the phene

as a devoted east londoner, it's not often i find myself on the other side of town, but i was cordially invited over to chelsea for a friend's 30th, so it was a district line across town for me.

the phene is a lovely, welcoming, cosy pub.  very close to the kings road, but far away enough to be off the main drag, when i arrived on a saturday lunchtime the place was buzzing, with a mixed clientile of families, couples, glamazons and friends.  i ordered a g&t (hurrah for sipsmith & fever tree - two of the hallmarks of a pub that knows its gin!) and awaited my friends.

the restaurant looked lovely, but we dined upstairs in the private room, which was ideal for our party of twenty.  we were greeted with glasses of fizz and then whiled away the afternoon enjoying a three course meal full of flavoursome, tasty food.

i'd recommend the phene to anyone in the area fordrinksor a meal - lovely place!

the restaurant its self was very cute and cosy. there was a bar and dining section. the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. beside the great ambiance, the food anddrinkswere very reasonable. although my order was overlooked, the experience outweighed the food.

this is a cute little eatery, tucked away from the king's road, but most definitely a chelsea baby.it's a glamorous pub with an outdoor seating area for the brave smokers, a backroom for diners, and an upstairs for parties or those after privacy. the ambience is fairly relaxed; a pub-style setting with several tables around the bar, and the dining areas tucked away from immediate view. it's a very versatile location, ideal for those dates which can bedrinksand nibbles, or even spill over into a three course meal.pick from a range of beers, some interesting cocktail inventions, or just go straight for the fizzy; i was pleasantly surprised to see mumm, a champagne i find to be relatively hard to come by in pubs and bars these days.we accompanied our bubbles with one of their sharing boards; an extensive array of veggie-related deliciousness; the broccoli was perfectly done and wonderfully seasoned- not a soggy tree in sight!- whilst the polenta was absolutely delicious.after getting to a suitably tipsy level for a tuesday night, we wandered into the restaurant area, impressed with the level of busyness for such an early day in the week.after our nibbles, i wasn't ravenous, so chose a 'small plate', as opposed to a main. the menu offers relatively standard comfort food dishes, including a selection of burgers, mac&cheese, fish and meats. there is however, another 'light bite/superfood' section, which offers the likes of seafood stew and sticky a lean thai green curry- dishes to line a stomach rather than fill a belly. the mac and cheese was wonderfully creamy and filled with delicious naughtiness, ideal comfort food for a chilly winter night, whilst the crispy squid was just that; nothing to write home about, really. the waiting staff were attentive and friendly, and the bar man couldn't do more to help us.all in all, an ideal location for a date or informal catch up between old pals looking to share a bottle of the good stuff.

i went here for a friend’s birthday meal. we took a taxi but i probably would not have found it if i was walking as it’s quite hidden. 

staff were extremely friendly and polite. we were seated immediately in a private dining area, as we had booked beforehand. the room itself was very clean and spacious and had bird paintings on the wall, which i thought was a nice touch.

i had the chicken schnitzel with mash, mushrooms and paprika sauce and it was perfect. everything was presented well, the chicken wasn’t dry and the mash was just phenomenal. i would recommend this dish, you wont be disappointed.

 

the outdoor seating area is very comfortable and has a very nice atmosphere during the evening. it’s perfect in the summer fordrinksor dinner. the whole pub is vey clean, the décor is very modern yet makes the area look cosy.

it was slightly expensive, especially when you order a few drinks, however the cocktails were delightful, the place itself has a lovely atmosphere and service is exceptional, so i would definitely recommend this place.

the phene has been an icon of chelsea for years. armed with a reputation for all things trendy and for quality of food,drinksand service, as well as being armed with bouncers on the door for dinner service (!), it sits on an unassuming tree lined residential type street, just off kings road. having heard about it repeatedly - and from sources other than made in chelsea within which it has featured more than once - i was intrigued to attend, to dine and to see just what all the fuss was about. a friend secured the reservation and off i went, hungry and ready to chow down.

read more:
http://www.foodgoblin.com/london-dining/the-phene