Bald Faced Stag, East Finchley  

This grand looking pub, whose potential had been squandered for years, has recently fallen under the ownership of the Real Pubs group. As such, the nearby established Old White Lion now has a direct competitor attempting to lure the young gastro-hungry East Finchley residents. On first impressions, we'd have to say it's a tie between the challenger and the defending champion. Inside it's tastefully decorated, with comfortable furnishings and a separate restaurant - anyone familiar with others in the chain will know what to expect. Food is heavily featured but is also pretty pricey - generally £10-£13 for a main. There's also a bar menu, which includes 'olives and hummus'; at £6 it needs to be the best this side of Greece. Saying that, with a couple of good ales on tap and a pretty (if rather noisy) beer garden, it's very easy to spend a chilled few hours here. Overall, it's perfectly nice, but it would've been nice to see a deviation from the chain's theme; it might be proving quite successful, but it's also somewhat predictable.