Sunday Roast @ The Charles Lamb

I’d wanted to eat at the Charles Lamb for years and I mean years, probably 3 or 4 at least, but with most things in my life things get changed always at the last minute.

After some random comments about where to have lunch including a trip out to Café East, but at the last minute the Charles Lamb came to mind and as it is only a few minutes form the gym. Sunday lunch sorted.

The interior on this given Sunday was all decked out in Halloween motifs as the night before there was the annual ghoulie fiesta.

The pub operates a no booking policy, which I think how all pubs should operate, as I am always frustrated by seeing little “Reserved” cards on tables, especially when the reserves do not show.

A good wine list is written on a chalkboard on the wall and the daily menu written just below.

The menu reads well with some good starters and bar snacks as well as some fine hearty roasts and even half descent veggie options as well.

I was tempted to sample some of the starters but I saw a quince crumble and well as autumn is truly here now, I had to have it, so we went straight for the roasts.

A rare beef and rolled pork belly were ordered as well as a pint of ale and we sat and waited. By this time a large queue had formed by the bar and people were in for a hell of a wait.

The rare roast beef was very good and as promised was rare and seasoned very well. I had a nice beefy taste to it. The yorkies were a tad small but I had two of them to make up for their size, they could have been more crispy. The sides of mashed swede and kale are a sign that autumn is here.

The tatties were a big let down, of the three only one was good, the other two were not very good and one looked like it had been nuked in the kitchen.

The pork belly was very good, nice crackling and was actually better than the beef, no wonder the wife was reluctant to share.

I have to say that at £14 I was a tad disappointed with the quantity of food I got. Only one slice of beef and three small tatties, with one of them nuked to hell. Taste wise very good, portion wise, tight.

This I am noticing a lot recently that portions especially in pubs are decreasing a lot, which in the case of the Jolly Butcher is actually a good thing, but not on my bloody roast.

 I don’t normally, actually really rate I eat a pudding but I couldn’t resist the quince crumble, as I love a good crumble and quince well are only on menus for a short period that we have to make the most of them.

A sizeable portion (at last) of crumble with cream and quite a few pieces of quince on the side as well.

The topping was more sponge than true crumble but it was delish and to be honest I didn’t mind, as the taste was so good, the quince had been sweetened but still had a gloriously lovely taste. Ahh I love autumn.

I like the Charles Lamb, the pub has a lot of character and the vibe is very good, was just a tad disappointed on the portion control and nuked roastie.

I will be returning even if just for a pint in the week, but I’m sure I’ll be trying some of the other dishes as well.