Review: Churchill’s proves British food can be tasty
October 14th, 2008, 9:55 pm · 2 Comments · posted by Jess Harter
Great Britain doesn’t enjoy the culinary reputation of some fellow European countries, most notably France, Italy and, increasingly nowadays, Spain.
But don’t think of the homeland of William Shakespeare and Isaac Newton as a gastronomical wasteland. Many of its traditional dishes are, in fact, quite tasty.
This is quickly evident at Churchill’s Pub & Grill, a two-year-old British pub on the northwest corner of Alma School and Warner roads in Chandler.
Churchill’s menu has enough American pub grub standards — buffalo wings, burgers, steaks — to appease non-anglophiles, but the focus is on British fare, which owners Darren Hickman and Shaun Claypole (pictured below) perfected during 13 years of operating pubs in England.
That means hearty appetizers like Yorkshire pudding ($5.99), five large popovers with a side of brown gravy, or Scotch eggs ($6.99), hard-boiled, wrapped in sausage, breaded, deep-fried and served cold.
Among entrees, the bangers and mash ($10.99, pictured below) are delicious. The bangers — two big pork sausages — are made by a fellow Brit who runs a catering business in Phoenix. The mashed potatoes, made with real potatoes, come with brown gravy and carmelized onions.
Perhaps the most recognizable of English dishes, fish and chips ($10.99), comes with a choice of cod, haddock or a fish of the day. Then you choose battered, broiled or breaded. But the best part are the “chips,” or battered french fries.
Chicken curry ($12.99), a relative newcomer to the English diet, features a rust-colored, homemade curry sauce — not too spicy, unless you ask — and basmati rice.
Smothered chicken ($11.99) is a nicely seasoned chicken breast covered with onions, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Savory pies are filled with beef slow-cooked in Tetley Ale ($10.99) and ground beef, onions and carrots ($9.99).
For dessert, don’t miss the homemade bread and butter pudding ($6.50, pictured below). Not to be confused with bread pudding, this British fave — made with slices of bread, raisins and vanilla custard — is more like baked French toast.
One word of warning: Churchill’s well-worn strip-mall space, which formerly housed Frank & Charlie’s Wood Fire Grill, is as dark and dreary as the weather in London.
Beer signs, dartboards and English football (aka soccer) memorabilia cover the walls, but this no sports bar. By American standards, the bar is undersized for the space, as are the half-dozen TVs showing European games.
On the other hand, the pool table in the middle of the dining area doesn’t lend much of a restaurant atmosphere.
I guess that makes Churchill’s a true British pub, a “public house” where people gather to eat, drink and socialize. It’s a casual and friendly place, and well worth checking out whether you’re an anglophile or not.
Churchill’s Pub & Grill
Where: 2050 N. Alma School Road, Chandler (northwest corner of Alma School and Warner roads)
Open: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
Prices: Appetizers $4.99-$8.99, salads $8.99-$9.99, sandwiches $7.99-$12.99, entrees $8.99-$18.99, desserts $6.50.
Info: (480) 857-9444 or churchillspubandgrill.com.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I go to Churchill’s all the time, the food and atmosphere is awesome, and the pool table and dart board have been move which gives the bar area more room and they have installed a 100′ big screen tv too.
my favorite place in Chandler.
October 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
We have been attending at least once a week, sometimes a couple of times,,,all the waiting staff are very special and a big, big plus..Both the ownners, Darren and Shaun are there with their sleeves rolled up making sure everything is going to their satisfaction.
I think we have tried all the dishes except the curry ( this has an ethnic repulsion to us) and hopefully they will add a few more “sweets” to the menu in the future.
May I add, we are from Yorkshire and lived in USA since 1974 and find Churchills to be about as authentic as can be…Margaret and Colin Laing