Restaurant Review: Barnyard

I absolutely raved about Dabbous when I visited last August, but hugely long waiting lists and relatively expensive prices mean that I don't get to visit anywhere near as often as I would like.

Step forward Barnyard, Dabbous's little brother serving similar food (sometimes even the same!), for cheaper prices and no long waiting lists.

Ok, so that last comment may have been a bit of lie. There is still a long waiting list of sorts, but not in the 'you can book a table for 7 months on a Tuesday lunch time'  kind of way. Barnyard, unlike Dabbous does not take reservations. You call in and hope for the best. When M and I visited, no less than 20 couples came in asking for a table for 2 to be told they'd have to wait for 2 hours. Cripes! Not something I would do gladly. When I decide I'm hungry I need food soon, not in 2 hours time.

How did you two manage it? I hear you say. By turning up with hungry bellies at 5.45pm on a Friday night, that's how. It's not a totally foolproof way though, as we took the last table in the already full restaurant. As you can see from M's photo, our last table was the one right by the door, but for once there were no grumbles from me about cold and draughts as the food more than occupied my mind.

Barnyard is laid back and its decor fits in with the current trend for grungy, low lighting with an industrial edge. We examined the menu and were pleased with our findings. Firstly, all the food sounded incredibly interesting and tempting, and, secondly, the prices were in no way prohibitive. Most of the small plates (they recommend 3 to 4 per person) for around the £7 mark, some salads were less, and some meat dishes were more - we splashed out £14 on the beef short rib.

short rib

Our food and drinks arrived quickly. We loved the meadowsweet sweetcorn which they'd lifted straight off the Dabbous menu, and the short rib with dill pickle. My particular favourite was the bubble and squeak with apple chutney and black pudding. Yum. The only slight let down was the chicken wings which were far too oily. 

sweetcorn with meadowsweet

bubble and squeak

chicory and lovage salad

chicken wings

Onto pudding then, which were very reasonably priced at £4.50. More intrigues awaited us in the form of popcorn ice cream with smoked fudge sauce and acorn flour waffle with malt cream and chocolate sauce. Double yum. 

popcorn ice cream with smoked fudge sauce

acorn flour waffle with malt cream and chocolate sauce

Barnyard is way up on my London food recommendations. It's exciting, new and fresh. Just bear a couple of things in mind if you decide to visit - probably go in a pair (any more and they'll find it hard to seat you), go early or late to avoid disappointment, or be prepared to wait and get cocktails elsewhere while you wait for their call telling you  that your table is ready.

Barnyard is on Charlotte Street. Follow them @barnyardlondon

PS apologies for the the Samsung galaxy/Instagram pics. I rushed off to school quickly in the morning without a thought for my poor Fujifilm left languishing at home. 

PPS Dabbous we're coming for you in June, please be as good as last time. Please, please and thank you.