PUBSPY'S VIEW

BLUR’S house is in the country and Madness’s is in the middle of your street, but this one is somewhere in between – New Cross.


Inside this house has everything you could think of to make you feel at home. 


The speak-easy decor is pleasing and it feels very open and well-lit. The wide-open layout with plenty of seats and booths is blissful, while kitchen staff work away industriously in the open-plan kitchen.


There is plenty to keep you occupied, whether it is table football, darts or just conversation.


Unfortunately the loos are a bit less family home, and more laddish student digs with flooding blighting the floor of the gents.

It struck me as temporary glitch, rather than a permanent abhorrence.


And what’s a nice house without a stellar garden? The New Cross House does not disappoint.


The outside area, with plenty of decking, is amazing. There’s enough space to sit back and chill out of a summer’s evening and even a ping pong table if you need a bit activity.


Of course, if you were at Blur’s house you’d expect a bit of tension – albeit with good cheese – and Madness’ would be, well, Madness.


At The New Cross House, the atmosphere is buzzing.


There is a good, young mix of punters and the mood is laid-back.


It was well-staffed by friendly hip young things and the table service was chilled but efficient.


At my house, the drinks are limited to tea, squash and an occasional lager. At this house there is an array of booze to keep everyone happy.


Ale lovers can rejoice in a choice of four, including a pair from Herne Hill microbrewer Florence called Weasel and Bonobo.


Lager-wise, alongside the usual suspects is Meantime’s London Lager.


The drinks are a bit on the pricey side, though.


The most a lot of pubs can offer is good old-fashioned home-cooked food, but The New Cross House transcends that.


It comes at a premium, but you’ll get a wide range of quirky dishes all delicious and all cooked in the open kitchen, including a cavernous pizza oven.


My kidney bean and beetroot burger topped with feta and served with fries was mind-blowing, and the array of pizzas - for example rosemary Potatoes, red onion, roast garlic, leek, stilton and truffle oil – seemed to be well received.


The down side is some dishes were too popular, and two would-be-picked pizzas were sold out on the night we visited.


Having had a good poke round like you would at a mate’s house, and even put my feet up infront of the TV – except, here it’s a big screen – I’ve concluded that you could do worse than to make The New Cross House a home for an evening.

Address: The New Cross House. 316 New Cross Road, New Cross, SE14 6AF

Decor: ***** (Spacious, very cool, nice outside area, despite grotty bogs)

Drink: **** (Even the picky won’t go thirsty)

Price: ** (You might consider re-mortgaging)

Atmosphere: **** (Buzzing but laid-back)

Staff: **** (Happy, friendly and in-tune with the clientele)

Food: **** (Different, splendid, but not cheap)