Lunchtime Roasting

The other week my good friend Puja (also known to the Twitter world as @Mopicide) invited me out for lunch at Roast.

It was a much deserved treat for the both of us, and the perfect setting to enjoy the views and food while having a catch up. As I've mentioned before, (when I came to Roast for their Full Borough breakfast), the restaurant is stunning, with floor to ceiling French windows looking over Borough market. (Despite sticking out among the shirts of the City on their lunch meetings, we managed to have a relaxing 2 hour lunch with no rush to be moved along for preparation for evening service.) *Air punch*

In the lead up to my visit I kept on looking over the menu in anticipation to help decide on what to order. But that all went out of the window when I walked past another table where someone had just been served the grilled Wester Ross salmon. That was it. Sold. In my tummy please! Yes, I flirted with the idea of looking over the menu (again) and considered the slow roast Wicks Manor pork belly...the crispy Goosnargh chicken breast...the daily special of roast rib of Welsh black beef. But I had already made up my mind. Salmon was the one. The one I planned to devour.

So, before I drivel (or dribble) on too much, I shall leave it to the photos to tell you how incredible the food was...

Grilled Wester Ross salmon with cucumber, fennel, chilli and yoghurt

Heritage tomato salad with red onions and rapeseed oil

Runner beans with mint

Chocolate banoffee pudding with Devonshire clotted cream,

with Jolly Roger (rum, Roast falernum and orange zest)

Buttermilk baked custard and strawberry mess with honeycomb using pasteurised cows milk and vegetable rennet,

with Cherish (bourbon, fresh cherries, cherry bitter, coffee liqueur)

Breakfast at Roast, Borough

On the Bank Holiday Monday at the end of August we booked in to Iqbal Wahhab's renowned restaurant, Roast, for a breakfast treat.

 English Breakfast Tea

Wahhab recently posted a valid rant on his blog to scrap Bank Holidays to make it fairer for those who have to work regardless, especially in the dining industry. But boy was I pleased that Roast was open as usual. I too had to work later that night and my breakfast set the day off to a great start, thank you!

It wasn't too busy at around 10:30 am and we sat at a table by the huge windows overlooking Borough Market. The morning light shone through perfectly which meant I could get some good photos just using my phone!

Looking through the menu I dallied with the idea of getting the fried egg and bacon buttie, maybe even the Eggs Benedict but deep down I'd already decided I was going to order the Full Borough (who was I kidding?). This was a combination of two Cumberland sausages, grilled tomatoes, fried bread, mushrooms, bubble 'n' squeak, black pudding, streaky bacon and a choice of fried, scrambled or poached eggs.

I ordered the dish minus the black pudding (still haven't acquired a taste for it...yet) and chose poached eggs which had perfectly cooked whites and burst with vivid orange gooey goodness under the knife. I don't usually have fried bread with a fry-up but I'm glad I did this time because it wasn't overly greasy and didn't have that horrible gritty texture and taste, instead there was a light crunch to it and actually held the flavour of bread so that it was more like toast.

Full Borough

Although it's not a particularly cheap way to have breakfast (at £15.00) you're certainly getting your money's worth with the quality of ingredients, the skillful cooking and the amount you get. I was genuinely still full by lunchtime so just had a snack until dinner.

The Veggie Borough was also incredible (and a little cheaper at 12.50) with two veggie sausages that were packed with flavour and herbs, grilled tomatoes, a tattie scone, wholemeal toast, mushrooms and a choice of fried, scrambled or poached eggs.

Veggie Borough

If you'd rather go for cheaper options the other breakfast dishes are on average about six quid which is very good value for what you're given.

The Breakfast Boosters looked tasty as well with a selection of freshly made juices - which are more like non-alcoholic cocktails, from taste to presentation. And the English Breakfast tea was a lovely brew to have with the Full Borough. Plus you get about four cups in the teapot which is a bonus! I slightly regret not getting the Silver Needle tea which sounds quite refreshing, but there's always next time eh?!

'Conscious Berry' Breakfast Booster

Verdict? Roast is definitely guilty of creating a special dining experience from when you're greeted as you enter the restaurant, to the service, to the refreshing interior design and of course the enjoyment of eating gorgeous, wholesome food.

When I go back it'll have to be for an actual roast - the haunch of venison looks lethal!

NB: There's also a food-to-go branch at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd's Bush.