The Jugged Hare, London

The newly opened pub is a meat-lovers dream

Vegetarians beware, The Jugged Hare is not your friend, but in absolutely everything else the owners of this newly-opened gastro pub in the heart of the City excel.

From the black pudding croquettes and pork crackling amuse-bouche to the succulent steaks and varied rotisserie menu, meat is the clear theme of The Jugged Hare. There is only one vegetarian option, which changes daily - on the day of our visit it was a mouth-wateringly delicious sounding risotto.

Fish lovers are also well catered for with the promise that all the produce (pollock, skate, monkfish and lobster on the current menu) is bought daily from the famous Billingsgate Market. As well as this, the restaurant proudly sources all its British ingredients from rare breed farmers, artisan producers and regional cheese makers.

For our part we gorged ourselves on full-flavoured white and brown crab mayonnaise with crispy toast, a king scallops, prawn and mussel gratin, juicy rump steaks and tender rose veal.

To say the starters and mains we ate were tasty is an understatement, but where The Jugged Hare really impressed was with it selection of sides.

The cauliflower macaroni cheese was devoured within minutes, the parsnip and garlic gratin was practically inhaled and the cabbage and salty bacon was the perfect accompaniment to meaty mains.

The men reading this will no doubt be excited about the real ale on draught at The Jugged Hare, but, for us ladies, I can report that the wine selection was more than adequate with the English Three Choirs white wine going down particularly well.

Having feasted like kings, there was only one disappointment, we were too full to fit in pudding, which, with the likes of black treacle tart and Kendal mint cake chocolate mousse on the menu, is a real shame.

A meal for two with wine will cost about £110 including a tip.

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