John Bull, help!

I posted this request on the Pub thread a few weeks ago without a single response....so here goes.

I am looking for a knock you out of your socks Steak and Kidney pie in a pub either in Southampton or the County Hall area of London. Please, someone must like them besides me.

Not in the area you asked about but TULES Restaurant has gotten the nod for the best for many many years.

I posted this request on the Pub thread a few weeks ago without a single response....so here goes.

 

I am looking for a knock you out of your socks Steak and Kidney pie in a pub either in Southampton or the County Hall area of London. Please, someone must like them besides me.

Southampton - you'll know the pubs oft-mentioned on this forum........ but there's a new one :)

D'you remember the old Maritime Museum, before the new Sea City museum at the Civic Centre opened? It was housed in the 15th-century Wool House, a stone building opposite the Royal Pier/Red Funnel car ferry at the junction of Town Quay & Bugle Street. No more than 100 yards from the Duke of Wellington.

After the departure of the Maritime Museum, the Wool House has been converted to a pub with micro-brewery and opened earlier this year. Very sympathetically-converted, cosy and atmospheric. It's on two levels plus outside seating, and the little brewery is in full view behind the bar. The owners, who also run the nearby Platform Tavern, don't offer a full restaurant-type menu at the Wool House, they want to get back to old-style "pie & mash" type pub food.

Here's their menu, but although though steak & kidney is regular fayre in the UK, it isn't one of their always-available pies.

http://www.dancingmanbrewery.co.uk/site/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DM-allday-menu-June-20151.pd

Sorry, haven't tried the pies yet, only the Ham Hock Hash (excellent).

Photos of the place in all its guises at

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wool+house+pub+southampton+photos&rlz=1T4GGHP_enGB611GB611&biw=1296&bih=707&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=qTuPVb3bEouyUfHwjKAK&ved=0CAYQ_AUoATgK

(if the link doesn't work googleimages for Wool House Pub Southampton)

Pubs in the Chef & Brewer and Vintage Inns chains do good pies & are good value, but both only have pubs in the neighbouring countryside.

County Hall - sorry, can't help, you need advice from a Londoner.

JB :)

Orchestra pal, I think that must be Rules Restaurant.......

The Red Lion pub in Parliament Street (across the Bridge) specialise in pies - worth a Google? They change menus from time to time and also offer specials. Check for steak & kidney.

Orchestra pal, I think that must be Rules Restaurant.......

And Rules is far from being a pub, which is what the OP asked for. But obviously some of the best food around - personally if going there for steak and kidney I'd go for the pudding (with oyster, of courses) not the pie.

The other option rather than pubs would be 'traditional' pie and mash shops. Manze in Tower Bridge Road and Goddard's in Greenwich would always get a mention, but they may only do meat pies (i.e. beef), without the kidney. But a London institution.

And I agree with you - a good bet would be a Fuller's Ale and Pie pub. The Red Lion is one, the other option from Waterloo would be to nip along to London Bridge for the Barrowboy and Banker, just south of the bridge, next to Southwark Cathedral. There are several others, such as the Counting House, which is near the Bank of England, and the Old Bank of England, which isn't :)

Just checked - Manze as per tradition only do a beef pie, Goddard's offer a choice including steak and kidney (but availability may not be guaranteed).

OP, on a more general point if you constrain yourself to the County Hall area for anything you really limit your options. It's very easy to get to better choice, either on the tube, bus or a short cab ride.

These guys make lovely pies.

http://www.pieminister.co.uk/pie-pubs/

They have a few pubs which sell them; the Sun and the Nellie Dean are quite central in London - there is also the Raven in Bath (if you visit there).

There is also an outlet in Gabriel's Wharf on the South Bank.

John Bull, help!

You should know by now, he is beyond help!;)

Simon

John Bull, help!

 

 

You should know by now, he is beyond help!;)

 

Simon

Yes, I know.:D However, I want to thank you all for your help and suggestions.

I had figured Tules was Rules, thanks for the confirmation.

JB, I seem to recall something going on at the Wool House but that was a few years ago now and the memory is a bit thin. I shall stroll over there and have look at the menu as well as that of the Duke's....maybe I'll get lucky....with the pie that is.

John Bull or any other with answer....I posted separate thread also, but just interested if the authorities will allow you to walk to terminals. I need to get from HI on Walker to Ocean terminal.

John Bull or any other with answer....I posted separate thread also, but just interested if the authorities will allow you to walk to terminals. I need to get from HI on Walker to Ocean terminal.

That took a little thought, but I assume you mean from The holiday Inn on Herbert Walker Ave. The answer is yes if you don't mind dragging/carrying your luggage.

No real problems. Its all on the flat and on safe pavements. Here's the route

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/50.8993791,-1.4095759/Ocean+Cruise+Terminal,+Southampton/@50.8968608,-1.4038022,16z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!4m5!1m0!1m2!1m1!1s0x487476cc5f970309:0x2bcdbe76173ecaf0!3e2

Simon

John Bull or any other with answer....I posted separate thread also, but just interested if the authorities will allow you to walk to terminals. I need to get from HI on Walker to Ocean terminal.

Yes, no worries. :)

Due to a post to the contrary a little while back, I checked with dock gate staff.

They "discourage" folk from entering the port if they have no business there. They also advise those using QE11 terminal, esp. with luggage, to take a taxi because it's deep in the docks & no sidewalk to that terminal.

But no such problem to Ocean terminal, it's less than a five-minute walk from gate to ship.

All level ground from HI to the terminal, 15 minutes total as per Simon's map.

You might decide last-minute to take a taxi if it's wet.;)

Edited to add: just seen your post on the other thread.

Yes, you can use Gate 4, but there's now a new "Gate 5" which cuts the corner in the docks & saves you a couple of minutes. As per Simon's map.

JB :)

My limited experience is that the gate attendants will let you in on foot but they really don't like to do so and caution you sternly about traffic . Things may have changed in the past 2 years but as I recall there were no sidewalks once inside the port gates.

My limited experience is that the gate attendants will let you in on foot but they really don't like to do so and caution you sternly about traffic . Things may have changed in the past 2 years but as I recall there were no sidewalks once inside the port gates.

Correct for QE11 terminal, as per my post. And my advice has always been the same as theirs.

And no sidewalk for City cruise terminal, but very wide & no truck traffic either, so perfectly safe.

Mayflower is further than it looks, truck traffic on that route, but sidewalks all the way. Taxi for convenience more than safety.

Ocean terminal is sidewalks all the way via Gate 4, Gate 5 still under construction when I was last there so I don't know about sidewalks but I suspect that won't involve truck traffic

JB :)

Thanks John/Simon. Most appreciative. Printed map and ready to walk.

Thanks John/Simon. Most appreciative. Printed map and ready to walk.

No worries, WAVTAM.:)

BTW, re Simon's route.

You don't have to slink out the back kitchen door of the Holiday Inn, past the garbage bins & through the parking lot as per his route - you can just walk out of the front entrance like any other guest.

You see, Simon is a kleptomaniac & can't resist stealing from hotels. Not just towels & pillow-cases, but also 42" TVs, carpets, wash-hand basins & other stuff that's very difficult to smuggle out through the lobby, so he tends to leave by a back door.

But don't hold that against him, the booze really screwed up his life but things have improved since he went to re-hab. He's back on regular booze & hasn't touched a drop of kerosene for weeks.

Simon - keep up the recovery. And keep saying "My name is Simon and I used to be an alcoholic ......."

JB :)

(so, Simon, "JB is beyond help", is he.......:p)

Now now you two - play nicely :)

No worries, WAVTAM.:)

 

BTW, re Simon's route.

You don't have to slink out the back kitchen door of the Holiday Inn, past the garbage bins & through the parking lot as per his route - you can just walk out of the front entrance like any other guest.

 

You see, Simon is a kleptomaniac & can't resist stealing from hotels. Not just towels & pillow-cases, but also 42" TVs, carpets, wash-hand basins & other stuff that's very difficult to smuggle out through the lobby, so he tends to leave by a back door.

But don't hold that against him, the booze really screwed up his life but things have improved since he went to re-hab. He's back on regular booze & hasn't touched a drop of kerosene for weeks.

 

Simon - keep up the recovery. And keep saying "My name is Simon and I used to be an alcoholic ......."

 

JB :)

 

(so, Simon, "JB is beyond help", is he.......:p)

Thats why I have to drive this to get all the stuff home!!

BTW, I gave up the kerosene...I'm on red diesel now...its cheaper!:D

Simon

Simon,

As you know, it's illegal to put red diesel in your truck.

But I've checked with a pal who's a Customs & Excise officer, he says it's not illegal to drink the stuff. :)

I've also checked with a pal who's a gastro-enterologist.

What he told me was less encouraging. :p

WAVTAM,

I've checked the bar prices at Holiday Inn.

You might want to switch to red diesel :D

JB :)

I am sorry guys, you are just having too much fun, this is Cruise Critic you know.:D

Simon,

As you know, it's illegal to put red diesel in your truck.

 

But I've checked with a pal who's a Customs & Excise officer, he says it's not illegal to drink the stuff. :)

 

I've also checked with a pal who's a gastro-enterologist.

What he told me was less encouraging. :p

 

WAVTAM,

I've checked the bar prices at Holiday Inn.

You might want to switch to red diesel :D

 

JB :)

I'm thinking of becoming Welsh as I am now breathing fire...and that's not the only place its coming from!!:D, but less said about that, the better!

Simon

Yes, no worries. :)

 

Due to a post to the contrary a little while back, I checked with dock gate staff.

They "discourage" folk from entering the port if they have no business there. They also advise those using QE11 terminal, esp. with luggage, to take a taxi because it's deep in the docks & no sidewalk to that terminal.

But no such problem to Ocean terminal, it's less than a five-minute walk from gate to ship.

 

All level ground from HI to the terminal, 15 minutes total as per Simon's map.

You might decide last-minute to take a taxi if it's wet.;)

 

Edited to add: just seen your post on the other thread.

Yes, you can use Gate 4, but there's now a new "Gate 5" which cuts the corner in the docks & saves you a couple of minutes. As per Simon's map.

 

JB :)

John, Can you better explain the differences of where gate 5 and gate 4 are????

John, Can you better explain the differences of where gate 5 and gate 4 are????

All of the port, plus the West Quay mall & retail park, Holiday Inn, etc has been built on reclaimed land - at one time the "Water Gate" and "West Gate", set in the old town wall, were on the shoreline, now the docks extend anywhere between 100 yards & a mile south of the old city wall.

Gate 4 has been there for decades - it's the main entrance to the "old docks", including QE11 terminal, Ocean terminal, & ro-ro terminals. Ocean terminal is no more than a 5 minute walk from Gate 4, whereas QE11 terminal is a long way past & juts out into Southampton Water.

Gate 5 was part of a road improvement which is in its last stage of construction - it's mebbe 150 yards before Gate 4.

On the birds-eye view, as per Simon's link, you can make out the new gate & short new section of road between it & Ocean Terminal, and the route shown incorporates it. If you don't peel off to use Gate 5, you'll shortly come to Gate 4.

Clear as mud :D

But very simple.

JB :)