The Bittersweet City

The Trafalgar, Chelsea

Thursday, May 14th 2009

The Bitter: Not having seen my good friend A for far too long

The Sweet: Reasonably priced food and comfy chairs

4. How the other half live

The King's Road, typically, is somewhere I avoid around the end of the month, just before payday. It tends to induce the odd minor spending frenzy, and can be a dangerous place to start drinking, simply because of all the temptations in the vicinity. If my mum knew just how much I spent on going out to eat and drink, she'd probably have a coronary, and I can't shake that guilt sometimes, especially not when confronted by all the excesses of Chelsea. It's definitely not a place I'd head to, were I seeking less expensive options.

Having said all that, The Trafalgar is proving its worth as a very credit-crunch friendly midweek destination. The pub itself is really pleasant when it's not overly full (avoid Friday nights if you don't want to be surrounded by braying Trustafarians), and I like the low lighting from red lamps and the comfy leather chairs scattered around the place. 

I met my friend A by the tube and we sauntered down here last Thursday for a bite to eat in an otherwise pricey neighbourhood. We weren't disappointed - even though emphasis was certainly more on the drinks. They have a good selection of wines, draught and bottled beers, plus a regularly changing specials menu with a selection of dishes for a fiver. Last week I tried the fish cakes, which were surprisingly good and hand-made. There’s also an offer for two meals and two drinks for £15; also really excellent value for money, but the ordinary menu isn’t expensive either (most dishes are under £7).

If you’re in the area and not feeling as flush as some of the locals, I’d recommend a stop here – it will certainly keep you and your tastebuds happy and your credit card out of trouble. I can recommend the chips. Yum.