Dining At Drake & Morgan
There was a time when dining at a train station was reserved for grabbing a sandwich before a long journey, or a clandestine rendez-vous in a dimly lit pub. But the tide has definitely turned and established eateries are cashing in on commuters looking for an upmarket venue to eat, drink and do business before heading back to the suburbs.
Step forward Drake & Morgan who’s latest opening and flagship bar and restaurant is situated slap bang in the middle of two of the Capital’s busiest stations. D&M Kings Cross can be found in Kings Square, nestled nicely between Kings Cross and St Pancras stations, an excellent location for local, national and international visitors alike.
With high ceilings and spacious interiors, this is less a bustling bar and more a social hub for drinkers and diners either passing through the busy epicentre or grabbing a post-work drink.
We were lucky enough to grab a cosy corner table overlooking the dining area but with a sense of privacy, sheltered by bookcases and beautiful wall art. Upstairs there is the choice of tables at or near the bar, or seats in the more spacious dining area, and down the stairs there are plenty of plush circular booths to hold parties of up to ten or host a couple keen to escape the hustle and bustle of the main areas.
We started off with a cocktail – well it would be rude not too! There is an extensive cocktail menu offering classics such as Bellinis and Martinis, crafted classics including a smoked Bloody Mary and a Bourbon washed Negroni, and inspired originals like the Tanqueray based Ramble Bramble and an Amaretto and egg white wonder the Stateside Sour. Having indulged ourselves in a Ramble Bramble (pictured left) and a tequila-based Goodnight Tommy we swiftly moved on to ordering a bottle of beautiful Viognier from the plentiful wine list.
Food is served at Drake and Morgan all day and is a collection of light bites and sharing plates, as well as a full three course dinner menu if so desired. Small plates and charcuterie boards can be ordered from the bar if it’s just a quick bite and a pint that you’re after, but we went for sumptuous the starters of crab fritters and a delightfully juicy salad of heirloom tomatoes with a creamy burrata served with avocado. The crab fritters came served with sweetcorn and chilli and a delicate lemon dip, and the salad was fresh, juicy and presented impeccably.
There’s a multitude of main courses for diners to decide between, a plethora of plates from the land, air and sea. Grilled plates breast with a chilli glaze, blackened cauliflower with almonds and caper, and a whole lobster. There are also burgers and baps as well as a curry, or good old fashioned fish and chips or sausage and mash. But I plumped for the leeks with a soft friend egg from the grill, and my companion went for the RibEye steak. As none of the grill dishes come accompanied with anything we also ordered some Cowboy Fries soaked in honey and chilli, some Roman Fries tossed in parmesan, truffle and rosemary, and a dish of buttered spinach. The Roman Fries were delicious, with a perfect amount of all three seasonings, the Cowboy ones a little soggy as a result of all the honey, but still tasty, and the spinach sauteed to just the right point. The dishes were ample and served in good time by our charming waitress.
To round off the evening we ordered desserts of a salted caramel chocolate tart and a lemon sorbet. Both were just the ticket to top off an enjoyable meal. We had sat down in the early evening but by the time we left several hours later the venue was heaving with a really good atmosphere coming created by the noise from the open kitchen and the laughter and chatter of customers echoing around the incredibly high ceilings. Having not heard of Drake and Morgan Kings Cross prior to our visit, we were already planning when our next meal could take place by the time we left!
- To book a table, booth or see the full menus at Drake and Morgan Kings Cross see http://drakeandmorgan.co.uk/kings-cross
