This was our second visit to Simon the Tanner: a wonderfully friendly pub tucked away in Bermondsey, this time to try the new evening menu. On our first visit, we were delighted by their Sunday roast offering and cosy feel, this time we enjoyed some exciting new dishes to further showcase The Disappearing Dining Club’s takeover.

The group is no stranger to pubs, converting the Dartmouth Arms in Kentish Town to a neighbourhood hangout with food, drink, and music. Simon the Tanner is a similar vibe and is just a 15-minute walk from London Bridge through Bermondsey. Keep an eye out for the Margate influence: one of the owners is a Ramsgate resident so has stylish artworks from the town and Northdown Brews on tap as well as local ales and produce from neighbours Neals Yard Dairy.

We chose three dishes to start –  Crispy Cod Cheeks with pea and mint pesto & caper mayo, Spring Beets with cress horseradish and citrus and Grilled Asparagus with a Truffled Egg. All were a fantastic start to our experience and plenty to share between two hungry people.
We followed with something neither of us had tried before – a Lindstrom – a veggie patty made from chickpea, beetroot, black beans and capers served with pickles and a fried egg atop brioche toast with super crispy potato wedges. A meat version is also available.

For me, this seemed to be the perfect breakfast or brunch dish – or are we giving the chefs too many ideas? The pan-fried trout was really beautiful and the crushed potatoes with spinach and white wine sauce made it a standout dish. All the plates were so perfectly presented that the passion for food really rang out on our visit.

We ended with a chocolate brownie served with ice cream and salted caramel, which as usual was quite hard to finish! We really have to shout out the team for their amazing service: we were not left hanging for food or drinks all night which is really rare for a pub. The team were better than in most restaurants, which is to be commended given the place was full.

We at the Capturist highly recommend this venue and the food, we will definitely be back to try again.

Address: 231 Long Ln, London SE1 4PR

Website: www.disappearingdiningclub.co.uk/simon-the-tanner

Written by Claire Selby

Photography courtesy of Simon the Tanner