BOAT CUISINE
A stylish restaurant for a stylish river. Phil Sampson visited the upper reaches of the River Thames pre-lockdown for a memorable Sunday brunch
or more than 100 years, The Ivy restaurant in the heart of London’s Theatreland has been a favoured haunt of celebs and actors. Now – perhaps taking a cue from its luvvie clientele – the brand has gone on tour, and today more than 30 Ivy Collection grills and brasseries are to be found dotted around the UK.
For boaters on the upper reaches of the Thames, The Ivy Marlow Garden is the one to head for. A ten-minute stroll from Marlow Lock, the brasserie is ideally located for a battery recharge following a gruelling transit of the 14 locks from Teddington that lead to this tranquil and picturesque location.
From the outside, with its modest sage green façade subtly blending into the surrounding High Street architecture, the establishment is understated to the point of near invisibility. Inside, it’s an entirely different matter with a vibrant bar and traditional bistro area adjoining the blaze of colour which is the atrium section. After that, the Tardis-like premises extend way back through an extensive conservatory area to an outside terrace.
During the week, breakfast is served until late morning, after which an all-day menu comes into play. There’s also a good-value set menu, (£16.95 for two courses, Mon-fri), and a vegetarian and vegan menu. At the weekend, there is post-breakfast brunch.
The brunch menu certainly makes for interesting reading – eggs Benedict and chips is definitely a new one on me, and
Fbuffalo mozzarella from a farm owned by former Formula One driver Jody Scheckter gives a whole new meaning to fast food! Amongst the starters we chose were the exotic truffled wild mushrooms with potato rösti and quail’s egg, and a delicious steak tartare laced with a cheekily hot Tabasco dressing.
For mains it was the somewhat more conventional Ivy hamburger and roast half chicken which took our fancy, both of which delivered on their promise in a perfectly acceptable, if not exceptional, manner. A good selection of deserts and a threecheese selection board completed the line-up for a slap-up brunch.
A key part of The Ivy Marlow
Garden experience is the ambience. It’s bright and lively with a very cool vibe. It’s usually bustling but the clever layout affords generous space to all, which also bodes well for any social distancing measures once it re-opens.
In a post-lockdown world it’s easy to imagine the blazers-and- boater brigade steaming down from Henley and descending upon the place en masse, so one piece of advice: Don’t forget to book!
GETTING THERE BY BOAT
With a tidal range of up to seven metres and notoriously fast-flowing currents, the River Thames is one of Britain’s most challenging waterways. The river is tidal up to Teddington Barge Lock from where a further 13 locks will be encountered on the way to Marlow. When you arrive, the Environment Agency offers moorings free for 24 hours on a first-come-firstserved basis. If full, other options are available. For details of transiting the locked section of the Thames, visit www.thamesvisitormooringsco.uk and https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ river-thames-distances-andmeasurements-for-boaters