Beyond the Hood  

Sam’s Larder

W6 isn’t exactly “Beyond the Hood” but you and I know that Urban Village LDN is exclusively all things SW6. We wrote about Sam’s Riverside back in March after a spring stroll along the river to check out this restaurant launched in November 2019 by Sam Harrison. Stunningly located opposite Hammersmith Bridge, sitting alongside the new Riverside Studios it has, if you haven’t been yet, a modern-European and seafood-led menu created by Head Chef Harvey Trollope. The restaurant re-opened after lockdown on 4 July with a new Seafood Terrace overlooking the Thames and we finally got to enjoy dinner there (not gifted); we digress more of what we thought later.

During the restaurant’s closure, Sam and business partner Fanny Stocker put plans in motion to open a nearby shop with the aim of it being an extension of the restaurant. After turning their restaurant storage into a space fit for a boutique deli Sam’s Larder (4 Crisp Road, W6 9RL) opened last month. Stocking fresh, seasonal and high-quality ingredients used in Harvey’s kitchen, wines from Sam’s Riverside’s list and homemade dishes from Harvey and his team for you to enjoy at home; seasonal casseroles, pasta sauces, fish, chicken and vegetable pies. Other provisions include bread, pastries and cakes from Hedone Bakery, British charcuterie from Crown & Queue, Cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, Chocolate from Love Coco by James Cadbury, Eggs from Cacklebean Farm and fresh fruit juices from Daily Dose Fruit and vegetables. In addition they stock various drinks company offerings from Gusbourne Wines, Botanic Lab, Double Dutch Drinks and Real Kombucha; those of you who came to our social in January might remember trying this brand. Gift hampers can also be arranged, as well as specialty cakes for birthday, weddings and other occasions.

So it looks like we’re going to have to take another stroll along the river to take a look and take our own pics. Any excuse to check it out and we might have to have a pit stop back at Sam’s Riverside to enjoy a cocktail or two!

Sam’s Riverside in review

The new normal didn’t dampen our third post lockdown dinner out and our first time eating at Sam’s Riverside, For those of you who are still yet to be tempted out they are extremely COVID secure with temperature checks on arrival, hand sanitiser upon entry and staff wearing masks. The only hiccup was getting the QR code to work which was down to us; we’re not normally that rubbish on the tec front promise! So we reverted to an old school (?) printed menu, why we didn’t simply look it up on our phones is beyond me.

When we went in August we picked from the summer menu so things might change and become autumnal this month. We started with a Watermelon & Basil Smash (Ketel One Vodka, Aperol, Fresh Watermelon Juice, Basil Syrup) which was so refreshing and thirst quenching. During lockdown, don’t judge, we have to admit we became a bit adept on the ‘locktail’ making front so we were those dreaded customers who decide to go off piste. We ordered Martinis in the next round both Dirty and Lemon Drop. We were impressed with the honesty when our waitress returned saying the barman was not familiar with the contents of a lemon drop martini but “if you tell us what’s in it we’ll make it”. Not only were we impressed with that, it was the best Lemon Drop we’ve had outside our kitchen!

Enough about hard liquor and onto the food! We started with the Chilled Pea & Mint soup which was divine, quite simply liquid summer and the Hereford Aged Ribeye Beef Tartare, Dripping Toast - gluten intolerance accommodated with an alternative - another thumbs up was deemed to be the best tartare ever eaten; there have been numerous occassions. We both opted for the Pan Fried Hake, Chilli, Lemon, Capers & Parsley which was accompanied by braised little gem. The dish was heavenly and light with so many lovely fresh flavours hitting the palette, not too spicy and you could taste the lemon at each bite. A dessert fiend rounded off the night with a lemon possett which they told us was “exceptional”.

The good news is that Sam’s Riverside are continuing the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme for Tuesdays and Wednesdays in September, we highly recommend you take advantage.