Review: The Ship Tavern, Holborn — Her Favourite Food & Travel

Feb 10

Feb 10 Review: The Ship Tavern, Holborn

Style Points: 4/5
Price: ££
Overall: 3.5/5

When the description of the The Ship Tavern included 'tucked away' I wasn't sure what to expect. But they were right, as it is located down a narrow inconspicuous alleyway.

While The Ship Tavern's has it's own type of charm. In the Oak Dining Room above the pub, you could very much imagine yourself dining in the private captain's quarters of a huge 17th century ship. Each table along the wall had it’s own lamp which was actually really nice as the room itself was quite dark. There is also a table in the middle with a huge candelabra!

I can’t say I got a sense of it while at the pub, but apparently it is haunted with the ghosts of executed Catholic priests in the time of Henry VIII’s dissolution of monasteries, as the pub acted as a secret church holding mass using the bar as the altar.

Once we sat down and because were were at a pub we of course had to order some drinks and my husband went for the Ship Tavern House Ale (£4.30) while I went much fruitier with a Strawberry and Pomegranate cider (£5). The booth we were sat in was really nice and relaxing for the drinks and I could see it being the perfect place to enjoy a laid-back bottle of wine. Who knows, maybe if you sit long enough (or drink long enough) you’ll see your own ghostly priest!

Would I Want Seconds?

For my starter, I ordered The Ship Tavern’s Deep Fried Brie (£8). It was gooey and had a nice crispy outside. Although it was a decent size starter it wasn't big enough to be shared. I think if they served it with a few pieces of bread for you to spread the cheese and sauce on it would be much more substantial and shareable. We also tried the Seared King Scallops (£11) which were not just scallops but also little meatballs of rabbit which was a unique combination.

For our mains I chose the Fish and Chips (£16) while my husband went for the Pan Fried Sea Bass (£19). Both the dishes were fantastic and really enjoyable. My fish and chips was particularly tasty with a lovely crispy batter, nicely fried huge chunks of potatoes and mushy peas. I topped the batter with a squeeze of lemon and it was perfectly seasoned and wonderfully crispy. It really added to the taste of the fish.

The sea bass on the other hand was good but not as good. The main reason my husband chose it was that he likes hollandaise sauce - but he said it was a bit overpowering. The fish was really nice, as were the mini shrimp and mash, but the sauce did mean it was all a bit lost together. I think the taste was good, but just need a bit less sauce.

Deep fried brie at the Ship Tavern review

seared scallops at the Ship Tavern - review

Fish and Chips at the Ship Tavern - review

Now the dessert. This is where the meal fell down and what prevented me from being able to quite give The Ship Tavern a higher overall score. Neither of us were particularly happy with our desserts, which is a real shame. I chose the Downie’s Chocolate Brownie (£6.50) which was clearly microwaved as it was far too hot, over cooked and just stuck in your teeth. It was drowning in a bitter chocolate sauce that was incredibly disappointing. The only saving grace was the ice cream, which because it was on such a hot brownie melted too fast. I will say the brownie had potential as t flavour of the brownie was good, just a shame it was overcooked.

The Bailey’s Creme Brûlée (£7) was a bit of an odd concoction. The raspberry sorbet was served right on top taking away the fun of being able to crack through the caramelised layer of sugar. While the flavour of the sorbet was nice, it really over powered the flavour of the creme brûlée. In fact I had to work really hard to dig out a bit that I could even find the Bailey’s flavour in. The shortbread on top was a weird choice and was quite hard for a biscuit - so went uneaten.

Chocolate brownie at the Ship Tavern - review

Creme Brulee at the Ship Tavern - review

Could I Afford Seconds?

The Ship Tavern is a reasonable restaurant, you could have a decent meal for around £50 pounds per person including a drink. If you stick to just two courses it’s even more reasonable. The main courses were really substantial so you won’t go hungry. This might sound expensive for a pub but it has a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere unlike many chain pubs.

If you’re still looking for somewhere to dine for Valentines weekend, the Ship Tavern is offering a well priced Valentine's menu at £65 per person which includes a glass of champagne, three courses and truffles. One of the starters is half a dozen of their Oysters (which I haven’t tried but are £2.75 each on the normal menu) so if you select carefully can actually be a really good value menu - a rarity for Valentines Day. Bonus, if your date likes ghost stories you've at least got that angle covered!

Overall?

I think if we hadn't ordered dessert I would be raving about the Ship Tavern. I really enjoyed the starter and main that I ordered and even the cider was really tasty. The atmosphere is lovely and especially in the winter is warm and inviting.

If you do find yourself in the area I imagine it would be the perfect lunch spot and if you’re just ordering a main and drink it would be a reasonable bill at the end - and you’d have a great lunch!