Join the club
At the Punch Tavern, the lunchtime buffet is quick, contemporary and commuter-friendly. Jo Bruce takes a look at why customers are joining Sunnil Panjabi's Club Mangia' When you think of a buffet, it might conjure up images of students who haven't eaten for a week bleeding Pizza Hutdry. But at the Punch Tavern in Fleet Street, London, the lunchtime buffet is of a far more upmarket style. And it's going down a storm with the bankers, barristers, solicitors and recruitment consultants who work nearby, and who make up around 90% of the pub's customers. The buffet consists of 21 cold items such as Greek salad, Thai noodles, cous cous, roastedpeppers, hummus and pasta salad, plus three hot items and rice. To add interest for regular customers, the hot dishes change daily, so, for example, on a Monday, creamy roast chicken, vegetable dal and steak and kidney will be on offer and on a Thursday, chickpea curry and Bouillabaisse. Hungry customers queue with their large bowls to help themselves to dishes to either eat in (£5.50) or take away to eat at their desks (£3.75). The buffet forms part of the pub's "Club Mangia" which was launched when Sunnil Panjabi took over the Punch tenancy in December. Panjabi believes people enjoy being part of a club and wanted to create one centred on eating and drinking. Membership presently gives customers 10% off their bill and the pub gets their email address to keep them up to date with new menus and promotions Panjabi invested £250,000 in what was, he says, a "traditional boozer", including £100,000 on refurbishment, having spotted an opening in the market. "Nobody around here was doing anything for the suits," explains Panjabi, whose catering experience includes Le Petit Blanc with Raymond Blanc, Groupe Chez Gerard and Chutney Mary. "People don't go down the pub at lunchtime to drink anymore. The people who work around here certainly have money to spend but they also want value for money. "It's not that different to what Pizza Hut does, it's just done to a different standard." Panjabi aims for a gross profit of around 75% on the buffet. He says that while the lunch menu may not be ground breaking, it hits the spot with customers who, he believes, don't want to be too adventurous at lunch times but want comfort food. "What we do is good and solid and dependable and you don't have to take out a mortgage to eat with us," he remarks. All the buffet items are laid up on long tables and customers queue and help themselves then pay at one of the four tills. Plastic dishes are provided for customers who want to take-away. Panjabi says: "On a Monday and Tuesday,people don't eat in as they tend to want to work and eat at their desks. By Friday, everyone eats out." Currently at lunchtime, the pub serves 160 to 200 covers eating in and 70 to 80 to take away. The food at Club Mangia is cross-cultural, with a mix of Indian, Thai, Greek, British, French and American. In addition to the buffet there is also a menu from which customers can order. Dishes include paninis or ciabattas such as cheddar, onion, chilli & tomato and tomato, basil & mozzarella and specials such as chargrilled fresh tuna with niçoise salad and chicken caesar salad. Of the drinks trade during the day, Panjabi says alcohol sales are virtually non-existent. Soft drink and coffee sales are, however, strong. As with the buffet, the coffee sourced from free-trade firm Union Coffee Roasters is available to drink in or take away. Panjabi hopes this area of the business will develop, with people using the pub for meetings. As you would expect, it's after office hours that alcohol sales kick in, and the pub has a strong wine list supplied by Oddbins offering three whites and three reds by the glass. "We price our wines sensibly," says Panjabi. "We charge £7 on top of what it costs us to buy it." On the evening food front are platters and bar snacks, including a cheese board, meat platter and mezze platter all served with warm ciabatta. Breakfast is also proving to be a money-spinner and again this is available to eat in or take away.The offer includes a full English breakfast, bacon sandwich or fresh fruit salad. Panjabi says that a community spirit has already been created at the pub, with most of his customers generally knowing at least two tables of people when visiting. "It's really good," he says. "Sometimes we have people leaving here at 11pm and then we see them again at 7.30am for breakfast. People can use us as a one-stop shop." Food factfile
Serving times:Breakfast 7.30am to 11amLunch 11.30am to 3pmBar snacks 5pm to 11pm
Members register their details and receive 10% off food, coffee and wine until November
Coffee and homemade cakes are available all day
Six wines are offered by the glass house wines include Torres Vina Esmeralda 2002 and Aradon Rioja 2002 (both £3 a glass)
The menus change weekly for breakfast, lunch and all-day snacks l The pub can cater for 70 covers eating in On the menu at Club Mangia l Hot buffet offers include: Chilli con carne, sweet and sour pork, coq au vin, vegetarian mafe, mushroom stroganoff, Boeuf bourguignon, steak and kidney, lamb curry and spinach dahl £5.50 eat in/£3.75 take away l Paninis and ciabattas: Tomato, basil & mozzarella, hummus, peppers & pesto, tandoori chicken & coriander raita, paprika chicken, roast pork, stuffing & apple sauce, Cheddar cheese & onion jam, Club Mangia croque monsieur, aubergine, tomato, peppers & brie £5.50 eat in/ £3.75 take away l Platters and bar snacks (served with warm ciabatta): ‑Cheese board Vacherin, Camembert, Roquefort, Valencay ‑Meat platter Serrano ham, salami, duck paté, artichoke ‑Fish platter Taramasalata, gravadlax, marinated seafood, feta-stuffed peppers ‑Meze platter olives, artichokes, peppers, hummus £7.50 l Bar snacks: Samosas, spring rolls, mini sausages £5
