the result of a Dutch couple who bought a Spanish farmhouse discovering an abandoned Moscatel vineyard on their land.  What a fortunate find!  Delicious honeyed and orange peel notes, it was the perfect end to the meal.

I gather the menu is changing just a bit, though all the favourites we enjoyed will still be there.  Instead of catch of the day, you’ll be able to enjoy Salmon with English Asparagus and Hollandaise or Fish and Chips, and there are a few seasonal salad options too.  And, best of all, they are introducing Brinner (when brunch runs into dinner!).  Think pancakes, waffles and a Great British Breakfast – at any time of the day!
The Table Cafe
83 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0HX
+44 207 401 2760
eat@thetablecafe.com