Powder Keg Diplomacy

The Victorian era was a time when a third of the world map was pink and Britannia ruled the waves, yet it has never been a period we think of with great fondness.

The enduring themes of Empire, colonialism and priggish men in stovepipe hats has not endeared it to people - in fact it’s more common that we adopt an apologetic tone when speaking of it. Not so in Powder Keg Diplomacy, the new bar and restaurant on St John’s Hill. Here Victorians, the Empire and the great inventors of the era are unashamedly celebrated. From the moment Queen Victoria’s image greets you at the door, you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time some 19th century club. Where else would you find a Rifle Bar, an Observatory Dining Room and colonial nostalgia adorning tables, walls and waiters (ours had the most magnificent set of authentic pork chop sideburns)?

The food too, is a seasonal tribute to colonial cuisine, with plenty of reminders of the Empire (in case you’d missed the theme) so there’s a jingoistic Beef Wellington, a patriotic venison in Meantime Stout sauce and a flag-saluting Blythburgh pork belly. The latter is particularly worthy of note – an extraordinary tour de force of slowroasted pig, tender and flowing with wonderful juices. Each dish is arranged with meticulous care by the kitchen, with every component placed with the precision of red coats on Horse Guards Parade. In all, this is a wonderful addition to St John’s Hill – an innovative, fun and stylish tribute to an unfashionable era.

147 St John’s Hill, SW11. www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk