Another thing I miss about living in the UK is the Sunday Roast. Even though it came about as a response to Christianity and fasting (because it was perfectly okay to eat a giant meal after Sunday service, but not before), it’s still a fun tradition with a plethora of options for meat and sides. When I knew I was heading back to London, I needed to find an amazing roast, and thankfully a friend showed me all the deets about the Sunday Roast at Dovetale. I have another friend who is definitely a meat and potatoes type of guy, so four of us headed over to give it a try. We only found out later that the restaurant is headed by a Michelin Starred chef, Tom Sellars, which gave us high hopes for the meal. We also arrived early, so we checked out the bar in the hotel, and I can’t recommend this bar enough as it had incredibly interesting cocktails to enjoy.
For £59, one can get a three course roast lunch/dinner with a starter, a main course (and for those who don’t eat meat, they had non-roast options) and a dessert. This seemed liked the way to go to try out a variety of dishes, so we all ordered three courses, two of us starting with the burrata with oil, salt and peppers, and two of us starting with the country pate. We all had roast beef, but ordered two extra sides for the table: Truffled cauliflower cheese and pigs in blankets (which is the UK is sausages wrapped in bacon).
I do love a good burrata, but I honestly was expecting there to be a salad or something with it, and while it was an excellent example of the cheese, I do feel like perhaps something else would have enhanced it a bit. Both diners loved the country pate, but it was also a huge chunk, so if you go and decide on three courses, definitely go very hungry.
But honestly, it was the roast we were excited about and there for, and they definitely didn’t disappoint when they came out. They were all served with a massive and excellently cooked traditional side of a Yorkshire pudding, but other sides included with the order were cabbage, roast potatoes and mashed turnips. Pair that with some amazing gravy, and it was definitely a roast lover’s paradise. The beef was perfectly cooked and delicious, and the sides were all spot on. I do have to say that the truffled cauliflower cheese wasn’t a wow for me though, so perhaps ordering it extra was a bit superfluous.
Finally it was time for desserts, and they had traditional British desserts on the menu with a British cheese board, sticky toffee pudding, crumble, and a Knickerbocker Glory trolley. I had to go for the Knickerbocker Glory which is basically a build-your-own multi-layer ice cream sundae, but between us all we tried all the desserts on offer. The sticky toffee pudding comes with ice cream, but you can definitely order custard on the side to go with if you like something extra. The Knickerbocker Glory came with a fun menu and a card to fill out, and as you can see from my photo, I definitely kept changing my mind, but what I ended up with was absolutely amazing.
The whole meal was fantastic, although the service was a bit spotty as they couldn’t remember who had still or sparkling water, but it did make for an amusing anecdote for us at the table. They have a tremendous wine list, so you can find something really special to go with your roast if you like. Overall, everyone at the table enjoyed their food, although we all felt that perhaps the three courses was a bit excessive, so maybe next time I’d just stick with the roast and dessert. But if you’re looking for a high quality Sunday Roast to enjoy with family or friends, or to experience if you’re a London visitor, then Dovetale is an excellent choice for you.
Score: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Roast beef and the Knickerbocker Glory! And definitely check out the bar.
Dovetale
1 Dover Yard
London W1J 8NE, United Kingdom
