onionbagblog

As the London list ticking continues ahead of the Great Escape, time for one final meal at Upstairs, the onionbagblog endorsed high-class eatery along Acre Lane. This was the third visit to the Soho comes to SW2 restaurant by the fragrant mrs onionbagblogger and I. Some occasions are worth rationing. My wallet wouldn’t argue with that, either.

In an age where it seems that crappy TV channels seem content to sell the myth of front room dining, Upstairs is the original model of a restaurant in your living room. There’s a reason why all the TV pap restaurants fail, whilst Upstairs continues to flourish: the simple matter of the quality of the food.

You pay for what you get, and I doubt if a high-class chef comes cheap, especially south of the river. With not much change out of a £100 note (actually, no change,) then Upstairs is not quite credit crunch friendly. It is though a guaranteed evening of superb food and service. Money well spent.

We arrived on time for our 7pm table booking, and made our way through the side door along Branksome Road, SW2. This could quite easily be mistaken as a domestic address, with no signage to suggest that you are about to enter into something really rather special.

We were greeted and welcomed into the restaurant, and made to feel genuinely welcome for choosing to spend our evening here. Coats were taken, and we shown towards our table for two in the converted living room, now serving as a restaurant.

The first sitting was almost full, with around twenty or so fellow diners. Sparkling water arrived, along with the menu. Having seen the online version back at base, our food selection had already been established.

Our maitre ‘d for the evening welcomed us once again, and then offered advice with regards the wine menu. We have dined out for the past month on the profits of the great Thresher’s fire sale. Our pallets were anticipating something slightly more appealing.

Ferme saint-pierre, cotes du ventoux 2007 was decided upon - a fine, fruity wine, selected more on account of the price, rather than the full, bloodied flavour. Chin chin.

I performed the usual farce of sampling the claret, before allowing the lovely maire ‘d to proceed with the pouring. At £20 a bottle, what was I going to say? “This tastes like Ribena - please take it back?”

With our orders then taken for starters and the main dish, we sat back and took in the evening views stretching across to Battersea. You genuinely feel like you are spending the evening in a special South London retreat, such is the gulf in dining experience between Upstairs and other establishments south of the river. There simply isn’t anywhere else around these parts to compare.

The starters soon arrived - white bean veloute for my dining companion, home cured beef for the bill payer. I was assured that the veloute had a delightful creamy texture. My beef was garnished with Stilton and walnuts, giving the dish an extra kick and crunch.

The wine flowed along with the conversation, helped along by the stories from our maite ‘d about the origins of the ferme saint-pierre, and my lame attempts at conversing in French.

Pumpkin risotto and duck breast with shallot puree were next up on the menu. My duck was incredibly succulent, and proved to be the perfect accompaniment for the rich red wine. The portions weren’t generous, but were certainly sufficient. Treating a visit to Upstairs as a trip to an all you can eat buffet is going to be bad for both your belly and your bank account.

It was at this point in the evening that we made the strategic decision to call for reinforcements from the wine cellar. Two courses of food had left us highly satisfied, but with the extra booze being sourced, it would have been rude not to see out the evening with a desert.

Mascarpone panna cotta was the choice of mrs obb, whilst a more traditional hot chocolate pudding had me licking my lips as the rich, dark chocolate appeared with a serving of ice cream slowly melting in the middle. A selection of almonds were hidden away amongst the sticky chocolate, giving the desert a genuine five star rating.

We savoured the second bottle of bolly, before settling the bill and strolling out into the South London evening. The amount of money you pay for the experience could represent a slightly clumsy end to the evening. Not so at Upstairs. There is no shame in the maitre ‘d asking for the high-end price, such is the quality of the food, and the incredibly efficient and friendly service.

And so that’s one more farewell London ticked off the list. I’ve got my eye on the glorious Chapel Market eat as much as you can £2.50 veggie curry buffet lined up for next month. And whaddya know - it will be the turn of the fragrant mrs onionbagblogger to settle the bill.