No Such Place, N1

Thoroughly refurbished bar with a broadly triangular interior featuring a semi-open kitchen and separate dining room at the wider end. Modern furniture and decor of no particular note in the various seating / dining areas either side of the central counter. Just Redemption Trinity (expensive at £4.20, and a bit cloudy to boot) and Hamerton N7 from a total of seven handpumps, plus ten keg offerings from an inline hooped fount. A bit disappointing, really...

There weren't quite as many real ales on as I expected, but five on, with none of the usual suspects present, is nonetheless good going. Of the other five handpumps, three had cider on, one had a perry, and the other was unclipped. I didn't check the keg beers. I had the Southwark Brewery Bermondsey Best (£3.70 a pint) which was in great shape. They were doing food when I was in on Wednesday lunchtime, with sarnies from £4 - £6 (£1.50 extra for chips), and I noted that the burger was £10. The pub is unchanged from previous reviewers' visits. It's clearly been extended into the property on the right at some stage, which has obviously allowed them to add one or two (almost) separate drinking areas. It was a bit more modern than I had expected, with a preponderance of grey/indigo painted walls up to dado level, as well as Ember Inns style shelving separators bearing steins, jugs, and the like. The walls were decorated with olde worlde prints - and the pinball machine (the classic Addams Family no less!) is still here. The small group I was with all liked it in here - the furnishings were comfortable; the beer was excellent; and it wasn't too noisy with just some laid back blues playing for most of the time we were in. This one should definitely be included on any crawl in this area.

Unusual narrow wedge-shaped corner pub, painted in a looming battleship grey colour (or so it looked underneath the sodium lights). Quite modern inside though at least done in a tastefully restrained manner. A destination ale pub these days, ten pumps were at the bar with seven ales and three ciders (all interesting choices) available alongside 12 keg beers of a premium craft persuasion. My Tiny Rebel was sadly rather warm (sloppy) but there was a decent beer trying to get out. Above the bar were an impressive collection of pump clips, presumably the ghosts of brews served up in the recent past. Items of note included a rare sighting of a pinball machine, along with an upright piano. Fairly quiet on our early evening visit which I found a little surprising. Loyalty card advertised (9 pints get you the 10th free). As with the Rosemary Branch, there was a model plane hanging from the ceiling. Despite my under-par ale I quite liked it here and would be prepared to give it another go.