If you’re hankering for some seafood in West London, then Faber is a shore bet.
It’s a blissfully serene spot just opposite the bus station at Hammersmith Broadway – yes, we know how contradictory that sounds – and the fact is that when you step in, you’ll feel a hundred miles away from this busy interchange. Specifically, about 250 miles away, transported down to the Cornish coastline.
The dining room feels like it was hewn from the shoreline itself, with chalky walls and polished granite tabletops. The place is bathed in light, and you might even catch the scent of sea salt in the air.
Founders Matt and Anthony started out peddling fresh shellfish and cocktails around East London (literally – they made every delivery by bike). Now, they’ve scaled up to a full restaurant, for which they’ve bussed in one of the most exciting talents around: exec chef Ollie Bass (ex-Quo Vadis and Sessions Arts Club). Ollie 1) grew up on the Cornish coast and 2) shares his name with a fish, both of which equally qualify him to rustle up the catch of the day.
Naturally the menu’s influenced by what’s come off the boats that day, but regular highlights include some beautifully marinated, butterflied mackerel; BBQ’d scallop with a pastis & cauliflower purée; and grilled cod cheek skewers with tartar sauce. Each dish is marked with its provenance, and it all has the feeling of being pretty flexible – you could come here for a slap-up three-course meal, or just to share a couple of smaller dishes before catching a show at the Lyric or the Apollo.
Come here on a Sunday, however, and you’ll get to try Faber’s twist on Sunday lunch, when the best catches of the day are scrawled up on the blackboard. You’ll pick the one that takes your fancy, and it’ll be served up at your table alongside crisp roasties, artichoke & cheddar gratin, seasonal greens and lashings of Faber’s signature overnight lobster gravy. You can expect the likes of trout fillet caught in Hampshire and hake from Brixham – plus a few non-seafood options to tempt you, like roasted cauli or pork belly.
Going with it all is a list of European and British wines (to cut down on the carbon footprint) and some suitably nautical cocktails. There’s the Monksbeard Martini, made with a kind of Tuscan samphire; the Sugar Kelp Old Fashioned; and Grog – a rum concoction swilled by 18th century pirates, and once part of the British Navy’s daily rations.
So it seems only rational to try one…
NOTE: Faber is open daily for lunch & dinner. You can make a booking HERE.
PREVIOUS PERK: Nudge Members + 3 guests enjoyed 50% off the food bill when booking in for Sunday lunch throughout June. Not a Nudge Member yet? Sign up for a free 7 day trial here.
Faber | Welbeck Mansions, 206 – 208 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7DH
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