Neil Littman visits The King’s Head in Winchmore Hill following its recent relaunch

Potato terrine basil & ponzu — *Potato terrine basil and ponzu*

On one visit to The King’s Head, which overlooks The Green in Winchmore Hill, I was reminded of the famous line from Superman, which begins: “It’s a bird, it’s a plane…”

The question here is whether The King’s Head is a pub, a restaurant, or both? It seems to have moved closer towards fine dining since its recent refurbishment, which has resulted in a much improved and stylish interior, boasting décor that could rival some of the best establishments in town.

Dating back to the 1460s and rebuilt in 1898, The King’s Head is an important part of local history and has been my nearest ‘local’ for over eight years. However, during that time it’s had a patchy journey. One dish that was consistently good was the fish and chips, which is still on the menu, but that wasn’t enough to keep me returning.

I’ve had drinks in the bar and eaten in the garden, which has also just had a big makeover featuring huts designed for small groups who want some privacy. The main pub and dining areas now look very classy; sofas, soft cushions and mood lighting in the evening. The kitchen is now led by head chef Jurgita.

My own return to The King’s Head was prompted by a special offer tied in with their ‘soft’ reopening in early March – two free courses, not including drinks or dessert. It sounded ideal! I went with two regular dining pals and expectations were high.

The menu looked very interesting and more varied, plus there were some specials on offer. Our starters included shallot and lemon thyme tatin with celeriac and hazelnuts, Devon crab and crayfish cocktail, samphire, preserved lemon and seared Fowey scallops, cauliflower puree, smoked bacon and fennel. The scallops were on the small side, but flavours and presentation were good (even though I mistook my friend’s tatin starter for a dessert!).

For mains, I had skate (from the specials list) and my friends ordered pork, leek and apple sausages, rainbow chard, crackling, gravy and hasselback British squash, crispy sage, pomegranate, basil and ponzu pesto. We also ordered some sides, including a portion of potato terrine, again with basil and ponzu pesto, which reminded me of a similar dish served at The Quality Chop House.

Puddings included sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel ice cream, dark chocolate delice, blood orange and gooseberry trifle.

The service was enthusiastic, though slightly inexperienced in a restaurant setting. It’s also worth noting that The King’s Head sometimes hosts live jazz courtesy of Ziggy’s Jazz Club!

The King’s Head can be found at 1 The Green, Winchmore Hill N21 1BB and is open 11am-11pm daily, with food served 11am-9pm. A two-course meal plus a drink costs an average of £45 per head, plus service. For more information:
Call 020 8886 1988
Email [email protected]
Visit thekingsheadn21.co.uk

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