REVIEW – The Sands End, Fulham

Piece by Kate Antoni, FG Central Correspondent

Summer Nights

Toward the tail end of summer, when the nights grew a little shorter and the days grew colder, I was lucky enough to visit The Sands End. A gastropub nestled away in Fulham, about ten minutes away from Parsons Green.  This was a bit of a revelation, because we thought we knew everywhere within walking distance. Manfriend couldn’t make it, sadly. So, my trusty plus one met me there, aptly referred to as the blonde. She likes things meaty as you probably know.

Patio Pondering…

As Anna was a little late, I sat outside and started with a cocktail – very sweet and fabulously summery with a rum kick. I asked for something with hints of coconut and cherry and this didn’t disappoint. I was, of course, laughed at by the beaky blonde as she opted to have a “strong double gin and tonic.” For she is not a child and doesn’t require a cherry in her drink.

We sat outside for a while and enjoyed the misty blue sky before venturing into the dimly lit and very full restaurant. The atmosphere was remarkable and reflective of the client base, the majority being local. You could feel the warmth amidst the delicate throng of familiarity. There was underlying hum of camaraderie and low-level smiles from people I often see in Waitrose. I love a great neighbourhood spot because it reminds me of community and how wonderful it is to be part of one. 

The wine…

We started by ordering a Romanian Pinot noir (Cosmina) – full bodied with a profound smoothness. The type of wine you don’t (and can’t!) pace yourself with and exceptionally priced. A fantastic recommendation from the amenable and incredibly helpful staff. The menu has been revamped and is accessible and enticing. In fact starters all looked fab and we had such trouble deciding which to order.

The Starters…

Blondie gobbled the burrata and heirloom tomatoes drizzled with pesto – big chunks of juicy seasoned tomatoes propping up a generous sized ball of burrata. I only truly started to appreciate the beauty of a dish like this, in Italy, over the summer. Now it’s become a weekly staple and something I can’t wait to eat all the time! This didn’t disappoint and despite being so simple, the flavours marry really well. Each mouthful tastes special. I ordered the spicy calamari, and this too didn’t disappoint – crispy and well-seasoned without any signs of chewiness. It was a solid dish and something I’d order again. 

The Mains..

The mains were accompanied by the introduction of sides…sides are my downfall. 

We ordered garlic spinach, cheesy truffle fries, zucchini fritti and garlic chili broccoli – which was far too much, as these are extremely generous portions! The chili broccoli was my favourite and whilst the others were nice, they were a little lacklustre. The zucchini fries were chunky with a thick seasoned and then deep-fried outer batter. Whilst they were a moreish comfort food – they didn’t offer much finesse. The choice of cheese on the parmesan fries wasn’t to my liking as it tasted quite artificial and not much like parmesan and unfortunately, it didn’t meld well. 

Onto the mains and here’s where opinions differed. I ordered supposedly slow cooked spiced lamb rump, which was definitely not to my liking. I’d assumed that this would be a fall off the bone and melt in my mouth situation. Instead it was tougher than average, heavily spiced and oily with a high intensity lamb flavour. I wasn’t the biggest fan – as the whole idea had been mis sold. It was akin to a lamb and aubergine curry, which I may have enjoyed had they made it into a proper lamb curry and served it with rice. Instead, this was a slightly no one man’s land type of dish. I didn’t love anything about it and filled up on sides instead. 

The faithful blonde ate a steak that she raved about, accompanied by fries and a thick savoury peppercorn sauce. The steak was sizeable and offered a nice char that married well with the garlicky broccoli and mouthwatering sauce.

Dessert Joy!

To finish we both ordered dessert, which may have been overkill but, I’m so glad that we did. The desert here is absolutely delicious, completely over the top and massively indulgent, but delightful none the less. I ordered a panacotta and cousin had this huge rich, dense chocolate pot, topped with whipped cream and homemade honeycomb. Absolutely delicious. The panacotta was perfect – it wobbled beautifully and tasted just as good. I liked it a lot and would recommend it and order again. Having said that, it wasn’t a dessert that I dream about like the chocolate pot, which will now be my go-to. 

The Last Word…

The overarching impression I got from the Sand’s End is that it’s a great neighbourhood restaurant, it does what it knows really well and if you stick with the less adventurous side of the menu, you will have the most fantastic meal, served in a beautiful restaurant with friendly, caring and attentive staff. Surrounded by candle light and friendly faces and the odd four legged friend that sits dutifully in the corner. It’s a home away from home.

135-137 Stephendale Rd, Fulham, London SW6 2PR https://www.thesandsend.co.uk