Cubby away with the Fox

When you’re a new establishment issuing a challenge to been-around-the-block GBK by proclaiming you’ve got better burgers than they do – and offering punters the chance to play bartender with the first self-serve beer wall in the UK – you’re sure to set a few tongues wagging. Tucked away from busy Fulham Broadway, where the quaint cobbled Vanston Place meets quiet Farm Lane, relative newcomer The Lazy Fox has done just that.

Initially I was slightly concerned that the oft-lauded beer wall was only a gimmicky way of drawing the punters – after stepping inside with my boyfriend, that certainly wasn’t the case. Upon setting up a tab card and getting a pint-pulling demo from the lovely Jonathan, it actually presented itself as an ingenious benchmark for pubs to follow: PYOP (pour your own pint) means that even on a busy night, you won’t be experiencing the infamous Imperial FiveSixEight-esque queues waiting for a pint. Or less than a pint, even – the clever wall (of which I’m trying hard not to insert references to a well-known kids’ song about green bottles every time I think about it) allows you to pour in increments of 1/10th of a pint, with prices being displayed as you pour and adjusted depending on amounts.

This flexibility is perfect for the nitpicky to keep tabs (hah!) on their consumption, or for the curious ones wanting to sample the whole mix of beers on offer. Don’t expect Magners or Stella, as there’s an eclectic international selection of eight drinks: from the Oktoberfest-favourite Warsteiner, to possibly my new favourite – craft brewer Meantime’s offering of London Pale Ale. Popular customer suggestions sometimes appear as featured drinks on the wall, and while prices may be a bit higher compared to established favourite The White Horse further west (which we previously reviewed), I’m certainly not complaining with the added control you get over your tipple here. Of course, if you’re not a craft beer person, you’re more than welcome to have a good ol’ pint of Guinness or some other classics from the friendly barman.

It’s nice to see that in spite of all the modern bells and whistles, The Lazy Fox still has a cosy charm about it. The interior is clean and simple, with wooden accents, comfy couches and real fireplaces in the bar – all of which keep it from feeling spartan and give the place an intimate vibe, even on a quieter evening. The dining area at the back is roomy, easily seating a good amount of diners without feeling cramped. And of course, the Fox has two decent-sized screens with satellite TV for those all-important game days – other than in your own home, this is one of the few opportunities you’ll get to watch satellite TV in “front-of-the-hearth” comfort.

But of course, we couldn’t leave the place without investigating their bold GBK-challenging claims. True to its aim, the core menu is mostly populated with, well, burgers (£9-12), while also being flanked by a selection of typical pub grub (like seafood linguine/sausage and mash) and daily specials, all perfectly tailored to the season. On Sundays, there’s a separate roast dinner menu where the meat selection differs each week, and appears to be one of their more hectic days. Even though we didn’t have wine, I have it on good authority that the selection is perfectly matched to the menu whilst not costing the Earth.

Our pan-fried halloumi salad starter (one of said specials) was seasoned and dressed just right. I shared it with my boyfriend, who isn’t the biggest fan of veggies but absolutely loved it – in hindsight, maybe I should’ve had one to myself!

Ever the carnivore, my boyfriend, plumped for their popular Redneck Burger (£11.95): an 8oz fillet ribeye mix and barbecue pulled pork combination served with chips on the side. Presented on a rustic wooden chopping board, the size was absolutely unreal. We reckoned that if our bubbly Greek waitress Yanna was raving about this burger despite not being a burger fan, we couldn’t go wrong – and was she right. Fox one, GBK nil.

My Fritto Mistro di Mare, another daily special, single-handedly righted all that was wrong in this world with greasy overcooked seafood. The batter was light and crisp, the squid and prawns were cooked just right, and the fish fillets were so beautifullyflaky that they put a Labour politician’s promises to shame. Like the Redneck, this came with chips and salad on the side and was just as hearty. We noticed one couple opted to settle the bill at this point in the meal – prior to that we heard them commenting on how full they were getting even after two courses, so it wasn’t just us!

Desserts (£6 each) were a mixed bag, as their Apple Crumble could’ve used a bit more time to crisp up the topping; but their Sticky Toffee Pudding served with ice cream was divine. The nice thing was that we were comfortably encouraged by Yanna to give our opinion on both good and bad without feeling like we were treading on eggshells – brownie points for impeccable (and timely!) service. By the end of all three courses, even though we were starving earlier, we felt like the pub’s namesake and retreated to one of the comfy aforementioned sofas near the fireplace to recuperate. My best bet is that even just a main course and drink combination would give your most Scrooge-like mates a 180.

Contrary to the sometimes-pretentious gastropubs you see nowadays, The Lazy Fox can probably be best described as a refreshing marriage between good ol’ British tradition and the Facebook age. It strikes a nice balance between the two, so you can enjoy the simple pleasures that come from pub tipple and grub enhanced with just the right amount of modern pizzazz. The Robot Pub Group, who run the place (along with its older sibling The Thirsty Bear in Waterloo) are also the masterminds behind the technology that makes the beer wall possible – along with a host of other solutions for optimizing the pub experience. Talk about having a long-term Show and Tell that works!

All in all, The Lazy Fox has something for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re a traditionalist looking for a new watering hole or a tech geek curious about the beer wall. Go early in the week for a relaxing drink/meal and catch up with mates or a date; stop by on match days, Sundays or one of their events/quizzes to enjoy some good ol’ pub bustle (I’ve been assured that the matchday crowd is rather well-behaved!) You’ll be well looked-after and you’ll get to savour good drinks and a decent portion of food at a great price.

One final note: I wasn’t exaggerating when I said this pub was in the Facebook age. If you’re a Foursquare fiend, try checking in on your visit and see what happens. Thank us later.

The Lazy Fox, 18 Farm Lane, Fulham.SW6 1PP. 020 7386 3783

Open 12pm-12am everyday

Reservations recommended for busier times (e.g. weekends.)