Bedford and Strand
Address:
1A Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HH
Phone:
0207 836 3033
Website:
Rating:
Good For:
Great Value
List Summary
As you wander desperately through Covent Garden seeking a quiet spot for degustation, away from the hoards of meandering tourists, a half-way decent, reasonably-priced restaurant becomes the Holy Grail in the cacophony of the piazza. It was therefore with a degree of spiritual ecstasy we repaired to Bedford and Strand; it can get busy, but here, tucked away down a flight of stairs on the corner of Bedford street and the Strand you are more likely to find a clutch of suits than a gang of sightseers bedecked in The Lion King paraphernalia. A haven from the trendy chains that make up much of Covent Garden, and the wine list is pretty good too!Although we remain unconvinced by the by the glass/carafe layout as listing wines as honest, decent etc suggests other categories exist alongside e.g. pretentious and over-priced, we like the broad selection of wines by both the glass and 500ml carafe. The layout for the rest of the list is price ascending, not by region; this is forgivable though as the list is comprehensive, but not extensive and considerately includes tasting notes. Conventional favourites are present and everything served up is good value. Not a place to visit if you have won the lottery and are hoping to engage with some of the greatest wines of our times, but well worth a visit if youre in the area and imbibing on a budget.
List Review Wine Key:
Sparkling
White
Rose
Red
Sweet
Fortified
| By The Glass { Most interesting available by the glass } |
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 We have included the prices for by the glass and carafe servings. | |
| O:Tu Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand | £6.25 / £17.50 |
| Caruso and Minini, Grecanico 2007, Sicily | £5 / £14 |
| 'Les Pradelles' St Chinian 2008, SW France | £5 / £14 |
| Grant Burge, Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2006, Australia | £4.50 / £12.75 |
| By The Half { Most interesting available by the half bottle } |
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| All wines by the glass are served by the 500ml carafe too (See above), so we’re not too fussed that the only “halves“are dessert wines. | |
| Value Option { Best under £35/$50/bottom 20% of list PLUS any particularly rare bargains at ANY price point } |
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| This could comprise most of the list! | |
| Krug Grand Cuvee NV | £140 |
| No, we haven’t lost our senses; here Krug truly does belong in the value option as this is a fantastic restaurant price for this iconic Champagne – occasionally listed at at least £100 more! |
| Anakena Riesling/Viognier/Chardonnay 2007, Rapel Valley, Chile | £23.50 |
| Salice Salentino, Agricole Vallone 2005, Puglia, Italy | £23 |
| 1st Date { Impressive but not too showy: circa £50 – but a wine that shows one’s connoisseurship rather than just size of wallet/expense account } |
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| Huia Pinot Gris 2007, Marlborough New Zealand | £28 |
| Soft, round and full-bodied, reminiscent of an Alsation Pinot Gris; with flavours and aromas of stone fruits and pears, plus hints of spice and white pepper, proof positive that there is so much more to Kiwi whites than the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc. |
| Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007, Central Otago, New Zealand | £35 |
| Rockburn has a history of winning gold medals, particularly for its Pinot Noir, at various wine shows in New Zealand and the 2007 scooped gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition 2008. Deep fruit with delicate floral tones, hints of licquorice and spice. |
| Off the Beaten Track |
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| Ovilos Semillon Barrel fermented 2008, Kavala, Greece | £35 |
| Actually a blend of Semillon and the native varietal Assyrtiko; lovely, ripe and rich with spicy apple, melon and vegetal notes, nicely integrated acidity from the Assyrtiko keeps it fresh though. |
| Miolo Quinta do Seival 2005, Campanha, Brazil | £27.50 |
| Miolo was originally founded in 1897 by a Venetian, and today are one of Brazil’s leading producers. A blend of three local grapes, Tonriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz. |
| Domaine Mas Amiel Vin Doux Naturel 2005, Maury, France | £24 |
| A full and sweet red, aromatic with a palate packed with flavours of prunes, raisins and cocoa. |
| Old School Classic { Classic (usually French or Italian – depending on dominant cuisine), from the middle of the list – a good wine, with age to stick on expenses and impress crusty wine bores/board members } |
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| Albert Grivault Meursault 1995, Burgundy | £45 |
| In an era where under-aged white Burgundies have become the norm, this is an unexpected find. |
| Château Lamothe-Cissac 2005, Haut Medoc, Bordeaux | £40 |
| Treat Yourself { Remember when you used to get a bonus? not necessarily most expensive – but a real treat, rare, particularly good vintage etc } |
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| Billecart-Salmon Rose NV, Champagne | £80 |
| This is THE Champagne rose and if you aren’t on the Billy bandwagon yet, what’s stopping you. Yes, here at WineChap we are willing to admit a certain bias towards Billecart-Salmon, but since it’s based entirely on the superlative wines they produce, we’re not going to apologise for it! |
| Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5 Putts 2000, Tokaj, Hungary | £70 (500ml) |
| Can’t really argue too much with their descriptive “The nectar of the Gods”; imagine a rich and honeyed apricot marmalade infused with orange peel and dried petals, now give this a twist of citric acidity for balancing freshness and the suave sophistication of Sean Connery as Bond. Now sip and swoon (at £70 not too much of a stretch really, is it?) |
| Crowd pleaser { Well known, trusted producer, region or varietal. No surprises, no disappointments } |
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| Prosecco Sergio, Veneto, Italy | £28.50 |
| Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand | £19.50 |
| Ainsworth and Snelson Barossa Shiraz 2004, Australia | £35 |
| House Wine Index
{ Number of House wines available by the glass & the mean price } |
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| 24 wines by the glass, average price £4.89 |
| Bollinger Index
{ Price of a bottle Bollinger } |
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| n/a |
