The Gun, Docklands

This Sunday, we headed East to Dockland's highly recommended,  The Gun. This waterfront pub is located on a quiet and very cute little side street and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. It's also more  in Vera and Roland's neighborhood than anyone else's.

Their Sunday Lunch menu is available online.

Joining us on the Quest today are Vera, Roland, Andy, Oscar, Darren, and Lev, who was having his Quest debut.


Dishes Ordered:

Starters:

Roast Cornish mackerel, green and yellow courgette,

confit balsamic tomato 

(Shared: Vera & Roland)

Heritage tomato, shallot and Jersey Royal potato salad,

goat's cheese beignets

(Oscar)

Smoked duck, pork & white pudding terrine, fig chutney 

and toasted sourdough

(Andy, Shared: Darren and Franc)

Half pint o’ prawns with mayonnaise  

(Lev)

Entrees:

Fillet of sea trout, leek fondue, fresh peas and girolles 

(Vera, Franc)

Roast belly of Kilvarock Farm pork, Yorkshire pudding,

roast potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans, homemade 

apple purée and pork gravy 

(Darren, Andy)

Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, fresh horseradish, roast 

potatoes, honey glazed carrots, green beans and red wine gravy

(Oscar, Lev, Roland)

Desserts: 

Marinated strawberries, truffle honey 
and yoghurt ice cream

(Lev)

Dark and white chocolate terrine, cherry compôte

(Andy, Shared: Vera and Roland)

Meringue nest, passion fruit and mixed berries 

(Franc, Shared: Oscar and Darren)

Cheese: (Shared: Darren and Oscar)

• St Maure de Touraine, France(soft, goat’s milk, unpasteurised)
• Gubbeen, Ireland (washed rind, semi-soft, cow’s milk, pasteurised)
• Caerphilly Gorwydd, Lampeter, Wales (semi-hard, cow’s milk, unpasteurised)
• Brezain, France (semi-soft, cow’s milk, unpasteurised)
• Cashel Blue, Ireland (blue, cow’s milk, pasteurised)

 

Observations: (collective and individual)

We didn't make eye contact w. the locals.

• The service was attentive (Franc)
• The starter (salad) was okay, but it would have been better with warm potatoes. (Oscar)
• The beef could have been a little more tender. I wish I had ordered the pork, it was awesome. (Oscar)
• The pork was amazing, juicy and succulent. The Yorkshire pudding was bland and cardboardy. (Andy)
• Roast Beef was very good, and the roast potatoes are (almost!) to die for. (Lev)
• Struggled to choose a dessert, and the marinated strawberries I went for turned out to be surprisingly tasty and unusual.
• Great place, convenient location (Roland)
• Great place, inconvenient location (Nearly the rest of us)
• The fish was quite nice and the roast beef was tender and delicious (Vera)
• Nice atmosphere with a lovely terrace and Thames view (Lev)
• The scoring makes this pub in a tie with our other highest rated pubs.

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)

Our Updated Map of Eats:
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses (see blog's sidebar map or enlarge this one for all pubs)

View The Quest for the Best Sunday Roast in a larger map

Bacchus Pub and Kitchen, Hoxton

Bacchus Pub and Kitchen

After a few weeks off with a kitten and a trip to Asia, we picked up the Quest again at Hoxton's Bacchus.  Darren found this place with the help of our good friend, Google.

Joining us on the Quest today are Oscar and Darren.

After walking in the London Heatwave, we were very happy to arrive at this venue and enjoy its gentle air conditioning. The Roasts looked great.

We quickly settled in and reviewed the menu.


Dishes Ordered:
 

Pan Fried Peapods with Garlic and Chili

Whole Butterflied Sea Bass with Herb Butter, Sauteed New Potatoes, Samphire Caper and Parsley Dressing

(Franc)

 

12 Hour Roasted Hereford Sirloin , Goose Fat Roast Potatoes, Broccoli, Yorkshire, Peas and Leeks, Stuffing and Gravy

(Oscar, Darren)

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Creme Anglaise

(Franc)

Apple and Summer Berry Crumble with Vanilla cream

(Darren)

Chocolate Fondant, Bitter Chocolate Ice Cream

(Oscar)

Observations: (collective and individual)

a quiet corner between tables

*Note: This was a bit of a lazy day- had we not liked this pub so much, we might not have bothered scoring.  

• The Staff was really enthusiastic about the food, and our waitress took very good care of us. (Franc)
• The Starter was great, the dessert was great, the beef was a little stringier that I'd have liked (Oscar)
• My first bite of beef nearly put me off (the stringy bit), but the rest of the meal made up for it. (Darren)
• The fish was nicely seasoned and well filleted. (Franc)
• The Sticky Toffee Pudding was a perfectly sized portion. (Franc)
• The music was a bit loud, and our request that it be turned down a bit was graciously accommodated.  (Darren)
• They even found some Leffe for Oscar!
• I got everything I asked for, delivered by cute waitresses! (Oscar)

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)

Our Updated Map of Eats:
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses (view larger or blog's sidebar map for all pubs)

View The Quest for the Best Sunday Roast in a larger map

The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell

Today's stop is a local venue where we've enjoyed dinner, The Modern Pantry. The last time we had dinner here was in January, and we enjoyed it so much that I'm surprised it has taken us so long to return. Surely, this restaurant would give our local roast favorites a challenge!

It was a last minute choice this morning, and when we rang at 11ish for a 1230 reservation, we should have taken note when we were (rather oddly) advised our table was only available until 200p.

Joining us on the Quest today are Vera, Roland, Oscar, and Darren. The Sunday menu from their website, offering both brunch and lunch, is here. Today's menu differed a bit, but the sample menu is a good representation of the offerings.

Dishes Ordered:
We went for the set menu. 

Appetizers: 
Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures of the appetizers because the soup arrived before the fritters, and when the fritters arrived, only two orders were delivered. Darren waited another ten minutes for his appetizer.

• Okra, courgette, turmeric, and feta fritters, mango and ginger puree
• Smoky aubergine soup, tahini yogurt, Turkish chili oil

Mains:

• Poached Guinea Fowl , Plum, Nectarine, and Hijiki relish - served with spiced roast potatoes, carrot and parsnip quinoa, Yorkshire pudding
  (Vera, Darren, Franc)

• Roast Saddle of Lamb, Smoked Anchovy, and Tomatillo -
  served with spiced roast potatoes, carrot and parsnip quinoa, Yorkshire pudding
  (Roland, Oscar)

Desserts:

• Yuzu, lime, kiwi, and green tea sorbet
  (Vera)

• Gooseberry, Buckwheat, and Oat Crumble, White Chocolate Creme Anglaise
  (Darren and Roland)

• Spiced apple and raspberry tart, Eton Mess ice cream (Split by Oscar and Franc)

 

• A selection of cheeses, The Modern Pantry Chutney, Oatcakes (Split by Oscar and Franc)

Observations: (collective and individual)

• The service was awful throughout. The venue was not packed.
• When we asked our waitress if we could order drinks, she told us that they were being prepared, as though we were terribly impatient. When we alerted her to the fact that no drinks had been ordered, she stopped to take our order. I ordered one Bloody Mary, and she acknowledged by saying, "one pitcher". I explained that only one person wanted a Bloody Mary and that a single glass would be fine, and she pointed at a visibly pregnant Vera and tried to make it seem like Vera had telepathically asked her for a Bloody Mary as well.
• As mentioned before, the appetizers didn't all come at once, and one order of fritters came late from a server other than our waitress, with an apology
• We were never asked if we'd like more drinks or another bottle of water. 
• When giving our dessert orders, the waitress repeated back that we requested three crumbles when we had requested two. It was as though she really never listened to what we asked for.
  
  
  
  
• The bill, when it was finally presented, was incorrect. We had been charged the set menu for courses rate with each dessert billed at full price.
• The service sucked. It was neither friendly nor intuitive. (Oscar)
• Yorkshire pudding with the main was fine, but out of place. It should have been presented with a dish that included gravy. (Franc)
  
• There should have been a beef or pork option (Oscar)
  
• Excellent selection of local beer (Oscar, Roland, Darren)
  
• The Aubergine soup was OK - nothing special (Oscar)
  
• It took them ten minutes to bring mustard, had I waited for it, my lunch would have gone cold. (Oscar)
• I liked the food (Vera)
• Oscar and Darren didn't like the gravel (aka: cous cous), but I really liked it (Franc)
  
• The venue is sparsely decorated, and as there's nothing to absorb the sound, it is surprisingly loud.
• What decor? (Oscar)
• I like my dessert (Darren)
  
• The cheese plate was OK. It would have been nice if the waitress had identified the cheeses and thought to suggest a glass of port.  (Franc)
  
• This experience really shows how bad service can really color one's impression.
• The Eton Mess ice cream is brilliant. I am going to try to replicate this at home. It's wonderful. (Franc)
  
• The service was so poor, I told the server to remove the gratuity from the check. She did so apathetically and made no inquiry as to why I had elected to do so.I have never asked a server to do this. (Franc)
  

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)

Our Updated Map of Eats:

View The Quest for the Best Sunday Roast in a larger map
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses

The Water Poet, Shoreditch

The long-neglected Quest resumes today after a two month break with a visit to The Water Poet in Shoreditch.

We've walked by this pub a number of times, each time planning to lunch. Better late than never!

Joining the today are Darren, Andy, and Neil,the latter two both making a Quest debut. Everyone else left us for the holiday weekend.

You can check out the The Water Poet's online Sample Sunday Lunch Menu, but I've posted a photo of the actual menu from today to the left.

Dishes Ordered: (Pictured left to right):

• Roast Sirloin of Beef,  roast potatoes, parsnips, cabbage, carrots, yorkshire pudding, and real gravy
• Roast Chicken Breast, onion and mixed herb stuffing, roast potatoes, parsnips, cabbage, carrots, Yorkshire pudding, and real gravy
• Beer Battered haddock fillet, chips, creamed peas

      

 

Observations: (collective and individual)

• Large screen TV in Dining Room = Bad (Darren)
• Large screen TV in Dining Room = not Bad (Neil)
• The food was good, and I liked the half cabbage (Darren)
• The cabbage hunk in unwieldy, but OK  (Andy)
• I tend to lean towards pro-eggplant cuisines rather than pro-cabbage (Neil, whose meal did not include cabbage)
• The meat had a bit of fat on it, which I like, and the veg were nice (Andy)
• This pub is much bigger than it looks from the outside (Darren)
• Biggest Yorkshire, ever.
• Waitress has a cute outfit, which encourages my environment score of 3.5 (Andy)
• Fish  and Chips was above average and oddly shaped in a good way... triangular; not sure where inside the fish this cut comes from. (Neil)
• The service was good, and the venue was nicely decorated. (Franc)
• The mushy peas were interesting in a good way and a bit nutty (Neil)
• The fish batter was a bit heavy and Crisco-ish (Neil)
• My chicken was delicious (Franc)
  

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)
Our Updated Map of Eats:
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses, with the larger map in the widget on the right

View The Quest for the Best Sunday Roast in a larger map

The Duke of Cambridge, Islington

After a few roast-less weeks, we return to the Quest with a visit to Islington's The Duke of Cambridge, an eco-friendly, organic pub near the Angel tube stop.

Our 1330 reservation was well timed, and we arrived to find everything ready for us, including a delicious snack of fresh bread and olive oil.




Joining us on the Quest today were Vera, Roland, Darren, Oscar, and Oscar's colleague from Milan, Giovanni (aka: Italian Oscar)


The menus change frequently, and after checking out the board, we made a few selections while awaiting the arrival of Oscar(UK) and Oscar(IT).





Dishes Ordered: (Pictured left to right)
So, as the Oscars were late due to Oscar(IT) arriving from Milan midday, we started with appetizers to share

• Chicken Liver Pate
  
• Baked Camembert
  

...and then, along came beef roast for six.

The beef roast comes with:
Roast potatoes, Red Cabbage, Carrot & Parsnip Mash, Gravy, and Horseradish Cream.
As a bonus, it also came with a yorkshire pudding, not mentioned on the menu board. (take that, Sun in Splendour!)
At £18.75, I couldn't help but think it should also come with a hug.


Despite being full, in the interests of journalism, we had to have a bit of dessert:

• Apple Crumble w Creme Fraiche
  
• Cheese Board
  

Observations: (collective and individual)

• "The problem with organic cows is that they get too much exercise." (Roland)
• "You ate even more than me!" (Roland to Vera)
• My appetizer was great. Far better than my entree. (Darren)
• Apple crumble is awful. None of us would eat it. (Darren)
• The main was drowned in gravy, which is disappointing. The cheese plate redeemed some of it. (Oscar)
• The meat wasn't very flavorful (Oscar)
• Worst yorkshire, ever. It was dense like a sponge. (Darren, picture to the right)
• Our waitress was cute, and she took very good care of us (Darren)
• Very generous portions (Oscar)
• The hand dryer in the bathroom, while not a Dyson Airblade, was still pretty good. It definitely made the skin on the back of my hands flap. (Franc)
• Is there an organic tax of 30%? (Darren)
  
• The food itself was nothing special (Giovanni)
• I like the atmosphere, the appetizers were very good. (Vera)
• The appetizers were good, the main left something to be desired. Overpriced. (Roland)
• I expected much more flavorful food, but it was a bit disappointing. (Franc)
  

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)








Our Updated Map of Eats:
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses

View

The Orange, Pimlico

This weekend's stop was Pimlico's The Orange, which was proposed by Oscar after a bit of online research.

Despite miserable weather outside, we all made it to the venue, ready for lunch.

Joining us on the Quest today were Oscar, Darren, and Pinar, on her quest debut.

The Orange offers both a Sunday Menu and a Regular Menu,
and we enjoyed the offerings of both today. Pinar's late arrival gave us an excuse to start off with some garlic bread.



Dishes Ordered: (Pictured left to right)

• 28 day aged Castle of Mey beef rib (Pinar, Oscar, Darren)
  
• Salmon... the details of which are long gone (It wasn't on the online menu) (Franc)
  

and then there was more...

• Orange & white chocolate mousse, spiced oranges (Darren)
  
• Baked cheesecake, poached rhubarb (Pinar - shared)
  
• Selection of country cheeses & biscuits (Oscar & Franc - shared)
  

Observations: (collective and individual)

• The service was not as fast as hoped, but it wasn't slow, either. (Oscar)
• Pleasant- definitely more right than wrong (Oscar)
• I like the fireplace. The decor is a bit characterless. (Darren)
• Generous portions (Pinar)
• Salmon crust was a bit too salty, but the fish was very good. (Franc)
• When we tried to change our booking three days prior, it was full, but the place didn't fill up until towards the end of our meal (Oscar) The picture to the right was taken when we arrived around 115.
  
• One of the best Sunday lunches I've had (Pinar, who determined that the has eaten approximately ten Sunday roasts, ever)
• Staff delivers as asked- but no effort to go beyond (Franc)
• Something feels missing (Oscar)
• Cozy, and the desserts were nice (Pinar)
• The meat was good, and service was okay. (Darren)
• Would come again but not next week (Oscar)
• It feels a bit sterile, like a US Pottery Barn store (Franc)
• ....and a lewd comment about the lack of Dyson Airblade. Use your imaginations.
  

On to the scores: (awarded on these guidelines)







Our Updated Map of Eats:
*note: All Pubs visited including today's are noted with their scores in parentheses

View The Quest for the Best Sunday Roast in a larger map