Darby’s
3 Viaduct Gardens,
London SW11 7AY
T: +44 020 7537 3111
www.darbys-london.com
Darby’s We’re fortunate that very few people read these reviews because Darby’s is in our ‘hood and it’s already been hyped everywhere and we’d like to keep it a secret, please! Darby’s is from the team behind the Dairy in Clapham (unusually and controversially we aren’t the biggest fan of the Dairy) and is located opposite the new US embassy near Vauxhall. An unpromising starting description, for sure. And when we arrived, although the room has been beautifully decorated, we weren’t wow-ed on first impression. My dinner companion’s opening remark when I asked for thoughts was ’the food had better be good’. Staff are very nice indeed – you don’t notice quite how nice at first because they’re just jolly and busy as you arrive. As your meal goes on though you start to realise it’s a very tightly run ship – they are young and relaxed, but know exactly what is going on and are personable and socially skilled. But hey, all of this is irrelevant…the food. Oh my word, it is absolutely knockout. It’s perfectly executed steaks and oysters and cheese and snacks. Said sceptical dining partner who has in the last two years eaten oysters in London, France, and New York declared his half dozen the best he’d had in years (and he picked them because they were the cheapest). I had a wobbly short rib, companion had a sirloin that gives Hawksmoor a run for its money (I do NOT say that lightly) with the most delicious tomato salad (I know – how can you differentiate between good tomato salads? Turns out you can) and pommes anna made into chips a la Quality Chop House. It’s fabulous. The menu isn’t huge, the wine list is good but expensive (again, when aren’t they currently? We had a Barbera for £50 which was very very good), but it is great stuff they are doing there. Having said all that, it’s in Vauxhall next to an embassy, so don’t come – it’s too far and a bit grim with all the new build towers so you can just stay in the centre of town where there is also good steak…just leave Darby’s to us.