Comforting. Hearty. Homely. The Chelsea Pig‘s Sunday roast is everything a pub meal should be, and then some.
A popular restaurant and gastropub located in London’s west, The Chelsea Pig offers modern and traditional British dishes in an elegant environment. We visited recently on a lovely Sunday afternoon and enjoyed the atmosphere so much, we actually ended up staying there for a good four hours long.
Relaxing into an ever-so-cosy spot just by the warm fireplace, we ordered our starter: a salt & pepper squid dish with chilli jam. This squid was soft and squishy, and the salty crumbed batter was bursting with flavour, complementing the contrasting sweet notes of the chilli jam perfectly. It was super more-ish, but we needed to restrain ourselves for the main course… the Sunday roast, of course.
We ordered two different roasts: Kristen had the 35-day aged topside of Hereford beef and Mel had a gamy leg of Ryland lamb. Both came with a hearty serve of seasonal vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Now, speaking of Yorkshire pudding, can we just say these were the BEST Yorkshire puddings we have had while here in the UK. And since we’d only tried Yorkshire pudding here in the UK (never once had we tried it elsewhere before… do they even exist in Australia?) that’s pretty much saying it’s the best Yorkshire pudding we’ve ever had. So soft and warm on the inside but with delightfully crispy edges and a real dough-y taste… we’d come back if only for more of the pud.
The gravy is the second point we need to raise, because it was again, full of richness and flavour unrivalled by most. Gravy at a pub can often be hit or miss, and you sometimes come across a very watery, bland type if you’re not careful. This gravy, however, exceeded our expectations of any gravy really. Perhaps it was the combination of that with the seasoning on the meat and vegetables, because there was such strong flavour we practically licked the plate clean. It was a lovely thick texture too, adding intensity to the dish.
To finish, we indulged in the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate brownie, both coming with a generous scoop of ice cream to subdue the sweet flavours. The pudding was filled with plenty of dates and swimming in delicious toffee sauce, while the brownie came simply dressed with some berries to add a little freshness to the dish.
Our experience at The Chelsea Pig was relaxing and really enjoyable, due in equal parts to the amazing food and welcoming, friendly staff. If you’re after a comforting Sunday roast in West London, The Chelsea Pig is definitely at the top of our recommendations list.
