FIRE STABLES - a Real Turkey?

On a day we missed an Eatery opportunity because we did not book, the Fire Stables became a quick sign of hope and change of plan. It is known locally at the Village, sitting on a secondary street leading to the Wimbledon Tennis courts, but you won't see it from afar or stumble on it easily in a daily routine. There is no clear sign outside and the name sits in white on a cream background - not easy to spot for the unexperienced traveller.

The pub inside gives you the opposite colours and feel. A traditional "woody" pub with a modern twist that felt pleasant on this cold wintry day before Xmas. It is pleasant, lovely, cozy for those wintry nights. The fireplace and vintage furniture make you feel welcome, while the large windows top to bottom take away the dark atmosphere typical of old pubs. There is a sense of calm in the area, with calm, jazzy music in a very soft background.

Service was prompt and delivered by staff wearing Christmas Jumpers. It gave a plus to the whole experience. We also noticed a one-side open plan kitchen: quite a rarity across pubs. Menu had a good, wide selection but names did not stand out easily. Choices fell on a mixed of pub grub and Xmas spirit.

The turkey sandwich and the fish finger sandwich did not get the best rating. The former had unseasoned stuffing with tasteless skinny fries and the latter was too dry with lettuce pieces too chunky to fit. Both were difficult to eat on the very small. retro style wooden board. English Rose Turkey was one of the specials, in anticipation of the turkey-and-all-the-trimmings season. Meat was tender and sunk enough in gravy and red cabbage. It was a great shame you could only count three roast potatoes, the one pig in a blanket and the two sprouts: the plate somehow felt empty and not festive enough. The old vintage plate it was served was a half-point in favour.

Surprisingly, great satisfaction came from the beef and lamb burger. Disappointed by size at first, we were happy with the quality and freshness of the meat, and the good-side chunky chips. It seems meat is the better and safest option to go for in this place. Price-wise, the Fire Stables sits above your average pub due to its location but without a "wow" factor on food, and we feel it mainly survives thanks to the locals and its atmosphere.

Our verdict is as follows:

Quality of Food        3.00
Hygiene                     4.60
Value for Money      3.60
Speed of Service       4.00
Quality of Service    4.00
Ambience & décor   4.80

Fire Stables gets an overall rating of 77.1%