A refuge from the rain in London Fields

The Prince Arthur, 95 Forest Road, E8 3BH
Meal for two with beers and a glass of wine: £60

On one of those awful nights that makes you wish you could move south in October and not return till April, we did what every rain-sodden Englishman (and woman) does when the nights draw in and the weather is relentless - we went in search of a warm pub.

We found the Prince Arthur in one of the nicer parts of Hackney and upon arrival snagged one of the few remaining empty tables. Within ten minutes of our arrival the bar was packed. The relief at having avoided a trudge back to Dalston with empty stomachs was palpable.

We both had that ravaging hunger that is brought on by spending time out of doors on a cold evening so we ordered winter food: heavy on the pork products and things that had spent time in hot oil. We ordered the guest ale, Seafarers, which was smooth and golden - what an autumn evening should be.

And then things took a bad turn. The olives tasted of something odd. Dentist. No really. Apparently they had been marinated in lemon and mint but, frankly, marinated in mouthwash would have been credible.

Fortunately that was the only real low point in our meal. A terrine of pig's cheek with black and white pudding was good. Visually, it was a posh gala pie. The tasty strands of pressed meat and the slice of black pudding worked well together by providing a contrast of piggy tastes and textures. The white pudding was a bit dull and lacked flavour but that didn't spoil an otherwise well-conceived dish.

However, this was mere preamble and, on our visit, the mains were the thing. A pork chop was perfectly cooked. The rind had been scored, turning the edge of the pork chop to crackling and this sat well alongside the tender, juicy meat. However, even with my sizeable piece of pig heaven, I was quite jealous of Mr Fork's fish and chips. The fish was perfect. Light crispy batter cracked open to expose soft, flaking fish. Probably, we agreed, some of the best fried fish either of us had ever enjoyed. We were not surprised, therefore, to learn that the fish is bought every morning from Billingsgate Market. The chips were of the skin-on, hand cut variety and the peas were nicely squishes and properly seasoned.

The Prince is not cheap (£60 for one starter, two mains and dentist olives) and Forest Road is a little way from transport. But our considered verdict is that it is still worth a visit. In addition to good food, the ales are also well kept and the decor stills conveys the feel of an old East London pub. A fine place to hide from the weather.