TCR Bar and Restaurant - London

On the look out for good places to eat as I all too often am, sometimes means that I become a little too indecisive when it comes to choosing a restaurant of an evening. Such it was recently when I had an over night stop in London before an early morning Eurostar train (perhaps the subject of the next post). Wandering down Tottenham Court Road on the search for some spare pants (I had forgotten to pack any for my trip the following day), I was gripped by the desire to find a bar wherein I could order a cold pint of European lager and read a newspaper without being bothered by loud music or the public at large.

A tragic error followed this decision because while incensed with the fervour I describe, I walked past several fabulous looking fronts and wandered, like any fool who doesn't have the advice of his wife on hand to stop him, into T&C's Bar and Restaurant. Seduced as I was with the promise of a nice cold pint of San Miguel, I looked at the menu only after informing the waitress in a strong and confident tone: 'can I open a tab please? I'm ordering food as well.'

A silly error. A silly schoolboy error. A silly schoolboy error compounded by the fact that Mrs. P wasn't there to tell me what a silly schoolboy error it was.

I was committed then as only an Englishman who has said something they regret but cannot possibly be seen to change his mind can be committed. The waitress asked what I wanted to eat and I paused to read the menu again but it was no use; I tried the only option I had left; 'I can't decide, what's good here?' She looked at me blankly as well she might, the menu had clearly indicated that nothing was good here. She glanced around, perhaps hoping to gain inspiration from any nearby diners to convince me of an apparently popular dish. But alas, all other diners were clearly too savvy to order food and they had all stuck solidly to simply drinking their troubles into oblivion.

'The burgers are Ok.' She ventured, 'You should try one of the specials.' The poor girl indicated to the two options in the burger section that were their alledged 'premium' offer. One had the addition of a fried egg, the other bacon. I panicked. 'I'll just have the meaty nachos please.' Why did I say that? WHY? I could have simply made my excuses and left. I could have made no excuses and still left, but instead I ordered nachos. A sharing platter of nachos. For two people. Two. People.

I sat there hating myself until the nachos arrived, then I smiled and thanked the waitress politely before turning with an all consuming bitterness to the manifestation of my English stereotype. They were everything I had dreaded them to be; not enough cheese, not enough chilli beef, not enough jalapeños, not enough guacamole, not enough bloody nachos. This was supposed to be for two people goddammit!! I ate, paid and left quickly in order to be alone with my disappointment. I had filled my belly, but couldn't satify my soul.

If you find yourself in London and the mood takes you, please take this review as a ringing indorsement to visit T&C's, but only for a drink. Unless you fancy some self-flagellation, in which case order the nachos.

www.bartcr.com