Review: The Snug

Hearty food in a snug setting

9 years ago

Life

There are two Snugs in Cambridge.

We went to the Lensfield Road branch (Pembroke/ Engineering Fac/ Browns area), the original Snug, although there are now 7 in total, including one in the Grafton area. The festive cherry red exterior generously adorned with Christmas lights certainly succeeded in drawing us in from the cold, dark night.

It did look pretty Snug

Top dog, James, welcomed us in and we quickly got the alcohol order in. While you can visit The Snug for a classic pint or even an expresso with brunch, the cocktails on offer are extensive and, very much, on offer.

James explained that on December 1st we can expect a new cocktail menu to be launched. This menu will be “cut down to 60 cocktails”, so you better get in before that or you’ll be faced with, like, no choice at all. Facetiousness aside, the idea of this is to get all 60 cocktails on the 2 for 1 offer they do daily from 3-9pm, instead of just the current “favourites” selection.

A pleasingly pomegranitey pornstar martini

Needless to say, this very favourites selection was still a highly exciting prospect for Sarah and I, with Sarah opting for the Pornstar martini (hehe) and a Lynchburg lemonade for me. I had never heard of this latter cocktail and was quite relieved that my youthful penchant for whisky and lemonade was actually a vaguely acceptable thing. The 2 for 1 offer means you can get yourself a cocktail for less than a fiver, an almost impossible feat these days.

It gets better.

Sunday is fun day for both Cambridge University and The Snug. The ‘Sunday special’ involves the 2 for 1 offer lasting all day. Take a trip there in preparation for your wild night out at Kuda/Fez OR, if you’ve had a little too much fun the night before, go for an all day brunch and ease yourself into the cocktails after a few hours of mandatory motionlessness.

The standard Snug food menu involves lots of impressive sounding burgers, “snug dogs” and various other delicious American meals. From Monday to Friday you can get several of these items for £6.50 at lunchtime. Sarah opted for a Nacho Burger with jalapenos, nachos, guacamole and cheese, with a side of sweet potatoes. She was so happy when it emerged from the kitchen.

And can we blame her

I went for an option on the new ‘supper club’ menu that was launched on Thursday. The Snug are hoping to introduce this menu (as seen below), dreamt up by head chef Liz, one night a week after Christmas, and it’s exclusive to Lensfield Road. All the items are hearty meals she cooks at home with an alcoholic twist!

A highly impressive list of options

I was honestly torn between every item on the menu, but in the end went for the Bloody Mary Lasagne with vodka, tabasco and Worcester source. It was very tasty with a pleasing kick. I also had some ridiculously amazing garlic bread to go with it.

Much taste many salt

Naturally we ordered another round of cocktails after this, with a frozen Strawberry Daqueri for me and a French martini for Sarah. So far, everything ingested was either alcohol or food dosed in alcohol. So far, so good.

Cocktails: round 2

It didn’t stop there.

Pudding brought Apple crumble with star anise and amaretto, and Bread and butter pudding soaked in brandy, into the ring. We shared both with the help of our cheeky long stemmed spoons. I have to admit I couldn’t detect any amaretto in the crumble but Sarah felt differently. Either way, the presentation of the warm custard in cute little glass bottles and generous portions of hot pudding were much appreciated, even though they ultimately defeated us.

#cheeky

The Snug has been running for many years and it really embraces a local, homely atmosphere; with its walls painted in red and green it seems to embody the spirit of Christmas all year round, though into this has been injected the modern kick of cocktails, alcoholic food and Clangers pictures.

The Snug is great value for both hearty meals and Pornstar martinis. Or 7 Pornstar martinis, in which case you might as well get 8, because, 2 for 1. I would thoroughly recommend a trip there, especially while it is still decorated in all its Christmassy glory.