Dylans x Boot Cantina – Mexican Night
On Tuesday 21st November we’re throwing a spicy collaboration with Boot Cantina. Our head chef, Josh Searle and Boot Cantina…
ABOUT
Dylans at The Kings Arms is a Top 100 Gastro Pub 2023 which is also featured in the Good Food Guide – housed in a beautiful 15th Tudor Century building on George Street in the Cathedral Quarter of St Albans.
For hundreds of years, it was a pub ‘The Old King’s Arms’ which sadly closed just after the last millennium. In more recent years it was a French restaurant and when the freehold became available in 2015, Dylans at The Kings Arms was created. A local pub and restaurant to rival some of the most exceptional pubs and restaurants in London.
Owner, Sean Hughes and family now run the pub closely with their team, not only to ensure that everyone enjoys their visit but as a key community asset and somewhere for neighbours and visitors to meet.
A neighbourhood gem, Dylans at The Kings Arms is loved locally for its award-winning food, service (winner of Best Front of House Team 2022) and extensive range of craft beer, specialist wines and spirits.
The kitchen is headed up by Josh Searle who has been with Dylans for 5 years, developing his own style of cooking whilst staying true to the Dylans ethos of simplicity and quality.
Adapting the menu to make the most of the season’s best produce and with a focus on quality produce from small, local, and family suppliers, Josh cooks the kind of food we all love to eat. Specialities include Dairy Cow Rib and fresh Cornish fish cooked to perfection.
With a snacking menu available in the front bar room and an a la carte restaurant in the back, Dylans offers unpretentious but high-quality dining in a casual pub environment.
And who is Dylan? Well, Dylan was Sean’s dog, a naughty chocolate Labrador. Sadly, Dylan passed on in 2019 but his legend lives on!
NEWS
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We are Hiring
We’re on the look out for passionate and dynamic people to join our award-winning team. We are an independent company with…
Poptober Tasting Highlights
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OUR TEAM
JOSH SEARLE
HEAD CHEF
Happy 5-year Dylans anniversary to our brilliant head chef Josh Searle! There’s lots that goes on behind the scenes to create the flavours and textures that make our dishes taste the way they do and leading our kitchen team and our menu development is Josh. Josh has developed his talent in our kitchens after joining us in 2018, exploring his own culinary interests and passions whilst also remaining true to the Dylans ethos of simplicity. We’re so proud of his journey from sous chef to head chef and our recent achievements that he’s been instrumental to (Good Food Guide, Top 50 Gastro Pubs) and look forward to the years ahead!
LEXI
FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER
Lexi’s favourite cocktail is an Espresso Martini (made with decaf coffee - because its key ingredient keeps her awake, but it doesn't wake her up!) Our wonderful and naturally energetic front of house manager has been with us for over 7 years now and ensures that customers have a great experience from moment they walk through the door. A true people person, she loves being part of the community and spending time at the heart of it. Over the years, customers have become friends and colleagues have become family. Hospitable, professional (and exceptionally stylish), we couldn’t be without her!
G
TAPS
Happiest behind the bar - particularly one end of it - chatting to our regulars, G used to work at @madsquirrelstalbans before joining the team at Dylans two and a half years ago. Now in charge of taps and our all important craft beer offering, G is studying the lists to get the freshest beers on to our wall. G is a Gin specialist too, which is lucky as we have over 30 Gins on the bar. Her favourite serve is the Spanish Nordés with a light tonic and a slice of lemon (a true classic). What else can we, say aside from we absolutely love having G as a part of our team.
LATEST ON INSTAGRAM
Head of Taps “G” has been busy sourcing some great porters for December so keep an eye on @untappd for her seasonal specials
#porters #winterbeer #georgestreet @fivepointsbrewery @top50gastropubs #CAMRA
Our Top Secret Christmas Pudding collab with the amazing @thepuddingstop is fabulous!
After months of maturing, the puddings were finally ready for collection and passed the final tasting today.
We can safely say that they’re every bit as delicious as we anticipated.
Made with Suet from our famously flavoursome Txuleta Dairy Cow for unbelievable texture and taste, this festive pud is available as as part of our December menu whilst stocks last 🎄
Thank you, Johnny for a wonderful tasting session today 😋
#xmaspudding #christmaspudding #enjoystalbans #puddingstopstalbans #festivemenu
Rum Old Fashioned.
A twist on the classic made with Roberto’s favourite, Plantation Rum.
Come in from the cold and warm-up for the weekend with one this evening!
#plantationrum #oldfashioned #fridaycocktail
Roasted Leek and potato soup, pecorino croutons, cheese sable.
This seasonal and comforting soup is on the mid-week lunch menu this week, along with Salt baked celeriac schnitzel, salsa verde, butter fried egg.
2 courses £20 3 courses £27
#midweeklunch #leekandpotatosoup #top50gastropubs
Here’s some cracking news!
We’ll be opening every Tuesday in December. So, if you still haven’t booked anywhere for your Christmas get together, don’t panic, we have some availability for groups - large and small - and can’t wait to welcome you 🎄
To book see link in bio.
#christmas #enjoystalbans #festivemenu #top50gastropubs
There’s not much our head of bars Roberto Fiorillo doesn’t know about wine and spirits, and of course Champagne, his absolute favourite tipple.
It wasn’t his first choice of career though, he went to uni in Italy to study mechanical engineering! Although if you’ve ever watched him mix a cocktail you’ll of seen he has a very systematic approach. It was this that earned him The World’s Best Gin Martini Award with Campfire Gin in 2019 - not bad considering at 19 in his first bartending job he made one in a tall glass, with ice and a double shot of martini.
Since that faux pas, he’s read 100s of books on all aspects of drinks; been a winner and finalist in international cocktail competitions; opened two spirits shops and a bar consultancy; trained 100s of other bartenders; visited 100s of distilleries and wineries, plus he’s done a bit of press too
CV aside, Roberto has natural affability, charm, and an innate understanding of what people want to drink, when.
Thanks to Roberto’s constant curiosity and ambition for the bar to exceed expectations he is always changing our Cocktail List with the seasons - and trying new wines with Sean to create a well rounded, quality wine list and of course, an exceptional Champagne List!🍾
#poptober #champagne #frontofhouse #hospitality #enjoystalbans #top50gastropubs
Spiced Devon crab soldiers, citrus fennel - currently enjoying a spot on our specials board this week.
Fresh, tangy, and very very tasty.
#crab #fennel #specialsmenu #enjoystalbans #top50gastropubs
Grilled Cornish Mackerel, Carrot & Fennel Escabeche.
Josh’s version of Escabeche is made by pickling the vegetables in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, spices and fresh herbs - juniper, thyme, garlic and black pepper - to cut through the richness of the fresh Mackerel.
Available this week on our mid-week lunch menu.
£20 for 2 courses, £27 for 3 courses
#mackerel #cornishfish #top50gastropubs #specials #midweeklunch
Hot of the press! Interview with our amazing head chef Josh Searle in @absolutelyhertfordshire this month.
From his early inspirations (@ainsleyfoods ) to his favourite ingredients - Josh shares his passion for relaxed quality dining.
To read the whole article see link in bio.
#cheflife #enjoystalbans #headchef #hospitality #hertfordshirerestaurants
Pork crackling…
We only use pork from our trusted supplier @dingleydellpork who are a family farming business producing higher marbled welfare-friendly pork from their unique Red Duroc-based herd.
This sharer of Dingley Dell pork rack, brown butter gravy is brined in sugar and spices and is a great choice for a chilly Sunday afternoon.
Delicous accompanied by a side of mashed potato, grilled tenderstem broccoli, goats curd, hazelnuts and mint 👌
#sundaymenu #special #pork #dinglydell #top50gastropubs #enjoystalbans