The Old Pawn Shop
HELEN GROVES investigates an exciting new café/bar in The Old Town.
I think many of us have walked past the green building in George Street and wondered whether it would be empty forever. But now it’s open, and what a thing of beauty it is – a tremendous addition to the Old Town.
It’s owned by Paul and Shaun of Shaun Clarkson ID. Shaun is an extraordinary and talented designer, often working internationally within the hospitality business. A number of years ago they lovingly restored the stunning House in Hastings on Croft Road which is one of my favourite houses ever; I once cooked for Jude Law there and he surprised me by opening the door topless … anyway I digress….
Paul and Shaun bought the old jewellery and pawn shop a couple of years ago and set about the long and arduous journey of restoring it. I had a look at it in the early days – it was somewhat crumbling and hadn’t been touched for decades, but there were so many striking features I could tell that the finished result would be something very special. It was important to them to keep all the original features and not lose the integrity of the structure. The back of the building was collapsing, and they lovingly restored it, making it both practical and safe whilst retaining its quirky beauty.
The inside is simple but beautiful. There are two small rooms in the back; the ‘map room’ which is papered with old maps and ‘the snug’ which has intimate booth seating that can be booked in advance for intimate dinners and cocktails. They both have open fires for warm, cosy winter nights. The front of the café is bistro style with plenty of seating and the original glass-panelled cabinets that contain the beer pumps. The small kitchen is behind a counter in the corner; this is where you can watch all the magic happen.
After an extensive search, Paul and Shaun found Mehdi Silver – now the chef and proprietor of The Old Pawn Shop. Mehdi comes from Hastings, but after leaving to become an actor, singer and dancer for many years, he returned to his roots and did an apprenticeship as a baker at Judges. He then managed Dandelion in St Leonards where he learnt many aspects of the business before deciding it was time to start his own operation.
He has created a simple but interesting menu of small plates, cheese, charcuterie and fish platters, using the fabulous Rock-a-Nore Fisheries and of course Judges for the bread and Cheese on Sea for local cheese. Their charcuterie is from Moons Green in Tenterden.
I went to The Old Pawn Shop with my old friend Claire on a wet November day, and we sat in the snug and had a bottle of French Chardonnay from their small but well-thought-out wine list. The bar and front of house are managed by the wonderfully funny Freya Herbert, who is both knowledgeable and efficient. We had a selection of small plates. The beans cooked in garlicky stock had an umami quality about them, rich and unctuous. We also had crisp potatoes with parmesan and roasted butternut squash with cumin and coriander as well as dates stuffed with blue cheese and almonds.
All the food was delicious. Mehdi pays great attention to detail, and his love of good food shines through in every dish. I’m looking forward to returning for some classic cocktails and to try the rest of the menu.
The Old Pawn Shop is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm-11pm.
@theoldpawnshop
@thehouseinhastings
shaunclarksonid.com
Helen Groves food-comes-first.com
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply