The Clarence Tavern
Stoke Newington, London
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Stripped back in terms of both decor and dining, this Stoke Newington sibling of the Canton Arms and The Anchor & Hope is the embodiment of everything you’d expect from a London dining pub. Straightforward, concise cooking from Harry Kaufman’s kitchen puts quality ingredients at the heart of things and lets them sing for their supper. In a salad starter, rich, unctuous confit duck is paired with fresh leaves, crisp radish and buttery broad beans, while a plate of chicken livers on sourdough toast is a bear hug of a dish, with the huge earthiness of the offal and cooking liquor balanced by the spicy tang of wild garlic. To follow, more ramsons – this time as a light, bright, herbal sauce served over homemade cavatelli and dressed simply with sharp, salty pecorino. Elsewhere, braised rabbit is sweet, succulent and served on the bone, with crisp saffron potatoes soaking up the gamey broth beneath. Desserts are as classic as treacle tart and chocolate mousse. The tart is tar-sticky, loaded with dark sugar and a slight bitterness, while the silky sweetness of the mousse is tempered by the savoury crackle of crumbled peanut brittle, and a big, milky dob of crème fraîche. To drink, there are all the beery trappings you’d expect of a proper pub, and a wine selection you wouldn’t. A sprawling list leans heavily towards France and Italy and rarely leaves European soil, featuring a dozen or so options by the glass and a similar number of magnums, should a casual dinner need to turn into a grand occasion. An inviting, satisfying local, with a hearty menu to match.
