The Potting Shed Bar & Restaurant, a stone's throw from Marylebone Station, does a good chicken roast - worth a try if you're looking for lunch or dinner in the area.
One Saturday on my way home, I walked past The Potting Shed Bar & Restaurant in Marylebone near the station and thought it might be worth a visit. So a few weeks later I decided to head there for dinner.
The Potting Shed is a little gastropub in the basement of a Marylebone hotel. The place sports a selection of cricket relics, and other than that, the room, or maybe more accurately rooms, is dominated by light green colours and a white ceiling, which made a nice contrast to the dark, wooden floor. Overall, the place looks modern with stylish lamps and a few typical contemporary hipster-style elements. Depending on where you sit, the atmosphere can vary widely - there is a large communal table, two booths, a row of small lounge tables and also a more typical restaurant area. Altogether, an interesting mix, including the patchy, artsy stools around the lounge tables.
The background music at The Potting Shed added to the relaxed and casual atmosphere. It was not too load and just right to provide some convenient background noise.
I started my dinner with a white wine, a 2013 Picpoul de Pinet from Languedoc which came quickly and was alright. Not the best wine ever, but absolutely fine. It took a while until a friendly breadman came to offer me a little bun. It was piping hot, that's probably why it took some time. It tasted good and came with a bit of butter, just like you would expect.
My roast Suffolk chicken was perfectly cooked and was rich in flavour. The carrotts on the plate were cooked slightly too long for my taste, as I prefer them a bit firmer and not too soft. I was not convinced when I read celeriac purée on the menu, but actually it blended well with the delicious chicken gravy and definitely added something to the dish.
The hand-cut chips were kind of thick, but not too thick to cool down during my dinner. Once I came to terms with the size and the temperature, I did really enjoy the chips. Some were properly crispy, others were a bit softer, still alright.
In summary, The Potting Shed is a friendly and quiet place with quality food. Definitely a gastropub I can recommend for dinner or lunch. read more