Maple Leaf, Covent Garden, WC2

This is a Canadian themed bar, of sorts, close to Covent Garden Market. The pub has a long, narrow interior and had more than a hint of a drinking barn about it as it started to fill up late on a Saturday afternoon. There is a load of stereotypical Canadian stuff stuck on the walls including ice hockey sticks and shirts, a load of Moosehead beer mats and posters and the eponymous maple leaf flags. Somewhat surprisingly a number of TV screens were showing rugby, as opposed to any Canadian sports for which the pub is well known for screening. Two handpumps offered Young's London Gold and Wells Bombardier, but both of these went off, as did the Sleeman IPA which was on tap alongside their Honey Lager, so I had to settle for a bottle of Moosehead Pale Ale, which was very nice, but a bottle of this, plus the last pint of Sleeman IPA, cost a prohibitive £9.00, so I savoured every last drop before making a note to never order one again. I didn't really like it in here, and not just because of the expensive beer. I thought the place lacked any charm or atmosphere, despite being packed, and felt it poor that so many beers could all be off at the same time, leaving just lagers available. Not one I'd return to and I was glad to move on to the reliable Porterhouse, which is a little further down Maiden Lane.

Perhaps it was different in the past, but the Canadian theme is pretty notional - just a couple of flags and a few Moosehead posters about the walls. Otherwise this is much like any other dark and shouty low-ceilinged London pub. I was surprised to see two real ales on - Deuchars IPA and Youngs London Gold (so-so, but reasonable priced at £2.99) - and too late I spotted a couple of fonts dispensing Sleeman beers (so I may try a Honey Brown lager in the unlikely event I go here again).

Randomness Guide to London - Maple Leaf entry

Randomness Guide to London - Maple Leaf entry