CHARLES CAMPION FOOD & DRINK WRITER


has spent time in some of London’s better kitchens, including the Michelin-spangled Ledbury in Notting Hill. The style of cook- ing at the Hog is fresh and light with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. There are four salads on offer and they


can be treated as starters or mains. Slow- roast cherry tomatoes come with really good homemade lab- neh (a fresh cheese made from strained yoghurt), dukkah (an Egyptian spice blend), and a balsamic re- duction (£6.50/£12). Very good fl avours. Alternatively, cured ham (from Trealy Farm, the Monmouth- shire charcuterie) is teamed with roast peppers,


capers,


“A petition was


started opposing the changes, and such notable Primrose Hillers as Harry Enfield, John Snow and Dermot O’Leary all offered their


toasted hazelnuts and croutons (£8/£15). Then there is a com- bination of quinoa, toasted almonds, Mo- roccan spices, fennel and pomegranate (£6.50/£12). But the best salad of all is a plate of little gem let- tuce, plum tomatoes and minted yoghurt (£7.50/£14), which rather improbably is home to several char-grilled baby octopi – a splendid balance of tastes and textures. From the starters listed there’s a duck


pub&bar


liver parfait (well made, very light) with home-pickled vegetables and sourdough (£8); a slow-cooked (seven hours) Mo- roccan-style, shoulder of lamb, which is shredded and served on toast (£7); a soup of the day (£5), and a vodka and citrus cured salmon (£8.50) with very good potato blinis, which have a grand texture, almost fl uffy. Main


courses


support. But it was all to no avail, and Pritchard and Olivier were compelled to move on”


tick all the boxes, too. There is a sirloin steak from the Irish butcher O’Shea of Knightsbridge, served with chips and Café de Paris butter (£19); herb crusted cod fi llet, leek compote, grilled baby fennel, and to- mato fondue (£16), plus that gastropub faithful – slow-braised pork belly, shaved vegetables, bok choi, soy broth (£15). Slow cooked belly pork is almost impossible


to get right – if the meaty-fatty bits are soft and melting then the crackling tends to be soggy; if the crackling is admirably crisp then the meaty bits are probably still tough – no winners. The kitchen here seems to favour getting the meaty bit right even if the crackling suffers.


Also among the mains, pepper-crusted


venison with carrot purée, potato and sage gallette, grilled leeks and redcurrants (£23) – a grandstand dish, with good fl a- vours and accurately cooked venison. The wine list at the Hog is still a work-


in-progress, but manager Ed Francis is pas- sionate, and there are already some less obvious choices at sound prices, including some biodynamic curiosities. The desserts are accomplished.


Steamed chocolate pudding, honeycomb and vanilla ice cream (£6) dishes out a double hit of goo and chocolate. An or- ange, star anise crème brulée (£6) works well – technically very sound and a subtle fl avour – a success even for those of us who don’t care for brulées being mucked around. And a pear tarte tatin comes with yoghurt and lime ice cream (£6) and is toffeed in classical style. Cheeses are well sourced (Neal’s Yard) and come with quince paste and biscuits (£7.50). The food at the Hampshire Hog shows


commendable attention to detail. The dishes look pretty but unfussy on the plate, and there are intriguing Mediterra- nean/ North African notes to the spicing. Pritchard and Olivier haven’t run a success story like the Engineer for so long without learning a thing or two, and perhaps the opening of the Hog is a sign that Ham- mersmith residents are starting to want the same kind of gastropubs as slightly plusher neighbouring areas like Turnham Green and Chiswick.


AT THE BAR IN THE HAMPSHIRE HOG


Black velvet – £8 Sipsmith Negroni – £7 Hot buttered Guinness – £7 Flourstation breads, aioli and pantry oil – £2 Linseed crackers and hummus – £4 Pork rillette, toast and cornichons – £4 Scotched quails’ eggs – £4 Boquerones – £4 Merguez and peperonata – £4.50 Salmon sashimi – £7 Sprouting broccoli tempura, blue cheese – £4 The Hog pork board – £16


The Hampshire Hog, 227 King Street, Ra- venscourt Park, London, W6 9JT (020 8748 3391) www.thehampshirehog.com


www.CharlesCampion.com TWENTIETH FEBRUARY 2012 41


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