Every B-Side review is earned, never bought.
Image courtesy of Ruth’s Instagram
Ruth’s is a neighbourhood restaurant and bar in Putney, taking on bistro-style British cooking. It is the first project from Ed Baillieu and Callum Ross, whose combined background includes The Camberwell Arms, Forza Wine at the National Theatre, Pitt Cue, Kitty Fisher’s, Sager & Wilde and, most recently, The Hero.
A lackadaisical greeting from the ‘director of first impressions’
It’s a Saturday evening. I’m in my Uber and within moments, I’m stuck in traffic. My ETA runs from bang on time to twenty minutes late. I think the best thing to do is to give them a ring. This was the only reservation slot (5.30PM) available, so my mind wonders to the possibility of wasting an expensive Uber ride as my table is cleared for a walk-in. I get no answer. I try again and again. They must be busy. I guess I’ll leave it to chance.
As I get there (5:48PM), I take a quick mental note of the exterior. It’s a restaurant slapped in the corner of a residential road with a lick of fresh olive green paint — very current. White, hand-written marker notes decorated on the glass windows and bistro style curtains hiding the lower half from view. The SW15 road sign leans into the neighbourhood feeling, too. As I walk in, I’m expecting a packed crowd but was met with the pre-dinner quiet you usually get at 5.30PM — I guess having a phone number was just for show, then. I’m greeted by Callum Ross, the owner who lends his title to ‘director of operations & first impressions’ on his Instagram bio. Quite the self-appointment given the welcome felt indifferent.
An atmosphere that erodes the further you go in
As I make my way across the bar, I feel cosy. It’s a simple layout intimately lit with candles, white tablecloths perched on wooden tables and lightly bleached wooden vertical panelling that bounce the golden ambers of the light across the room. Too bad any ounce of effort to maintain consistency left the minute you made your way to the main dining space. The burgundy red painted over the brick walls initially leave me feeling warm, but that soon changes as you are seated and let the space marinate for a few moments. The giant mirror, that feels like a Facebook Marketplace cop, takes me to a 2010’s millennial burger joint I’d find in Salt Lake City. The cheap florals, that look like aged potpourri, make a poor attempt to ‘add something’ to the ceiling’s wooden beams. The white radiators, that dominated every British household in the early century, stick out like sore thumbs. And the grey slab tiles as flooring make you feel as if you are dining in the basement. The dining room is rough around the edges and unpretentious but very obviously an afterthought — quite emblematic of many restauranteurs who rely on Pinterest board aesthetics. The initial glance leans into current colour palettes (olive green and burgundy red paint) and design trends (Scandi-leaning wooden panels) — things you’ve seen before. But once you go below the surface, the excess of contradictions point out a clear failing from the team. A failure to ask themselves — who do we really want to be?
The lack of identity permeates through to the service — a team that’s half green and half overly enthusiastic, limiting my capacity to sit back and relax.
A chef who prefers ballpark over precision
Themes of inconsistency spilled through to my meal because I left with a clear idea of the chef — one whose pinch of salt varies considerably every time. We started off with a modest baguette slice paired with a whipped butter that is too salty after a couple bites. Next — fried mussels in a light batter with a tangy curry mayonnaise that on first bites takes you to a packet of monster munch. It’s their most unique plate that bodes well with their vision of British classics turned on its head. It’s a shame the mayonnaise had way too much fat. The sardines on toast fell flat, this time lacking enough extra virgin olive oil to lift and the beef tartare was too close to room temperature for my comfort. I ordered two mains to share, a bavette with a long chew count and the black cabbage fish that had too much bone to navigate. A lot of work was needed, and it didn’t stop with a side plate of cauliflower cheese whose hard stem made getting an actual bite a cumbersome task. With a menu that relies on fats (sauces, olive oils, butter) and textures (tartare, cauliflower, batter) — balance would have gone a mile.
Ruth’s
94 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LL
ruths.london
A neighbourhood restaurant and bar in Putney.
Bistro-style British cooking; bar for walk-ins, dining room by reservation. Service charge applies.
Open Tue–Wed from 5PM; Thu–Sun from 12PM.
Dress code: Relaxed.