Purl NW3

For weeks buzz has been building around sleepy Hampstead village and between various gastrophiles regarding Fluid Movement’s extension of the Purl brand with Purl NW3 and first 'no booking' restaurant offering, Dach & Sons, both housed at 68 Heath Street. This is part 2 of our review of both establishments.

Purl NW3


We headed upstairs to Purl NW3 as we had some time to kill before the gig we were going to later in the evening.  The décor had the same cosy vibe as the original Marylebone venue but there was still a bit of work to be done (e.g. hanging the curtains a bit better) however, there was a stunning gold leaf ceiling that had been uncovered during the renovations and pretty glass and wood tables. Run as a separate venue they’re sticking to the original Purl missive of craft cocktails with theatrical mixology based cocktails made by industry leading staff. However, a full menu was yet to be developed on our visit, as they wanted to have offerings unique from the Marylebone outpost.

Having said that, they had brought over their star drink, ‘Mr Hyde’, which is a spin on the tradition rum and coke. I plumped for this as it’s made with wonderfully smooth rum and the chocolate reduction component made it feel like a suitable dessert substitute. Served in a custom Victorian potion style bottle amid bubbling dry ice it definitely attracted a few glances and made it feel quite special. My friend had the Perfect Lady, which was comprised of gin, peach brandy and lemon with egg white foam. This was stupendous, slightly reminiscent of a fruit meringue. 

The big discussion of the night was whether this type of venue was sustainable with competition from the slew of central and east London venues. While it is a bit of a trek up the northern line and has to compete with cheaper gastropubs in the area, we settled on the fact that there is nothing like it nearby and given that equally remote Purl draws a consistent crowd we keep our fingers crossed that the other local residents agree.

Dach & Sons

For weeks buzz has been building around sleepy Hampstead village and between various gastrophiles regarding Fluid Movement’s extension of the Purl brand with Purl NW3 and first 'no booking' restaurant offering, Dach & Sons, both housed at 68 Heath Street. This is part 1 of our review of both establishments.

Dach & Sons  

Turning right out of Hampstead tube the bold signage is immediately noticeable (even to someone like me with mole-like vision) and inside the influence of the pillars on which Dach &Sons is founded, namely beer, whiskey, ‘dogs and sliders, is obvious. These pillars are a clear nod to the ubiquitous Americana trend that’s gripped London in recent times. However, it does not feel like it’s merely hopping on the bandwagon as it situated on a high street focused on independent retailers in an area in sore need of relaxed but trendy dining venue.

My friend and I started off with the Dach & Sons own brew, which was a deep orange colour, starting clean and finishing with a punch of hops which had a taste similar to Camden Pale Ale, and the Dark Star which was a lot more malty with a burnt caramel edge that was very interesting. We were also offered a sample of the guest ale which was a very floral light straw colour

The only cocktail on the menu is a julep. This, in my opinion, was a bold statement and the confidence it showed was a large reason for checking out the venue beyond the experienced backers. I opted for the Gentleman Jack version as I was after something a bit sweeter than the other candidates, but given the sweetness of the finished product I probably should have opted for something more robust. Personally I would have preferred fresh mint, especially as they grow their own on the roof, but the mint infusion used did help to keep consistency. It was very refreshing and went down quite nicely and the staff were so helpful I’m sure they’d have no qualms about adjusting to my personal taste next time (yes there’s a next time).

Moving on to the food, I think I can sum up the menu with the squeal we both emitted, “Ohhh, I want EVERYTHING!” He opted for the Banger which was a porky delight topped with an earthy mushroom ketchup and onions and elicited many sniggers at immature but very funny anatomy related innuendo. I landed on the greedy girl’s saviour: a trio of sliders. The multi-seed bun was the best with a peppery bacon jam I’d love the recipe for, though the glazed brioche style one came a close second with crunchy dill pickle and cheddar. The traditional floured bap was nice, but not a knockout as the sour cream rather overpowered the salt beef chilli. All three were a little too well done for my taste (I like them juicy) but that’s just personal preference, and adjustable for the aforementioned next time.

What I think will be the real draw, at least for the mid-afternoon clientele searching for something other than the myriad of pubs surrounding the heath, will be the sides. They’re a little pricey but on average, worth it. We had some yummy sweet potato wedges which went nicely with the fresh tarragon mayo, some lump Devils on Horseback which were a good pairing with the beers, and the most incredible invention of frickles (fried pickles – see what they did there) with a tangy own recipe ketchup that would happily replace my Heinz if I could get my hands on a bottle.

Early evening clientele were groups of friends and families with young children and later on we saw a few couples on relaxed dates. As expected for a new venue they edged into the hipster bracket but given location and the commitment to creating a neighbourhood vibe, which has a definite market if you take into account the meteoric rise of Kentish Towner, I’m sure there’ll be more locals frequenting as word gets out. Our tab came to £60 including tip which was quite reasonable given the excellent customer service. Despite competition from local gastropubs on price, the slice of stateside cool is more than welcome in an area crying out for a fashionable new hangout. With rumours of a dessert menu and proximity to the Everyman cinema, this could become a frequent spot for TGOC...

To keep up to date and to see more pictures please visit their Facebook page.

Meribel Brasserie, Mon Cherie

Recently a small bistro, Meribel, opened up next to Camden Road station. It kept catching my eye as I entered the station so I decided to try and find it online. There wasn’t that much information, just contact details and sample menu, but it sounded good and I had a lunch booked with an ex-colleague so decided to give it a chance.  

I’m extremely glad I did as – there’s no other phrase for it – it was completely charming.

As you first walk in there’s a breakfast counter perfect for people watching with a coffee and Sunday paper then, as you go further, you enter a modern ski-chalet style atmosphere. Little wooden tables in rows with exposed brick walls and a mezzanine level dining section above an open kitchen. The fact it’s under railway arches gives an impression of a grand mountain-side cavern and we were seated by a roaring gas fire that ran across the length of the wall with a beautiful brass flue. Looking up the ceiling was decorated with copper leaf and neon patchwork stencils that shouldn’t have worked but did, taking the room from twee to modern. My favourite touch however were the light fittings which were small bulbs encased by cut-glass port and whisky decanters.

What’s more, being under the train lines you think there’ll be terrible noise while dining but they were few and far between and barely even registered we were having such a good chat.

After cooing about how darn pretty it is we finally turned our attention to the menu. A small selection was offered for each course, which gave the impression they were all done to a high standard. It was all very traditional French fare, as you'd expect, including an alp-conjuring fondue for two, which unfortunately I missed out on (this time).

We skipped starters – though looking at the menu online as I write this, lord knows why – and went straight to the mains. I had the duck, which was perfectly pink and tender with a zesty orange glaze and wonderful vegetables, while my companion thoroughly enjoyed the mushroom risotto. As he was attempting a dry January I just had a beer but the wine selection was both extensive and well curated and I’m sure will be investigated on return visits.

In honour of my grandfather, who loves this dish, I had to try the apple tarte tatin, just to see if he’d like it, of course. The filling was sticky and sweet with the pastry a touch dry but this was balanced by the accompanying ice-cream (and better than soggy pastry, which I can’t stand). By the time I looked up from my plate the crème brulee opposite me had disappeared into a smiling face so I took that as a good sign.

With attentive staff, a well-executed menu and fantastic atmosphere, Meribel could well become a new favourite of mine. The only thorn in it's side is, though it's a great location for me and only 5 mins from Camden Town tube, they may have trouble drawing people away from the main drag. So foodies unite, and make sure this place continues for a long time - you won't be disappointed!

Good for – brunch, dinner, relaxed but impressive dates, families…pretty much everything

Bad for – people who don’t like French food, session drinking

£  – about £30 / head  for 2 courses plus wine and service so not astronomical but much, much nicer than a Café Rouge