Cock and Bull English Pub puts a different twist on Hyde Park dining. I stopped by for a late lunch with some co-workers and left happy with a very full belly.
We ordered beers and split a few appetizers to start: A 3-dip trio with multi-color chips, beer cheese with pretzels and caprese buschetta. The beer cheese was collectively rated one of the best, possibly 2nd only to Hofbrauhaus?? I've tried a lot of bad beer cheese over the years and Cock and Bull's version did not disappoint. The other 2 dips in the trio were spinach artichoke and bangers dip; a delightful creamy sausage dip with light hints of tomato and a slight kick.
After the satisfying appetizers I wasn't in the mood for a heavy lunch so I chose a small, single portion of fried fish and a side salad. When in Rome...
But we weren't in Rome and the fish wasn't exactly beer-battered, it was covered in bread crumbs and fried. If you're looking for real beer-battered cod in Hyde Park you may want to go across the square to Arthur's. The lettuce on my salad was mostly iceberg, I prefer leafy romaine. Let's face it, salads aren't exactly what English pubs are made of and ordering a salad at an English pub is like ordering spaghetti and meatballs at a seafood restaurant. When you go to Cock and Bull think deep fried, think cream based soups and dips, think carb-loading and saturated fats at their finest. Oh, and beer! I got to thinking that with such a wonderful selection of beer they may want to try and whip up some beer-batter for the fish.
The sandwich and wrap portions definitely yield 2 meals. See below, chicken teryaki wrap and BLT.
Heavy on the B...
Last, but certainly not least...because it wouldn't be lunch in Hyde Park without a bloody mary on the table:)
It was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that a wine bar and up-scale restaurant use to exist in this space that now houses more of a sport's bar. The red vinyl on the booths was a bit too Steak n' Shake for me, but all things considered I had a positive experience at Cock and Bull. I can definitely see myself going back if I am in the area but probably would not make a special trip. Cock and Bull is the place to go if you're in the market for an extensive beer menu and an above average appetizer and sandwich selection. During the warmer months you might even score a bit of ambiance on one of their 2 outdoor patios.
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