Well,
Most of my friends know that I live to indulge in the liquids department on weekends (sometimes on weekdays). We visited this pub after a concert on Saturday evening. That took place in Hyde Park and was an all day affair, so let's just say, neither Justin or I were feeling 100%. We awoke around noontime by Aisling calling (yes, same one from the other post) us asking if we'd like to go down for a Sunday "lunch." We said that we would indeed!
A "Sunday Lunch" is also a very important part of British culture (when I say British I mean all of the parts as a whole-- you need to understand there are separate countries within the Union). Even if you eat around 5 or 6pm, it's still called Sunday Lunch. I know, it's odd... but that's tradition. I guess it was traditionally served during the daylight hours. It is also called the same thing if someone cooks it at home. Okay, tutorial aside, let's get into the subject matter, the pub.
The Alwyne Castle is located in a fairly busy part of Islington, a North London Borough (London has thirty-two as opposed to NYC's five). Islington is an area for young professionals and because of this, it's a hip place to live and hang. Angel is another nice area within Islington (if you ever want to go out in London, this is a safe bet!). Because of the locale, the establishments in the area are more upmarket than some other areas in London, but not as high-class as Kensington/Knightsbridge).
We arrived at the pub around 1pm, feeling a bit worse for wear. Pints? Sure! Justin abstained. Actually I think I may have been the only one on "The Hair of the Dog." No surprise to my mates anyway. The pub is a very large and also has a huge beer garden. There are also many tables out in front of the pub. We chose to sit outside, as the weather was very pleasant (yes, London does have nice weather....at times). The interior of the pub consists of three very well appointed rooms (I was told it was recently renovated). This is your typical "gastropub."
Gastropub means a pub that goes above and beyond the regular pub fare, adding a culinary twist to those favourite dishes that everyone enjoys so much. So, I went into the situation expecting something outstanding. The pub has a nice drinks selection, it appeared that they also had a decent wine list, which is another sign of a gastropub.
After a bit on pondering, and the lack of lamb on the menu, I ordered beef. No lamb, yet again... The Alwyne tries to use ingredients which are in-season which promotes fresh food, as well as a better environment (not shipping that vegetable across the planet = less carbon emissions). Justin ordered the same and Aisling ordered the Baked Cornish (from Cornwall) Brie and Mushroom Wellington. This of it like Beef Wellington minus the meat. All mains come with roasted potatoes, a Yorkshire Pudding, broccoli and carrots.
"High hopes, we've got high hopes..." My meal came, brilliantly presented, piled high with the "Yorkie" on top. This created a mountain of food. I am used to British beef, I actually like it, grass-fed and free from hormones (yeah, we charge extra for that in the USA). The beef was okay, not tough, but cooked too long for my preference. I was surprised when I ordered it that they didn't ask how I wanted it cooked. Well done = taking all the fun out of meat. The gravy was homemade, that's a plus. The Yorkie was huge! Done nicely, textbook Yorkie. I looked on their website and it says one person is in charge of them on Sundays, give that chef a raise!
Now, please shoot the chef in charge of the veg. The carrots and broccoli were pretty much on the verge of mush. Cooked any longer and I think that they would have melted away in the pot. Perhaps people that eat there like them this way? I can't be sure, but it also cooks out any nutritional value that might have been ingested. The roast potatoes were seasoned nicely, with a simple combination of salt and pepper. I have to admit, my roasties are miles better. I could teach the chef a thing or two. They were edible, but far from the best I've eaten (if you would like the recipe, just ask).
Aisling, from the looks of things, didn't really get into her dish, leaving the majority of it on her plate. I chalked that up to her going out the night before, rather than not enjoy her meal. It did sound interesting, I wish I had asked her to try it.
So, in summary. This pub is recommended by me, for a beautiful place to enjoy a nice Summer's day or check out a match on the tele. If I return (which is quite likely), I will keep things simple and order a burger, or plain steak. That will ensure I get exactly what I want. It's not a bad pub, it just needs a little more pizzazz, which should remedy the issues I experienced. I know my friends will be returning and I will always ask a local's advice.
Pub Patrol is not over yet. :)
The Alwyne Castle
No comments:
Post a Comment