The Harrow Online team had the pleasure of visiting The White Bear in Ruislip to explore their newly launched summer à la carte menu, introduced on Thursday.
Under the expertise of Chef Ram Magar, the new offerings promise a delightful experience that perfectly captures the essence of summer.
During our visit, we sampled several standout dishes from the new menu. Among these were the Bouillabaisse, featuring a medley of monkfish, langoustine, bream, king prawn, mullet, and gurnard, accompanied by saffron potatoes, braised fennel, sauce rouille, and a baguette. This dish stood out for its rich flavours and impeccable presentation.
We also tried the Merguez Sausage Tagine, which combined roasted butternut squash and peppers with olives, harissa, and lemon dressing, served alongside pistachio and almond couscous.
Another highlight was the Slow-Cooked Pork and Apricot Roulade, served with Dauphinoise potatoes, grilled hispi cabbage, apricot chutney and purée, pork crackling, and jus.
In addition to tasting these delicious new menu items, we had the opportunity to sit down with General Manager Rory McMonagle for an in-depth interview about the inspiration and process behind the new menu.
1. What inspired the dishes and launch of the new à la carte menu?
“All of our menus are inspired by our values that we apply to each and every dish, including the lunch set menu as well as the à la carte. These are seasonality, sustainability, and ensuring everything is ethically sourced. The menu represents our French heritage as well as paying ode to the pubs that we serve the menu in.”
2. Are there any signature dishes or standout items that you recommend trying first?
“Our favourite starter is the Isle of Wight heritage tomato salad; it’s bright, vibrant, and fresh and goes incredibly well with a lovely cold glass of Minuty Provence rosé. The mains we recommend are the Bouillabaisse; a quintessential French classic that really leans into the seasonality and freshness that we aim for in all of our dishes, and the Pork Roulade, an 8-hour slow-cooked pork belly stuffed with pork mince, served with our famous Dauphinoise potatoes and charred hispi cabbage. There are many more, but these three are our current favourites.”
3. How do you incorporate seasonal ingredients into the menu?
“Our head of food development, Manoj Prasad, works closely with our suppliers to ensure all of the ingredients are sourced to honour our values as well as stay true to the environments in which we serve them.”
4. Are there any special dietary options available, such as vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free dishes?
“Absolutely, we like everybody to be able to come and enjoy a dining experience with us and follow our allergens process very seriously. The menu is crafted in a way that allows some flexibility to ensure guests are served fantastic food in a safe manner.”
5. Can you tell us about the process of creating and testing the new menu items?
“Each à la carte menu is a 3-month process, where Manoj works with suppliers and chefs around him to craft each menu. Once the menu is finalised, every team will have a ‘cook-off’ where we all get together, realign our vision as a team, and also get to taste the wonderful dishes we get to sell.”
6. What has been the most popular dish with customers so far?
“The grilled king prawns and the Bouillabaisse are the most popular with our fish eaters. The Pork Roulade has gone down a treat with the meat eaters, and as always, our burger is a guest favourite. If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan option, the roasted vegetable and potato tian is superb and should not be overlooked.”
7. Will any of these new menu items also be available at your sister pub, The Hare in Old Redding?
“Absolutely, The Hare runs a slightly smaller menu than ours but you can expect the same standard of care in their approach to the meals of their guests.”
You can visit the White Bear’s website to find a full list of menu items and pay them a visit yourself at Ickenham Rd, Ruislip HA4 7DF.
Carly is a creative writer with a wide range of interests and a genuine curiosity about people and their experiences. She’s community-focused and enjoys telling real, relatable stories. When she’s not writing, she’s usually exploring something new or working on one of her many projects.
