Well, perhaps this is lucky timing for a review of a restaurant called POTUS! President Trump has been visiting London and POTUS Bar and Restaurant at Crowne Plaza London – Albert Embankment is just a stone’s throw from the new American Embassy. Perhaps Mr Trump will pop in to sample some solid American fare before departing. I doubt that he would be disappointed.
This is very much a President Of The United States-themed restaurant. POTUS began as an abbreviation used by telegraph operators in the 1890s. The walls are hung with black and white photographs of Presidents down the ages. The restaurant is small and cosy and offers food from breakfast till late. Tables are well-spaced and service friendly and unobtrusive. The bar, just outside, is striking so consider a classic cocktail to start the evening in style.
The POTUS menu is short but appropriate for the number of guests. Always be wary of small restaurants offering a huge range, and dishes arriving at your table in minutes. It’s a sign of an overworked microwave. There were steaks as one would expect, and the list included a whopping 30oz option. It is called a Cowboy Steak and comes with potatoes just to help fill you up.
Good portion size
I started with California Octopus Salad with an ample helping of guacamole, radish and a garnish of micro herbs. Perhaps I might mention that portions here would make an American football player beam with stuffed contentment. The seafood was flavourful with perfect texture and the avocado was fresh. The Soft-Shell Crab sounded tempting, but I am saving that for the next visit – for there will surely be one.
My guest, reminiscing on years in Connecticut, was taken by New England Clam Chowder. This creamy potato and bacon soup is a regional speciality and perfect as a lunch with some crusty bread, or as a starter on a chilly evening. Just as good as that which he had enjoyed Stateside. It’s a simple dish and done well. It’s a comforting triumph.
Cajun Chicken with POTUS’s dry Cajun rub, sweet potato purée, grilled baby onions, and jus gras (roasting juices and gravy) was my choice of main dish and gave a nod to a more southerly area of the US. The chicken was moist and tender with warming spice from the aforementioned rub. It didn’t overpower the delicate meat but rather acted as a savoury counterpoint to the sweet potato.
Phone a friend
Mac & Cheese with Truffles was my companion’s main dish. He was musing on a side order of salad, but the waiter warned that the macaroni pie with parmesan cheese cream sauce would likely be enough. It was. It actually defeated this practised eater. This Mac & Cheese was a thing of beauty and more of a pasta construction than the usual casserole-type that one’s mum would knock up on a Thursday night. It comes with an option of a lobster, but phone a friend if going that gastronomic route.
Down Mexico Way (no political joke intended) was our shared dessert. Warm hazelnut, spiced chocolate tart and lemon sorbet was a pork pie-shaped confection of sweet crust encasing rich chocolate filling. Another substantial plate but a delight when served with two spoons and coffee.
POTUS Bar and Restaurant
Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert
Hours: 6:30 AM-10:00 PM
Crowne Plaza London – Albert Embankment
10-11 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7SP
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 3146 0370
Read more about Crowne Plaza London – Albert Embankment here
Visit Crowne Plaza London – Albert Embankment here