The Hydrant, Monument — Restaurant in London

A friend was visiting and we needed somewhere close to my office to meet for lunch. Having seen The Hydrant during my walk from London Bridge it seemed like a convenient option.

The first thing I have to say is that the service here is impeccable. The hostess is really friendly and efficient and the waitress was really attentive and on the ball. They're friendly and chatty without being too much which is a welcome thing in the city. Our food was brought promptly, as was our bill and everything was really seamless which is greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, the food was a bit pants. We ordered a chicken club sandwich and burger respectively and then got some of the fries to go along with it. I am a burger lover and was intrigued by the secret sauce. I think the secret was that there wasn't one. The burger itself was pretty big but it was dry as a bone and completely flavourless. I must say though, the pickled onions were a nice touch. If it wasn't for the burger itself being such a let down I think that would have really set it off. The chicken club was pretty much an egg sandwich with a guest appearance from chicken.

All in all the prices are pretty standard for a restaurant in this area, £12 for a sandwich/burger and a side but because the food was so bland I'm not sure that I would go there again which is a shame because I really liked the restaurant and the staff.

They do specialise in small plates though so might have to go back and try these before completely...

Tucked just around the corner from Monument station is The Hydrant.

This place has so much going for it so I will start with the positives; the decor is laid back, well-finished and at times intriguing (I loved the lampshades made from fire extinguishers), making the restaurant a little escape pod in the very centre of a bustling city.

The prices here are good too. You can get a decent sized meal and soft drink at lunch time for around the £15 mark.

The stand out plus point is the service. The staff were welcoming, friendly and attentive without ever interrupting my friend and I or going overboard with it. The food was also served quickly, freshly cooked and we were able to hail the waitress, get the bill, pay it and be out the door within the space of 10 minutes. Extra points, as far as I'm concerned.

Sadly, the food didn't match up to the rest of the place. The choice of food on offer itself looks great, there was plenty of lovely sounding dishes to choose from. I ordered the chicken club and the chicken was delicious, but there just wasn't much of it. The sandwich was 85% egg. The rosemary salt fries ordered on the side were also a bit of a let down being overcooked, dry and actually not at all rosemary or salty-ish.

Overall, I would give it another go to try another dish because I think that The Hydrant is bursting with potential to be great, it's just the food that is...

I have rarely been so disappointed with a customer service. Twice I asked for cocktails that were on the menu, the waiter told me they no longer made them. I had to wait until the 3rd request for him to finally give me an updated and accurate menu. I then asked for 2 cocktails which contained, among other things, cucumber. I asked if it was possible to not put cucumber in one of the drinks. He told me that without cucumber, the cocktail was pointless. So I tell myself that if it's a few slices, I'll remove them from the cocktail. I paid £26 for 2 cocktails, served in water glasses and which looked more like a liquid salad: un drinkable, badly made, and badly measured and with too many chunks. Since the cucumber was crushed in it, my friend couldn't drink it. Before even touching it, she went to change it. The waiter refused any discussion, made her pay for a new drink and collected the first cocktail to throw it away. As a Result, while he could have left the first cocktail (actually for me), since my friend paid for a new one, I paid 26 pounds for 1 cocktail which was absolutely disgusting. After that, we decided to go to another venue, more friendly and professional. So, if you come there, make sure you only ask for beer. Me, I won't come here again, or I'll make sure not to be served by...