6 months ago
Roast season is upon us so we are featuring some of the very best Sunday lunches you can get your hands on in Clapham.
The Phoenix has just launched their Sunday roast and, as you’d expect from this lively pub on Clapham Road, it’s a lively roast too. Spiked with influences from India this isn’t a classic Great British roast… but it’s still great. Unique, delicious and affordable we’d say this is a must-add to your list when you want to shake things up a little bit.
Ambience
As we were there on one of those gorgeously crisp autumn Sundays we sat in the secret garden out back. We had a backdrop of a colourful, fun mural and soft soulful tunes that weren’t too harsh or loud (AKA they were ‘hangover safe’). If you’re not blessed with a day like ours then don’t fret. Inside is classic and cosy and exactly the kind of place you could hunker down in if it was blowing a gale outside.
The Food
Most roasts would be prefaced with something hearty like a soup or a pâté. But not here. We kicked off with banana fritters which Anu, the head chef, recreated from her childhood. Crispy, golden and full of soul, a theme that continued throughout our meal. This food is made with love and ok, it wasn’t conventional but banana fritters are our new favourite roast side.
The rest of the menu was simple; there’s a chicken, lamb or nut roast to pick between. All came with a bundle of exciting, Indian influenced sides. We went for the chicken (one leg, marinaded in a load of spices) and the nut roast. The veggies out there will understand that a roast can be hit or miss, often being last on the priority list when it comes to Sunday lunch. But this simply isn’t the case at The Phoenix. No shortcuts were taken here; it was home made, tender and fantastically moist. The warm veggie gravy was the perfect accompaniment.
Standouts
It was the sides that made this experience extra special. The Bombay potatoes were fluffy and full of flavour and a light sprinkling of pomegranate seeds added some freshness that roasts often lack. Some roasted and spiced carrots added some sweetness and the chaat cabbage really surprised us- it was what we dived for first on the plate! The backbone of any roast is arguably the Yorkshire pudding. Now, we know they say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but this one was lightly spiced with cumin and it seems to us that The Phoneix have well and truly improved the on classic. Who knew that was even possible.
Price
This has got to be one of the most affordable roasts we’ve seen. Both of our mains came in under £20 and shoutout to the drinks prices too; a large glass of the house red was an easy £6.90.
Chicken: £17.50, Vegetarian: £16.50, Banana fritter starter: £6.50.
There’s nothing like a roasts they are doing at The Phoenix in Clapham. The food was seriously good and a refreshing change to the usual British flavours of a roast. And for a price like that? It’s well worth the trip.
THE ROAST SERIES: We are on a journey to discover some of the very best Sunday roasts in Clapham. Each will have remarks 4 categories: Ambience, The Food, Price and Standouts to make it clear what it is we loved about each one. We will aim to order similarly in every place we try to give you the clearest indication of how it compares to the rest of the neighbourhood. Stay tuned to find your favourite.
