Weekly Review: Applebee's
A total refresh and a new chef with Pollen Street cred makes it the top spot for fish in Borough Market.
After my re-review of Camille, I absolutely promised myself I would not review any more places in Borough Market.
Even if Gordon Ramsay himself was doing a residency in the Market Porter pub, I swore I was done. After all, I have reviewed eight restaurants in the market, which seems mildly disproportionate compared to, say, Covent Garden, where I have only reviewed six.
On the other hand, Borough Market must now be considered one of the places with the highest density of excellent restaurants in London. In my mind, only Charlotte Street really surpasses, with no fewer than 5 Michelin stars and at least four other listings within 400 yards.
And if I was going to review another place in Borough Market, it certainly wouldn’t be Applebee’s, which has been around for twenty-five years and is surely a bit tired.
Yeah. About that.
Even after that twenty-five years, Applebee’s remains family owned, making it a bit unusual, and there’s a new generation in charge. With Jack Applebee now at the helm, the family recognised the need for a refresh. And when Jason Atherton’s Social Eating Houses went to the wall last year, the Applebees wisely grabbed Executive Chef Frankie van Loo, who had done stints at Pollen Street, Social Eating House, and others over 13 years in the group. Before that, he spent a couple of years at the masterful Bleeding Heart Tavern in Hatton Garden. So he knows his way around the kitchen.
The next move was to update the restaurant, which they did, ripping everything out of their Stoney Street space. Among other things, they added a Himalayan salt fridge for use in dry-aging fish.
When I heard about all of these moves, I thought it might be time to give Applebee’s another try. I hadn’t been for years, and I admit being put off slightly by the fact that it shares its name with a mediocre nationwide chain in the U.S.
But I was planning lunch with a client who loves seafood and particularly enjoys Wright Brothers a few doors down, so I thought she might be a good judge of the new Applebee’s. And off we went.
The new space is great. It’s far more spacious than Wright Brothers, and has a more open, modern feeling. It’s possible to sit with a companion at your own table and have a private conversation.
The service was fantastic. Attentive, helpful, proactive, and knowledgeable, our waitress led us through the menu, delivered the latest news, and worked in a few laughs along the way.
The food was pitched just right. Substantially elevated from the old Applebee’s, but still accessible. Fresh seafood is naturally the focus of the menu, and there is an enviable range of dishes.
My guest started with oysters. She described them as really excellent, and had no interest in sharing. Crab croquettes were wonderfully cooked and bursting with crabby delights.
The highlight was my wild sea bass ceviche, which came with a mind-blowing strawberry citrus dressing. The pairing was new to me, and I adored it.
My main was shellfish tagliolini. The pasta was homemade, thin, and hand cut. The cooking was spot on. The sauce was full of flavour, a thickened bisque, bright with shellfish. There were mussels and scallops and prawns. I was left very happy.
We ran out of time for dessert, but the list looked really appealing, and I’m glad to have an excuse to back. The wine list was also really enticing, with a range of choices and an understandable emphasis on seafood friendly whites. The menu also included a few meatier choices, including a visually stunning beef tartare.
As I wandered back to the office, I contemplated on two challenges facing Applebee’s:
If you’re going to Borough Market, would you choose it over Camille, Oma, Cafe Francois, Akara, Roast, Padella, or Kolae? I concluded that in certain circumstances, especially where you were craving some fish or slightly lighter lunch than the others, Applebee’s would be a good choice.
If you’re going to Borough Market for fish, would you choose it over Wright Brothers? Controversially, I would. With the new chef and new menu, the cooking is better. There is space between the tables. It’s more pleasant. I think it’s less expensive. On my own, I might lean towards Wright Brothers and sit at the counter. With friends or colleagues, I’m choosing Applebee’s.
Bottom line: The revived Applebee’s is now a great choice for professional lunch.
Quick hit: After 25 years, the revived Applebee’s is now the top seafood spot in Borough Market.
Details: Booking advised. Borough Market. £££.
Restaurant website. More on Instagram.
Find it on Google Maps. 5 Stoney St, SE1 9AA.
What’s your favourite spot in Borough Market? Let me know in the Comments. And please do Subscribe if you haven’t already.
I genuinely thought this was going to be a review about said mediocre nationwide chain in the US! I wondered if they opened up a branch in London and I completely missed the news.