Restaurant Review: The Green Dragon Pub, Barnet

Looking for a nice lunch stop between home and Willows Farm Village (which we visited on Saturday to check out custom-made wrought iron gates for the new front garden wall) we decided to stop at The Green Dragon. We'd been once before and enjoyed the good quality grub and thought we'd see what they had on offer for lunch.

The menu looked great.

Starters were all priced at £4.50 and included Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup with Crusty Bread, Pea & Leek Tart with Glazed Asparagus, Roasted Pear Wedges with Maple Glaxed Pork Strips and Crispy Bacon & Poached Egg on a Rustic Bubble & Squeak with Hollandaise Drizzle. I'd happily have eaten any one of them.

Mains were £7.95, although two courses (starter and main or main and dessert) were just £9.95. Again, there were a number of appetising options including Steak & Ale Pie with Lyonnaise Potatos and Broccoli, Goat's Cheese, Sweet Potato & Leek Lasagne with Buttered New Potatoes & Green Beans and Golden Crumbed Salmon & Hake Fishcakes with Fries, Rocket & Parmesan Salad.

There was also a section labelled Classics listing some main dishes such as Beer Battered Plaice with Mint Pea Puree and the Homemade Beef Burger. These were priced between £6.95 and £12.95 and were not included in the lunch special offer. A sandwich selection included fillings such as Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Mediterranean Vegetables and Crayfish Marie Rose with Rocket.

Inside The Green Dragon is modern without being too anodyne. Lots of light floods in through the windows, the furniture is comfortable and the staff smile often.


As indecisive as ever I decided to order two starters instead of a main and chose the Pan fried Chicken Livers on Toasted Ciabatta and the Golden Crumbed Brie Wedges with Fruits of the Forest Compote. I asked for them to be served together, at the same time as Pete's Duo of Free Range Pork Sausages on a bed of Creamy Mash, Parsnip Crisps and Onion Gravy which they were.

My chicken livers on ciabatta and my fried brie and compote

The chicken livers were cooked as I like them - properly browned on the outside and pink inside. They hadn't been fussed with, just a drizzle of what I first took to be balsamic but which I think may have been some kind of beetroot reduction, and some plain salad. Tasty! The brie was my favourite - the cheese itself had a decent flavour, unlike some of the more insipid examples of the variety and was beautifully melted inside the golden crumbs. The fruit compote was a wonderful mix of soft blueberries, tart raspberries and a sweet berry sauce. This dish may be ubiquitous but The Green Dragon made a very enjoyable dish from the cliché.

Pete had a pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and I had a soft drink. Our total bill came to less than £19. For a well cooked, well presented meal served by friendly staff, I think this is very reasonable.

Pete enjoying his pint

Address: The Green Dragon, 2 St. Albans Road, Barnet, Herts. EN5 4RE | Tel: 020 8449 2972 | Web: