The Albion, South Hornchurch, Rainham

Official site of The Albion - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of The Albion - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Walking the final stages of the London Loop long distance path, we decided to refuel here before pushing on through the final stretch to Purfleet. The pub isn’t all that appealing from the outside, with a half-hearted mock-Tudor front plastered with various large, garish signs, but ironically it was one of these signs that convinced us to give the place a try, as this is a Flaming Grill pub, and some hearty food was exactly what we were in need of. There were no surprises when we entered to find a very large single room interior set up predominantly for dining. The bar is on the lower left hand side of the building, close to the entrance and has a few seats arranged around it for drinkers, with a smart tile fireplace to the left near to the pool table. The rest of the pub is to the right, in what appears to be an extension, and is split across various levels, carpeted throughout with a range of comfortable seating around tables of various sizes. The walls are half panelled with white or yellow paint above, or in some instances, some patterned wallpaper. Amusingly, most of the pictures and photos on the walls are of animals you are about to cram into your face, including some bizarre Warhol-esque images of cows and chickens. A few TV screens were showing a British Lions match, mainly around the bar area, whilst a truly awful soundtrack played (as we left, Billy Ray Cyrus came on, which was all the motivation I needed to get walking again). A few benches are available outside the front of the pub, overlooking the large car park, but there looked to be more seating at the rear where there is also a covered shelter. The food is obviously the main draw here and an extensive steak menu is offered alongside pub grub classics and a couple of ‘Man vs. Food’ style eating challenges. I had a so-so steak and my other half enjoyed a nice looking lamb dish. Surprisingly there were two ales on, Wells Bombardier and Sharps Doom Bar. However, the Doom Bar was like no pint of Doom Bar I’ve ever seen before. It was almost completely see through, which made me wonder if it had been watered down in some way, although I have to say that it tasted okay. This pub did the job of filling me up and providing a much needed break point during a long day of walking. The place wasn’t very enticing, even less so once we’d entered, but it has a very clear purpose and it just about gets it right. Go with low expectations and a set of ear-plugs and you’ll be fine.