Cuisine: American
Cost:
Rating:
Where?: 332 – 334, King’s Road, Chelsea, London. SW3 5UR.
Closest station(s): Sloane Square, Fulham Broadway, South Kensington.
Telephone: 0207 352 4071
Website: www.bigeasy.co.uk
On each occasion that I have walked past the Big Easy on the King’s Roads over the years I have definitely noticed it. It’s full title is ‘Big Easy – Bar.B.Q & Crabshack’; it has gaudy neon signs and frankly I felt a pang of hatred everytime I walked past. My dislike for it was heightened when I saw its motto, namely: “Put a li’l South in yo’ mouth.” I think it is the yo’ that I particularly despise.
I am not a great fan of American theme restaurants; the perfect example of which would be TGI Friday – I’m not sure whether it could be described as a restaurant; whatever it is the food is vile. Thinking that the Big Easy would be akin to TGI Friday, when I decided to go there I was preparing to dislike it.
Is the Big Easy the best restaurant in London and one I would dream about a return visit? No. Is however the Big Easy surprisingly good and somewhere I would eat again if in the vicinity? Yes.
Having entered the restaurant we were warmly greeted and shown to a table – to my relief though this place is American themed it is not done in a ram it down the customer’s throat and annoy them way as in other places.
The thing that seems to draw many people to the Big Easy are the deals; the wings, burger and drink for £9.95, the lobster, chips and drink for £14.95 and other such combinations including shrimp, pork and fajitas.
The voodoo chicken wings with which I started certainly had a kick to them, though not out of this world they were perfectly acceptable. It was then onto a burger; which I have to say was surprisingly good. The plate of food was rather on the gross side when it comes to size, this was a true American portion. The beef burger was excellently cooked and was made of good quality beef. Whilst the chips were ok, the real surprise was the coleslaw which was great – I would be content being served that coleslaw anywhere.
The Big Easy was certainly a surprise. It is an American themed restaurant and is quite loud, brash and the portions are large. It provides surprisingly good food and those eating around us certainly seemed to be having a good time. The other clientele were a diverse mixture; but certainly not the morbidly obese licking spare rib juice off the floor types that I had envisaged. If I was going to the cinema in Chelsea and felt like a plate of meat to get me through the impending film then I would certainly consider the Big Easy.