You have to feel sorry for the chef at the Amersham Arms. After eating his home-made pie with hand-cut chips, it was clear that his home must be some giant processed-food factory, and his hands must have been cut off and replaced with square blades in order to slice these potatoes in to perfect 5mmx5mm French fries.
Either that, or someone is telling porkies.
Now, I have nothing against processed food, but when you’ve stepped into a place trying to pass itself off as a gastropub it smarts when you get the cuisine of a local chippy.
Doubly so when you take into account the Amersham has been bought up by those behind the Lock Tavern – a fine gastropub if there was one. As an indie-loving teenager, I remember the Lock when it was a horrid shack of a pub, with a fridge buzzing away in the garden, serving McCoys as it’s daily special. So as it triumphantly serves fat, juicy burger and chips that have actually been hand cut, it’s disappointing that it’s new venture could live up to the reputation that proceeds it.
Food: 5/10
Service: 5/10
Cost: £12, for 1 course, including 2 pints of beer
Amersham Arms
New Cross Road
London, SE14 6TY
