Lady Blonde reports from… The Admiral Codrington
Three of my best friends are about to get married. Not to each other, obviously – they are from the Home Counties after all – but to respective men over the next three weekends. This is the bit I’ve been waiting for, as, thankfully, the Hen weekends are now finally over. The past month has seen me dress up as a cheerleader and learn a routine, go mountain-biking in the rain, wear pants on my head, sleep on several floors, pin the willy on the royal and witness more swinging dicks than if I had been watching popstars in a playground. I feel mentally and physically battered. But now this tempestuous gauntlet is finally over, just the fun and exciting parts are left. Well, nearly…
Earlier this week I met up with one of the Brides To Be for a pre-wedding catch up at The Admiral Codrington – the Chelsea favourite which has recently re-opened after a spruce-up.
From quiet Mossop Street, we creaked open the door of The Admiral Cod (as it is affectionately known) and were instantly enveloped into a warm, wooden, cosy and traditional, buzzing local boozer. We wound our way through the dark and atmospheric pub, through gossiping and guffawing, well-heeled punters who were nursing pints, bottles of red, scotch eggs and plates of pork crackling, and headed straight for the dining room at the rear. The restaurant is bright and modern making for a slightly odd transition from the traditional pub vibe, but nevertheless, it was inviting. The restaurant offers comfy banquettes, elegant décor, an abundance of natural light and an attractive crowd that keeps the ambience relaxed, cosy and twinkling.
We took a seat in a booth: the ideal place for a girl’s catch up. Within moments, BTB was off talking about this flower, that dress, this seating plan, that table name – I was trying to listen but honestly? Snore. My eyes kept sliding towards the menu – I was starving. “…And who knows what everyone is going to do about taxis…” she was saying. I tried to pick up my menu, thinking I could subtly let it slip into my eye-line. Still, she held eye contact: “…and the DJ won’t pick up the phone…”. Finally, I could stand it no more: “Shall we order and then you can tell me all about the Order of Service?” She agreed.
Now, if I hadn’t been completely ‘focused’ on BTB, I would have noticed that highly-stacked cheeseburgers had been processing through the restaurant to just about every table. As it was, we opted for other things. We chose foie gras parfait with toasted brioche (£8.95), which was fine though not memorable (though the price was less easy to forget); and stuffed courgette flower which was deliciously light. For our main course, we had battered fish (the fish was tasty, but the batter a touch soggy) with perfect chips, mushy peas and a satisfyingly punchy tartare sauce (£13.50). We also had a 10oz Black Angus Rib-Eye (£26), which, I have to confess, left me envying the cheeseburgers that I then noticed were everywhere. Though all of this slightly paled into insignificance when pudding came. BTB, who thus far had been eating like a hamster – nibbling at the edges of her food for fear of not fitting into her wedding dress – assisted in devouring the gooey sticky toffee pudding and hot, squashy chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream like she was trying to hide incriminating evidence that would have had her and her entire family locked away for life.
So she talked my ear off and then ate all the delicious pudding? I stand corrected: now only enjoyable things lie ahead.
Read more about The Admiral Codrington on LadyBlonde.com
17 Mossop Street, London SW3 2LY | 020 7581 0005 | theadmiralcodrington.co.uk
Lady Blonde 