Swan & Lion
Naka-Meguro: British
Swan & Lion (Naka-Meguro: British)
Swan & Lion
Open 11:30-3, 5:30-10pm (LO; Sun -9pm). Closed Mondays.
Sun: Open Sundays

There's something for everyone at the new Swan & Lion in Nakameguro. Recently relocated from its Ichigaya take-out-only shop, the new place offers drinks on the terrace, quick bites at the counter, or a private party in the high-ceilinged VIP room.

On a recent visit, we were joined by a hipster in one of those air-conditioned construction workers' vests, tech bros, ladies enjoying a girls' night out, dating couples and a gang of lycra bikers. All seemed to be enjoying the elevated British food. The affable owner Ian Gibbins is a great host, and seemed to be everywhere, welcoming new customers, serving and clearing tables, while effortlessly chatting to regulars.

The dinner menu is a nice mix of traditional favorites and some original offerings. The Welsh Rarebit is a kind of posh cheese toast with a creamy cheddar cheese topping flavored with Worcester sauce, mustard and beer. The home-made sourdough toast delivers the perfect crunch on the crust and chewiness in the center.

The creamy Chicken Liver Pate comes with pickled prunes and whole wheat toast, while the Smoked Mackerel Pate is taken up a notch with some pink peppercorns and pickled cucumber. The traditional Fish and Chips is a cut above the typical pub favorite. A decent fillet of Icelandic cod is coated in beer batter and deep-fried to golden perfection, a nice crispy coating around light and flakey morsels of fish. It comes with a bottle of Sarson's malt vinegar, which should be applied liberally along with some salt.

Our favorite main was definitely the Pork Sausage and Mash. Two big fat bangers packed with flavor on a bed of creamy mashed potato. The sausages are full of herbs and spices, and cooked to perfection with just a hint of char on the crispy skin.

Even more hearty is the Crispy Skin Roast Pork Belly, a generous plate of fatty pork roasted to a succulent tenderness that doesn't require a knife to cut. It's served with a pile of crackling (crispy roasted pork skin) and two different sauces: stewed apple sauce and cider mustard. Sunday roast dinners back in the UK were never this good.

Standouts from the dessert menu are the classic Sticky Toffee Pudding, a rich sponge cake made with dates and covered in a gooey caramel sauce. It's bound to make you go all Oliver Twisty and shout, "Please, sir, I want some more." On a recent visit, the sweet of the day was Apple Pie made with Bramley apples. These very sharp and tangy apples keep their texture, and pair well with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

The drinks menu is just as eclectic and interesting as the food. There are three draught beers including Bellhaven IPA and a Bombardier Amber Ale, six bottled beers from England, Ireland and Japan, as well as Scottish and Japanese whiskies and gins. There are four English ciders, among which we tried the Sheppy's Classic Draft from Somerset, a proper tangy scrumpy, and the Aspall Harry Sparrow, a milder, sweeter cider.

The interesting wine list covers the globe, with some reasonable choices from Spain, France and Italy, as well as Aussie, Kiwi and Argie tipples. Bottles range from 3,500 to 9,000 yen, so there's bound to be something for every pocket. There's even an English sparkling wine for the adventurous. We were steered to the Better Half Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a really fresh and fruity white ideal for a hot summer night.

The hearty lunches go for Y1,200 to Y1,500. Choose from soup stew, British curry, cottage pie, pork pie or the day's special meat pie accompanied by two healthy salads. Allow Y5,000 to Y6,000 for dinner and drinks.


by Richard Jeffery







Naka-Meguro
Meguro-ku, Kami-Meguro 2-16-14.
中目黒
東京都目黒区上目黒2-16-14







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Venue listing from Bento.com5 Star Rating: highly recommended