four o nine - for Matt and Tom

This weekend was a big celebration for Matt and Tom so I thought it would be fitting to dedicate a blog post to them.  Situated above The Clapham North hotel, four o nine is Matt and Tom's local version of my Entree:  both are local restaurants serving fantastic food at great prices in very nice surrounds.  We went to four o nine with the guys recently for a pre-movie meal on a Sunday evening.  The place was really nicely decked out in a stylish but chilled way which was matched by the professional but chilled service.

We didn't have much time for dinner as we were in a bit of a rush but we still managed to squeeze in two or three courses each plus a couple of bottles of wine!  The boys all had a starter which were a bit different but tasty and well presented.  Dave had the Cornish white crab and brown shrimp tian with capers, cornichons, egg and crostini. This was probably the best starter although Matt's smoked aubergine soup served chilled was also interesting; as was Tom's salad with beetroot chips.

Mains were all very good also.  I especially liked my sea bass which was cooked perfectly with crispy skin and served with a lovely blend of mushrooms, beans, peas and kale.  Tom's beef was delicious and slightly better than Dave's veal.  Matt's mushroom, asparagus and ricotta stuffed round courgette with beetroot and marjoram looked interesting although a bit too much veg for my liking.  I'd say the mains would give Entree a good run for it's money, especially with the triple cooked chips (served with aioli). 

Desserts were somewhat rushed but three of us still managed to squeeze in a lovely chocolate brownie with ice-cream, some sorbet and a raspberry panacotta which was a bit too solid for my liking (when it comes to pannacotta it should be wobbly liked Jonah's famous boob-like vanilla panacotta).  Is it appropriate to write boob in a blog???  I digress.

four o nine was a hit and a great find for Matt and Tom as it is just a stone's throw away from their place.  The food is a little different but not overdone and very good value.  I have to say that although four o nine is a little bit cheaper, the quality is slightly higher at Entree with more consistency across the dishes/courses.  Having said that, I know we will definitely be heading back to four o nine as it is great for a casual meal or something more special.  There is even a private room for functions which leads to a small terrace for drinks/smokes.  I'm already looking forward to the next meal there with Matt and Tom.  

What:  four o nine

Where:  409 Clapham Road, London SW9 9BT

How much:  Entrees ave. £7.50, Mains ave. £17, Desserts £6