New food brand at Haggerston boozer brings restaurant quality food with a pub price tag

Pub food is all too often overpriced and more focussed on comfort than flavour.

But Charles Ross, who rescued the empty Sebright Arms from demolition three years ago, has gone all out in the search of pub perfection.

As well as importing specialist smoking ovens from the US, Mr Ross, who also owns the The Miller near London Bridge, has launched food brand “Bunsmiths” to showcase his uniquely flavoured slow-cooked meats.

But it’s not just the flavour of the signature buns that sets Bunsmiths apart from other boozer brands.

Even the onion rings, a pub staple, are a breath of fresh air – absent of the usual all-engulfing greasy batter and twice the size of the norm, covered in a light and crispy bread crumb coating.

The must-try side however has to be the tender strips of buttermilk fried chicken, lightly spiced and again with a wholesome tasting, melt in the mouth surround, served with a delicious chilli mayo.

Other appetisers and accompaniments include the chilli chips complete with kidney beans, the fresh and not too creamy coleslaw and the wafer light potato, quinoa, rocket and beetroot salad which can be topped with the 10 or 12 hour smoked beef brisket or pulled pork.

But these delightful meats are arguably wasted on a salad and best sandwiched between two halves of brioche bun.

We tried the sweet, smokey and fatty beef brisket option, with huge tender chunks of meat, and the mother of all meaty combos, the BBQ Bun, filled with succulent pulled pork, the aforementioned brisket and smokey flavourful burnt ends. Both buns are filled with barbecue sauce and the latter also has a helping of mustard.

To wash it down there’s an all London line-up of ales including pints from the Hammerton, Hackney and London Fields breweries to name but a few.