Canteen Canteen is clearly trying to establish itself in the British institutional tradition - if this is the kind of modern day institution that forms the new British tradition then we can all be proud to have heaved ourselves into the 21st century with dignity and style.
The décor is low key, clean but warm, functional but balanced in an almost Scandinavian style, but one that keeps firm references to the good old British canteen in the form of cute booths with padded seats and individual lamps, sauce bottles on the table and, of course, an all British menu. If you ever crave chicken pie, fish and chips or a bacon buttie but care about the kind of meat you eat, and want to eat it with a decent pint/glass of wine in a salubrious establishment then this is the place to go.  Although the menu harks back to the past, the cooking is firmly routed in the present. I’ve been twice once for breakfast, where my eggs Florentine, which were pretty tremendous – perfectly cooked eggs on vibrant spinach smothered in a deliciously lemony hollandaise – and the coffee was aromatic and strong. And, a second time for dinner, where my fish was sea fresh and coated in excellently crispy batter, served with similarly crispy proper chips and a pot of zingy tartare sauce. The whole dish was sprinkled with rock salt and malt vinegar was freely available – not great for the arteries but splendid for the tastebuds. The only thing that didn’t quite make par was a side dish of mushy peas that lacked vibrancy in its greenness and a bit of flavour, but when I can eat fish n’ chips this good, with a glass of decent wine, and a view over the bustle of the south bank for a reasonable price, then a single off note isn’t going to stop me going back. After all there is still (steamed syrup) pudding to try… Starter £4.50-8.50
Main £8.50-16.75
House wine £13 Royal Festival Hall (+ 3 other branches)
Belvedere Rd
London SE1 8XX www.canteen.co.uk
0845 686 1122
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