By AMY ROYSTER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, April 24, 2009

John Bull is a real neighborhood pub again.

It’s been around for 17 years, but in the last several years, the ownership, menu and vibe has changed a couple of times.

Originally owned by the people who started the Big Time Restaurant Group, John Bull soon became a home away from home, the kind of place where regulars take pride, claim bar stools and argue over who was first in the door.

After an ownership change took the menu upscale for a brief time, Penny and Paul Schlosser bought the place a couple of years ago, and much to the relief of regulars, returned it to a traditional English pub.

Make that a traditional English pub – with a twist.

“We introduced a British pop theme,” Penny said. “It’s a happy place to be as opposed to a cry-in-your-beer kind of place.”

With its beautiful old-world style wooden interior, John Bull is a great bar but it’s also a good restaurant, even a fun place to grab an early dinner with the family.

On a recent Friday evening, a couple of tables of families with children, several older couples and a few singles sat outside in the courtyard. The weekly entertainment, a flamenco guitar player and dancer, started just in time for dessert. Inside, a young baby sat in a high chair with a family at a corner table, and a few people had already claimed a spot at the bar.

Our server was friendly and offered helpful suggestions, steering us toward favorites and even away from the house pinot grigio.

The tomato basil soup ($3.95) is a standout starter. It’s chunky and the flavor is so layered that it keeps your mouth interested until your spoon hits the bottom of the bowl. A caramelized onion and brie topping make the Kobe beef sliders another good choice.

The menu is anchored by traditional English pub fare ($13.95-$14.95), such as traditional fish and chips, served in a basket with a faux newspaper liner, and a hearty bangers and mash with a hit-the-spot gravy.

A similar caramelized onion gravy covered a perfectly cooked pork chop entree ($20.95) served with sweet potato and bacon hash and asparagus.

There is an extensive salad list ($8.95-$14.95) for those who want lighter fare, including the John Bull Signature Salad with fresh pears, Stilton cheese and candied walnuts atop mesclun greens, carrots and red onion tossed with lemon-thyme vinaigrette.

We tried the crab cakes ($19.95) on the off chance they would be a surprise hit at an English pub. Unforunately, we were disappointed by the all too common trap of too much bread and not enough crab. Plus, these were overcooked.

But the house-made desserts ($7.95-$8.95) were excellent.

The white chocolate banana bread pudding – a moist, dense bread loaded with fresh banana flavor and chunks of white chocolate, drizzled in a sweet cream sauce – is a must-save-room-for finale.

The Key lime pie, which could have gone the way of the crab cake, was a surprise hit with a nice graham cracker crust. And the apple cobbler with a warm flaky crust, piping hot tart apples and cold sweet vanilla ice cream served in individual ramekins was as good as Mom’s.

And the next time we are in the mood for a coma-inducing meat and potatoes dinner, we will return to order the slow-braised Guinness lamb shank with mashed potatoes and root vegetables. We also want to return for lunch to try the marinated, grilled portobello sandwich with roasted red peppers on seven-grain bread ($11.95).

Now we know why the locals love John Bull: There is something here for everybody.

R E V I E W

John Bull English Pub

FOOD: B

SERVICE: B+

ADDRESS: 801 Village Blvd., West Palm Beach

TELEPHONE: (561) 697-2855

WEB SITE: johnbullenglishpub.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

HOURS: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. – 2 a.m.; 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.

CREDIT CARDS: V, MC, AMEX, DISC

RESERVATIONS: Yes

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS:

Yes

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A – Excellent

B – Good

C – Average

D – Poor

F – Don’t bother