Wednesday Steak Nights Launch at The Apollo Arms, Clapham
There’s nothing I love more than an evening out in Clapham. Mainly because I live there, although I find it quite baffling that people in this day and age are still hesitant to make the pilgrimage south – particularly when there are some fantastic food options.
Case in point is The Apollo Arms. Relatively new on the scene, the space serves up real ales, fine wines and delicious food in a warm and welcoming countryside-style pub in town. The sprawling interiors are vast, in fact it’s one of the larger venues I’ve experienced in South London.
Despite the pub’s size, it’s warm, cosy and you’re met with servers with a smile. I’d popped in for drinks before, and one of the most appealing areas of the pub is its huge beer garden, which is an absolute suntrap in the summer. The space has seen a few different venues over the years, including an unsuccessful Meat Liquor, but I truly think this one is here to stay. It is clearly loved by Clapham locals already, based on its bustling dining room on a Wednesday night.
Perhaps a pull, luring people out on hump day, is the launch of its exciting new steak menu. I love steak, we all love steak, and let’s face it, there’s a lot of bad steak in London. Well, I’m here to tell you, this may be my new favourite steak spot in London.
On arrival, we settled into our cosy booth which would be perfect for a secluded date night and made a start on some cocktails. I was impressed to see there was a Bloody Ceaser on the menu. I discovered these during a short stint, living in Canada. It’s essentially the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary, but instead of tomato juice, they use clamato juice. You’ll have to Google it to see what’s in it, but it’s distinctively meatier and richer.
Throughout the night we tried the Negroni, a Dirty Martini and an Old Fashioned – all drinks were expertly mixed and tasty. I’m sure this is a really popular cocktail destination stop off post-work.
To start, we ordered the Burrata which was rich and creamy and a dozen oysters which complemented the Dirty Martini perfectly. Portion sizes are really good here and service is relaxed, but attentive, giving you all the reasons to come back again and again.
For the main event, there are three choices; a 200g Rump; a 200g Sirloin or, star of the show, a 600g Chateaubriand which can serve two to three people. Whilst the latter is a little on the pricier side (£115.00), we did see some tables enjoying it, and it was a seriously huge portion. Feeling a bit less ambitious than the chateaubriand-eaters, we opted for the sirloin steak, which was cooked to perfection, well-seasoned and also generous in size.
Of course, all good steak is only enhanced by the plethora of sides, and there are plenty of options here. Best of all, they offer two sides for £10.00 which is extremely reasonable! Options include Creamed Potato, Creamed Spinach, Potato Dauphinoise and Triple Cooked Chips – all of which were delectable, but the jewel in the crown was the Truffle and Macaroni Cheese which was really decadent. To accompany, sauce options include: Bearnaise, Peppercorn, Truffle Mayonnaise and Red Wine Jus.
The menu was super filling, but naturally we found some space to enjoy a Crème Brûlée to share, alongside two perfectly concocted Old Fashioned cocktails. A big shout out to the team as well who are all familiar with the extensive wine list, and recommended us a beautiful and full-bodied red to enjoy with the meal.
As mentioned at the opening. this is truly one of the best steak experiences I’ve had in London for a long time, and I will absolutely be back, if not to enjoy another giant steak, then to see in the spring in the sprawling beer garden.
Find out more > www.apolloarms.co.uk
