We’re in the Heron Tower, home to the newish and hugely hyped Duck & Waffle and Sushisamba, however rather than ascend to the top floors we’re making our way through a thick crowd of suited wine quaffers outside The Drift, on the ground floor of the skyscraper (although you can check out our review of Duck & Waffle here). The restaurant level is upstairs, with mosaic tiling on the floors and walls, but this quirky touch doesn’t stop it from feeling any less like a city bar. It’s also very busy, and the noise levels contradict the venue’s motto of “an island of calm in the heart of the city”.
The menu is divided into somewhat conceited headings like “from the earth” and “from the woods and the garden”, but when examined it mostly has party foods and booze-soaking fare like prawn lollipops, sharing boards and burgers. A dish of Old Spot pork sausages with roasted apple is good, but the odd bit of gristle prevents it from being great. The mascarpone and mushroom stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta, and the smoked haddock topped with a poached egg have both been slightly overcooked, but serve their purpose. Our favourite dish is the flatbread smothered in blue cheese with slices of grilled courgette.
There is a whole section of “tatties” with different toppings and herbs; we choose Viking fries with parsley and anchovy, but the anchovy is disappointingly subtle.
A knickerbocker glory with salted caramel and roasted plum is inexplicably billed as no calories, surprising given that it contains sinful chunks of caramel and heaps of cream and ice cream. Three mini pudding shots are served in jam jars: there’s a chocolate brownie, a miniature knickerbocker glory and a white chocolate and raspberry crème brûlée, which despite lacking a burnt caramelised layer is still very enjoyable.
Their major selling point is a good selection of wines ranging from £13.95 for Merlot and Chenin Blanc to £45.95 for Pouilly-Fuse; we’re impressed by the heady fragrance of a smooth 2009 Chilean Pinot Noir priced at £28.95, which hits us in the nose before we drink it. Another plus point is that food is modestly priced, as a three course meal for two with wine is around £80.
