Canteen - London restaurant review

I walk past the Royal Festival Hall daily and have been relieved to see the renovation work by Allies and Morrison architects has managed to keep the character of the place. I've also been meaning to pop into the restaurant around the back called Canteen. So last night I did.

My friend and I sat outside - it was a warm evening anyway but the heated umbrellas helped  - tho' I wondered about their energy consumption. There's a range of food - from breakfasts through to more filling British food. There's even a section for folk in a hurry. We opted for pies and mash. The wine and beer list is a treat - a nice selection of really nice beer. We opted for Eden ale.

The pies arrived in a typically modern style - tastefully arranged on the plate - but would this be a triumph of style over content? I'm a big fan of pie and mash and was gutted when the pie shop in Greenwich closed - it's now some faceless big name burger joint - so I had high hopes. It could maybe have been warmer, but it was delicious. Fresh seasonal veg in a creamy cheddar sauce, lovely mash and some sort of vegetable gravy to die for. My friend's beef pie was similarly fab. So top marks.

Nice to see some real food and imagination on the Sarf Bank - given the proliferation of dull, big name conglomerate food outlets in the area. We also were amused by the antics of the skateboarders nearby and the Dyson hand driers in the loos - but we had been drinking Eden ale.

A meal for two with beer came in just under fifteen quid a head - which seemed a bargain for the area and for the quality of the produce.

So - do give it a go -  www.canteen.co.uk