Nice pub overlooking the Thames near the Tate Modern, visited on the last leg of a friend’s birthday afternoon.

LET’S GET DOWN TO CHEESINESS

The Founders Arms doesn’t actually offer cheesy chips on the menu (chips and “ketchonnaise” being the closest to an alternative topping), but they happily accepted my plaintive request at the price of an extra quid.

I grabbed a pint and sat outside with the rest of the group. The bowl arrived (with the ketchonnaise included in a side dish), and as soon as I explained that I wasn’t taking photos for Instagram I managed to tuck in.

The chips are a proper thick-cut style, although the outsides are a little chewy – better than being too crispy, but still a little bit jarring. There wasn’t nearly enough cheese on the top, but a plentiful reservoir of it below the surface – the exact inverse of the classic “lump it on the top”, but at least this meant that each chip could get some cheese. Good show.

The cheese itself wasn’t entirely melted – you can still see some pretty intact strands at the side. To be entirely fair, it’s not something they otherwise offer, but it made the contrast between the top and the bottom much more noticeable.

ROUNDUP

PRICE: £4 + £1
CHIPS: Bit chewy, but otherwise good
CHEESE: Good portion, not melted or distributed well enough
INNOVATION: First time I’ve ever seen ketchonnaise, so there’s that
PRETENTIOUSNESS: £5’s a bit steep, but I suppose that’s London for you.