What? Modern pub grub
Where? Crouch Street, Colchester, Essex
How Much? Ranges with menu up to £25 a head with desserts and sides etc
Overall: 8/10
Ah, the Kings Arms. Or if you are over 30 and local to Colchester, The Hogs Head. If you need to ask, you weren’t there. Big old pub on crouch street, back in the day used for drinking with the older crowd then moaning because everyone there was Old and going back to the Hole In The Wall. In later days it was where you went for a pint because all the kids in the Hole In The Wall were getting right on your nerves. Later still refurbed, reimagined and selling some pretty good food.
I’ve eaten a few times here recently and if you are in Colchester Town in want of a reasonable dinner that isn’t a chain Italian or noodles, this is for you. They have a solid pubby menu with some twists, reasonable range of beers at the bar and dun dun daaaaaaah- bookable tables- such is the change over the years in their base clientele.
The menu is served all day and although it isn’t huge there is probably something there for all moods from dirty burger to misery salad. I can highly recommend their deep fried gherkins if you’re having a cheat day or don’t need to have cheat days. Beef and ale pie is ridiculously rich and aley and comforting for the cooler evenings and they do a classic ceasar salad that’s bang on. My new favourite on the menu is the falfael salad served warm with quinoa and butternut squash and a fantastic buttermilk dressing. I would actually order this again if I wasn’t on a Fatwatch-it didn’t feel like a diet friendly dinner at all.
So the food is good and the atmosphere usually lively towards the right end of the week. You will get cheaper beers in other ends of town but maybe not as comfy seats or decorative and spectacularly impractical sinks in the bogs- and who doesn’t like those? Be warned though, it is a popular venue and as such can oft times be very busy with a disproportionate number of noisy buggers and large groups in the main bar area. If this is likely to detract from your dining experience, go early on the weekends. Or get pissed up and join in the shouting, whatever works for you.
click here for full menu and booking
Food. Boom. 