On a cold and rainy evening, we met at the Blue Stoops, a pub owned by Midlands brewery Allsopp's, near Notting Hill Gate station, on the way to Kensington High Street. We arrived a little early, so started off with a half. I tried a Double Diamond, a beer that has recently come back after having been gone for 30 years.

While we were enjoying our cheeky half, our table became ready, and we sat down to investigate the menu. With our food we ordered a large glass of wine, but they only did small measures. So instead of a single large glass each, we ended up with four small ones! We combined the glasses to end up with two large glasses. A little curious, and to be fair, I would have been happy with just a small glass instead.

Back to the meal — To start, we had an oyster each. They were nice and plump, and were served with the usual accompaniments: a slice of lemon and an onion vinaigrette. We also choose the same main course, and onglet steak served with chunky chips, and a fried egg. The chips were crispy and fluffy, the steak well cooked, and the egg added some moisture. We saw other plates coming out of the kitchen, and I think we missed our mark here by not picking two different dishes.

The dining room had a typical gastropub feeling to it, and the bar was quite busy. It's a good spot, and I'm glad to see it has opened. Maybe next time we need a better look at their menu.

Oysters

1 / 2

Onglet Steak, with Chips and an Egg

2 / 2

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