London Pub Tour 32 - Chelsea: Pigs Ear and Cross Keys

In the back streets just off between King's Street and the Thames there are quite a number of upmarket pubs. I went to visit two more of those pubs today starting with the Pigs Ear (SW3 5BS). The pub sits on the corner of a residential street and has a bizarre modern art pub sign. The entrance doors on either side are plastered with stickers about food awards, Cask Marque and other items, which makes it looks quite messy. There are some nice lanterns hanging outside along with three smalls barrels in a stack (though I'm unaware of the symbolism of this). The pub itself wasn't busy and only had a few people in, so I was able to grab a table and sit down with my beers. There was cushion seating against all the walls, with tables and chairs opposite. Stools were available at the bar for those inclined to sit there. The bar was lit with lamp shades from above, and there was a red ceiling, cream walls and wooden floor which helped spread the light. The bar is on the back wall and is L shaped with front part of the bar being light wood whilst the back bar a dark wood.

On the bar they were offering up a choice of 4 ales Swift, Wandle, Junction and Common. On tap the selection included Heineken, Guinness, Orchard Pig, London Ale Pale and Amstel. I wasn't tempted by any of the offerings so look to the bottles instead. I immeditaley seen a beer from Goose Island that I hadn't come across before so selected that, that beer was Honkers Ale. The bottle cost £4.80 for 330ml with an ABV of 4.3%. It was a very enjoyable and easily drinkable bitter and I could certainly have a night on these. I did go back to order another bottle but got tempted away by another beer I seen  Ola Dubh 12 Year Special Reserve Matured In Highland Park Casks by Harviestoun. The beer is a massive 8% ABV but only got me £4.50 (I think there may have been a pricing error). I didn't know what to expect from this beer and certainly didn't think it was an imperial porter, so when this thick syrup liquid started pouring I was pleasantly surprised. There is massive smells of whisky and it carried through to the beer as you get a tiny after hit of

Whisky. This was certainly one to enjoy but slowly.

No more people came into the pub by the time I had finished my special bottle. I left and made my way the short distance to my second (and now last stop due to the high ABV bottle I just had) which was the Cross Keys (SW3 5NB). The pub is just off a busy road but is easily missed and doesn't seem too busy. The exterior is white with a black pub sign and the pub name written in gold on both. The pub much like the Pigs Ear is a gastro pub but the Cross Keys separates pub and dinning. The front of the pub is for drinking and snacks whilst the rear is setup for dinning only. To enter the pub the door on the right is used as the door on the left is blocked on the inside by a table. The bar is just ahead and to the left and has a nice spirits display behind. The bar is rounded at the end and heads slightly towards the rear. It has a wood panel cover and a solid wood top, which goes very nicely with the whole setup and design of the pub. The floor is wood floor boards with a slight rustic look on the walls and tables. The bar taps are metal with small descriptions saying what they're serving, meaning you have to look closely to see what is on offer.

On the keg beer department they offered up Guinness, Truman's Pale, Estrella, Becks and Truman Runner. On hand pump there was Otter Ale, Truman's Runner, Lucky Penny's Long Artm and Mad Goose. There were a few bottle beers including a Swiss beer which I've only seen on sale in this place. I went for a pint of Otter Ale at £4.30 which was in good nick, with it's creamy head and fruity taste and served in a dimple mug. The Cross Keys looked to offer a very good food menu, and seems like it would be one of those higher priced but well worth it Gastro pubs. The whole design of the pub was to my liking and certainly a place that I will visit again. Just to clarify I have been here before and had the Swiss beer, which was delicious. I'm not sure how busy the pub gets but the ti
mes I've been here it's never been busy in the bar area and I've always found a seat. But on each of those occasions the kitchen hasn't been open so perhaps the dinner crowd in Chelsea packs out the

pub.

I called it a night after finishing my Otter, and was starting to feel the effects of the imperial porter from earlier. These were two pubs both listed as Gastro but based on the interior you would judge one to be more fitting of that accolade. Most of the pubs I've visited in the back streets of Chelsea have been upmarket and gastro, whilst all the ones on King's Road itself seem to be more booze and down to earth, maybe because their aimed at the workers in all the businesses there whilst the back street are for the locals.