Review: Fish & Grill, Putney (From Epsom Guardian)

Review: Fish & Grill, Putney

10:37am Thursday 19th April 2012 in Reviews By Alexandra Rucki

On Sunday evenings you sometimes need something to take your mind off another week approaching of keeping your nose at the grindstone.

So when I heard neighbourhood bar, Fish & Grill, in Putney Bridge Road, was launching a new weekly Sunday comedy evening I jumped at the chance to check it out.

The restaurant is located close to the river and provides the perfect venue for a relaxing evening with friends.

On entering guests are greeted with stylish furnishings, with the restaurant falling into the category of a French brasserie.

Before heading to the bar to watch the comedy my guest and I opt for a three course meal from the set menu to avoid any stomach-rumbling during the show.

The set menu is great value for money, offering two courses for £14.95 or three courses for £17.95.

Fish & Grill is part of a group of restaurants set up by chef Malcolm John, with branches also in Croydon and Sutton.

His Putney restaurant is the latest business venture, which specialises in seafood.

The first course of steamed moules served with a white wine and cream sauce is served promptly, with my guest choosing a wild garlic soup.

I might be biased with moules being one of my favourite meals, but they are delicious and cooked to perfection.

We both select fish pie for our main course, which is served with a green salad. Aged rump stead, pan fried gnocchi and grilled chicken breast, with asparagus and tomatoes are also mains on the set menu.

It has a cheesy crusty topping, fluffy mash, with salmon, prawns and white fish inside.

My guest and I are stuffed but we just could not turn down a dessert. We order vanilla ice-cream and a creme brûlée, sharing both between us.

The ice-cream is served with a huge wafer and tastes creamy, while the creme brûlée has a warm gooey texture and is served with strawberries.

After we finish the meal we head downstairs to the bar for the first ever comedy night in the restaurant.

It is an intimate cosy setting, with groups tucking into desert and cocktails on comfy sofas before the show starts.

A ticket costs £8, available in advance or at the door.

Funny-man Damian Clark starts off the evening joking about what it is like to be an Australian in London.

He is followed by Marc Almond lookalike Nathan Cassidy and Jen Ellison, who openly discusses her disability and the bonuses of free entry into Alton Towers.

Tim Clark rounds up the evenings, who is a regular face on the national comedy scene and the Comedy Store.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and highly recommended for a relaxed Sunday evening with friends, or for a date.

The best thing about it is that you can have a whole evenings entertainment all in the same place.

Fish & Grill, Putney Bridge Road, SW15 2NA Visit fishandgrillputney.co.uk