Staying In: Kingshead Pub

Rochelle Koff7/2/2010

Kingshead Pub in Sunrise serves up some of the best British fare in Broward County thanks to London-born chef Sarah Mendham and night-side cook Val Carey, a native of Jamaica. Mendham is known for her chowders, meat pies and fantastic fish and chips -- fat fillets of haddock in a light, crisp Bass Ale batter served with hand-cut fries. Cottage pie (not to be confused with lamb-based shepherd's pie) is a homey serving of ground beef, carrots, peas, celery and onions with a splash of Guinness and Worcestershire. Sausage is a treat whether you have it in a puff pastry sausage roll or on a plate of bangers and mash.

If you want to stock up on Mendham's dishes -- including dozens of pies -- you can buy them frozen (along with items like Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire Pudding) at the adjacent Kingshead Market, which owner Jeffrey Werth opened in January.
Mendham also serves a daily curry special with basmati rice and pappadam. "Curry outsells any English dish," she said. "It's like coming to America and finding out everyone eats Italian." If you have time to linger, Kingshead offers live music several nights a week, pub quizzes (the next one is July 18), open mike night and a "Brilliant Sunday Roast." It's opening early to accommodate World Cup fans -- but we think it's the food that's worth cheering about.