The Boozy Griffin Is Old-School London Pub With A Hint Of Asia

Slightly dark with green leather couches, with classic cocktails and London pub grub, The Boozy Griffin ticks off all the right boxes when it comes to ambience and effect. But the food could be better.

BritPop is a deep fried version of the prawn cocktail, and anything fried is good. Magic Shrooms is also rather good and comes stuffed with cheese and jalapeños. Expectedly, most of the starters go well with beer here. There’s a smattering of American, Asian and Indian food on the menu, but since it’s an ode to English pubs, stick to the specials. We opted for Bangers And Mash and Fish-N-Chips {with a very boozy beer batter}. Tartar sauce was the deal sealer in the latter as it was home-made and not a spoonful of mayo in disguise. Pizzas, burgers, pastas, nachos and Thai curries also make their way on the menu but they didn’t fit the setting at all! Next time, Bacon Wrapped Fillet Mignon is my top priority.

Tom Collins with a generous dose of gin, 007-tinis – in various flavours like green apple and lemon and basil, or just good old beer. After all, it is a pub. My favourite however was the ode to the fishmonger-turned-mixologist James Pimm, Pimm’s Cup. A lovely tangy drink that brought back memories of my days in England. For a non-alcoholic option, the Key Lime Pie {with vanilla ice cream, lime juice and plenty of sugar} is dessert in a glass, and a refreshing mocktail.

Anyone who’s looking to have a boisterous night out, with old-school rock music and loud pub atmosphere, this is ideal. Smokers get to puff away in London telephone booths and this is one of the few places where sharing tables, though not policy, comes naturally. So, go to have a good time and come back with a new friend perhaps.

The fact that London fish and chips is made from basa is very disappointing. Also, pub grub gets very little space on the menu. Service takes quite a while, so be prepared to make an evening of it and don’t plan a splash and dash.