We had big plans for the last Bank holiday weekend but for one reason or other (mainly because we were feeling old and creaky), we decided on Sunday roast instead - chunky cardies and knitting bags were left safely at home. With dozens of suggestions flying about, we finally headed down Southbank towards Borough, home of gastronomic delights (just steer clear on a Sunday - the one day the market is deathly quiet), only to realise we hadn't a clue where Roast actually was. I knew it had a good view over St Paul's (though we would later discover that 'good' was stretching it a little far), which points to it being on a upper level...indeed a good start ... However, there was no need for tilted heads - quick thinking Roast (or just a restaurant who had many a lost customer) had very kindly left a trail of signboards leading all the way to the restaurant, right above Brindisa. So far so good.
The view from our table; the dome of St Paul's in the background
Lunchtime and we hadn't booked a table (we were still deciding on a venue right until we met up at Waterloo) but it was past 2PM and it was a Sunday. This played to our advantage as having missed the lunch rush we managed to secure a table fairly easily - sitting at the bar for only about 10 minutes whilst enjoying the strains of a tinkering piano in the background. The large main dining area was bright and airy, split into 2 levels, with large windows. It's one of those rooms that would be lovely in summer (nice English summer mind you ... a degree or two warmer with the sun overhead would mean sunburned diners sitting in an overheated conservatory) but pretty dismal in the middle of winter. However, whilst saying that we did turn up on a pretty dreary, overcast day and we were in perfect temperature throughout our 5 hour stay (yes, 5 hours ... Sunday lunches are supposed to be leisurely, are they not?).
Roast offers a Sunday roast set menu at £26 for two courses or £30 for three courses. Everyone went for three courses. It wasn't a difficult decision for any of us.
We feasted on bread (the downfall of every meal) whilst waiting for our food. It was a choice of white or brown with lush Netherend Farm butter (it was so yummy that I even did a little research and found out it is stocked by Waitrose. Yay!). Testtiment to either how hungry we were or how good the bread was, we had an extra 2 baskets of bread and another round of butter.
In celebration of not going out, getting drunk and falling over ill like a bunch of first year university students at freshers week, we had a couple bottles of Sussex's finest bubbly -
Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury 2006. Snickering aside for any mention of English wine, this was actually rather excellent. Winner of several awards, it tasted soft, clean and crisp - everything I like for easy drinking. Again I did a little research and this is sold at Waitrose (really have to love good ol' Waitrose).
There was an almost silent round of applause when our starters arrived. We were never going to be content with just bread, butter and bubbly. R had the butternut squash soup with spiced sour cream, which she gave the two thumbs up to. I had a tiny taste and it was like being wrapped up in a warm comfy duvet.
P and J both had the Laverstoke Park buffalo mozzarella with baked figs and mint. I'm not usually a fan of figs (too many tiny pips for my liking) and was a little hesitant to try any but oh wow ... this certainly changed my idea of figs. Intensely flavoured - sweet and caramelised, it went very well with the creamy cheese. The mint brought a hint of freshness to each mouthful.
Taking a step back from dairy, I opted for the potted gammon served with piccalilli and toast. The little chunks of meat were tender and the tart piccalilli cutting nicely through. But I've never had piccalilli before (it's one of those old fashioned English delicacies which I'm not drawn to trying just for the sake of tasting it) and cannot say if this was wondrously delicious or just bordering on average. If I had to be negative, I would say it was a teeny bit too tart but yes, it's a pickle .. so it should be .. well, tart.
For mains, both R and J had the slow roast Wicks Manor pork belly with Bramley apple sauce. A very generous serving of meltingly tender pork encased in crispy crackling. Happy smiles from both R and J. I had some of the pork minus the crackling (I'm not a fan ... seriously not a fan) and apple sauce (it conjures up the image of bottled baby dessert) and it was lovely.
P and I both had the roast sirloin of Welsh Black beef served with Yorkshire pudding, horseradish and Coleman's English mustard. Cooked to medium rare just the way it should be. P had second thoughts about this dish when she saw the 'cooked to medium rare' note on the menu but ordered it and thoroughly enjoyed eating it. The Yorkshire pudding was light and crisp. The meat was gorgeous and the serving was generous (this always scores big brownie points with me). I was a very happy bunny indeed.
The cooks selection of vegetables - minted runner beans and roasted potatoes in beef dripping were served in separate dishes for us to help ourselves. The beans were tender with just a touch of butter and mint to bring out the flavours. Roasted spuds in beef dripping ... oh so bad and yet so good. Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
By the time our plates were cleared and we handed the dessert menu, we were grumbling about the evils of too many bread baskets and rounds of butter. But we soldiered on. High on every ones list was the pear and raspberry crumble with custard. Very good it was too. The best bit was the crumble top. Crunchy and 'bitty', it was just my idea of a good crumble.
I had my eye on the Eton mess with elderflower jelly but was sorely disappointed when the waiter returned to say that they had run out of jelly. I could have the Eton mess by itself but I didn't actually want mess when I placed my order. I wanted elderflower jelly. It had to be banoffee pie. Oh the dairy ... the dairy! The pie wasn't too bad but you know when you don't want something but had to eat it anyway because you had ordered it? I usually want banoffee pie as a teatime treat, not really as a dessert ... it's a little too heavy. My slice came sitting on a mass of chocolate and caramel squiggles (as good or bad as any good quality chocolate and caramel sauces) and a large wafer like round stuck into the whipped cream top. I say 'wafer like round' because it was rather indistinguishable - not particularly sweet nor particularly crunchy nor particularly nice to eat. A bit of a waste of time. Disappointing.
It was a delightful meal. The last seating on a Sunday is 3.45PM with no dinner service but we stayed past 7PM and we were not rushed to leave. There were still a few lingering diners at other tables. It was deliciously relaxed. There was even entertainment in the form of our waiter, who though very efficient and courteous at all times, found himself on hostile ground with P. It was just one of those situations where two people just don't like each other. He was never rude, just very French in the way of being quite (OK, very) self assured. The rest of us found it hilarious though ... and he did have gorgeous eyes.
RoastThe Floral Hall, Stoney Street, London, SE1 1TL
