With a name like the Queen of Hockley, Nottingham's newest pub clearly has a goal to reign supreme. It's about a month since the doors of the new venue opened in the heart of the city's coolest area.
With a sister pub in Leicestershire called the Queen of Bradgate, the name came naturally... much to the chagrin of Nottingham drag queen Liv who recently joked at an event that it had stolen her title. Located on Broad Street, the lofty, spacious building that used to be vodka bar Revs has been transformed.
While there's no crowns or thrones there are plush booths, lots of wood, statement lighting and neon signs. The makeover has done it justice - or should I say Her Majesty?
As well as food and drink, it's a place for live music and DJs, the love of music reflected in both in the artwork and other quirky touches. Posters of bands and singers grace the walls, in upcycled frames made out of the decorative timber that used to run around the bar.
Inside is split between bar (with the dark blue ceiling) and restaurant (the orange ceiling) but it appears you can eat either side as we were asked where we'd like to sit when we visited for lunch. Every other customer was sitting outside, taking advantage of the sun, so we had the whole place to ourselves.
The right royal name conjures of images of a lavish banquet of roast quail, organic eggs and foraged mushrooms, but thankfully the menu isn't fanciful or pretentious. The down to earth options, in keeping with us ordinary folk, include pub staples of fish and chips, burgers, pies and bangers and mash (albeit Lincolnshire sausages and honey mustard mash).
It was noon but we could have had breakfast. In fact, we could have eaten a Full English up until 5pm. The rest of the menu, which runs until 9pm (6pm on Sunday) encompasses starters/tapas, sharers of cheese and characuterie, and mains. Wraps are the 'sandwich' option, served with fillings such as cheese, smoked salmon, fish fingers, and pastrami and accompanied by fries and salad.
The server, who is introduced as Phoebe, takes our drinks order and it's not long before she returns with two sizable cups of coffee and makes a note of what we'd like to eat. Returning to the music theme, the tables are set out with placemats inspired by food-related album covers.
Mine is Guns 'n' Rose The Spaghetti Incident. Another is Whipped Cream & Other Delights ( Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass) and Andy Warhol's banana on The Velvet Underground & Nico's album. It looks like the owner is anticipating a few being swiped as the mats are emblazoned with 'stolen from Queen of Hockley'. Smart move.
If I was ever inclined to pinch one (let me assure you I wouldn't) it would be Blondie's Eat to the Beat, my personal favourite.
When an item is described on a menu as 'famous' you know it's got to be good to make such a bold claim. In this case it applies to the shin of beef chilli (£16.95). Chilli con carne is one of my all-time favourites and I'm not boasting (well, maybe a little) I make a mean one at home. I rarely order it when I go out because it's always so 'meh' when it comes to flavour. But I'm prepared to give the Queen of Hockley's a go - and I'm not disappointed.
There's a touch of finesse to the presentation - it's neat and clean, with each item presented in a separate receptacle on a wooden board. I wasn't prepared for the size of the nachos - these homemade versions are around three times the usual size. They're perfectly crisp and ideal for scooping up the meat.
The slow-cooked beef is tender and plentiful in a rich sauce with kidney beans. The topping isn't the norm but the sprinkle of toasted almonds adds texture and the horseradish cream is really delicious. Pots of cooling sour cream and tangy guacamole add extra flavour.
The chilli's heat is accumulative so by the end my mouth is left with a euphoric glow. A good-sized portion, well-cooked, good quality ingredients, delicious... I can see why it's dubbed famous from all the love shared in the sister pub's reviews.
I'd inquired at the time of ordering if the lime and coriander rice could be served without the herb and since it was a garnish the chef could easily avoid it. It made all the difference since I'm the one in ten whose genetic make-up means I can't stand the taste. As it was, the lime flavour really shone through and added a pleasant zesty twist to the grains,
My mate, meanwhile, was devouring a halloumi burger, one of the veggie options (£16.95). Other veggie dishes include a pulled jackfruit version of the chilli and a potato cake with cabbage, spring onion and chilli, asparagus and a poached egg.
He had no complaints, telling me "it's definitely up there with burgers in the city centre". Served in a fresh brioche bun (when isn't it these days?) the crispy fried slab of cheese is pepped up by chilli sauce. On the side is a punchy coleslaw, salad and a pot of well-seasoned fries. It's one of those burgers that's manageable - easy to pick up in your hands and the contents don't spill out.
Although this weekday lunchtime was peaceful, I'd imagine the pub is buzzing when there's a DJ on and the pints and cocktails are flowing. I'm looking forward to further visits, for breakfast and a lively night out. Queen of Hockley take a bow.
