The Queens Head, SW9

Sambrook’s Junction was the only ale on, with a Doom Bar clip reversed on a second handpump. I was told there was no food available (I was in on Saturday lunchtime) despite there being menus on display all over the place. But after I had been a while and shortly before I left someone came over to my table to tell me that they could rustle up some goat curry if I fancied that. I appreciated the gesture, even though I was almost ready to move on. I think you would categorise this as a “quirky” pub. The colour scheme is black and crimson, on the right is a raised stage area bearing a couple of thronelike armchairs from which you can survey the rest of the room, but the high point of quirkiness is achieved by the 10 foot long Raptor missile slung on a beam above the bar counter. The tables in the main bar area at the front of the room are of the solid variety, all bearing a candle in a wax encrusted bottle and, apart from the aforementioned armachairs, the chairs are all standard issue. There’s a separate but interlinked room around to the left and rear of the bar, with some natural light from a skylight, and containing a handful of tables and chairs. Music is apparently an important ingredient of this pub, judging by the large deck arrangement by the window, although when I was in there was just some jazz being played. There was also a TV on showing the tennis. I quite liked this pub for a quiet lunchtime drink, but I expect it would become uninhabitable (by yours truly anyway) in the evenings if and when the DJ decks come into use.