Only 3 days ticked off the 2018 calendar and already the gloomy weather and gloomier disposition of the first month of the year call for some serious escapism. Our pledges to go dry need cold water poured on, pronto; preferably from a cocktail brimming with crushed ice on a beach somewhere. Alas, our hollow, blustery bank accounts won’t sanction anything resembling a trip to warmer climes.
Seasonal and local it is then, but that needn’t mean an arctic chill blowing off the South Bank. No, the buzzwords here are warmth, comfort and class. Enter Roast, the perfect place to keep the toasty afterglow of the festive season burning.
IDEA
Visitors to London’s Borough Market should all be well trained in the art of feigning interest in the name of garnering a tiny sample of something – whether it be a truffle infused Old Spot salami, Davidstow cheddar or Forman & Son’s smoked salmon. There comes a point though, when the legs get weary, the bluffing half-hearted and the crowds too obstructive to any sense of brio, when you’d really love someone to take the great British produce of the market and beyond, and cook you a damn good meal. Roast is housed above the market and uses the best of the country, season and location to do just that.
LOCATION
Sitting atop Borough Market, and just a 2 minute stroll from London Bridge station, the entrance to the restaurant is at the famous bazaar’s far end. Just look for that reassuringly familiar word Roast and the icon of a burning ember, both reinforcing notions of the warmth within.
ATMOSPHERE
The first thing you’ll notice is noise. Good noise, that is, with chatter of lightly drunk lunchers and the low rumble of trains reminding you where you are and who you’re rubbing shoulders with – the starched white tablecloths a slightly jarring juxtpo to the jovial mood in the room.
The next is the natural light – loads of it – provided by the glorious, dome-shaped skylight and wall to wall windows. The rush of beta-endorphins puts the S.A.D truly at bay for the course of the meal. Or maybe that was just the great food and wine…. Anyway, it’s a brilliant welcome – boosted by energetic staff at the front desk.
FOOD
The season’s overindulgence demands some precision ordering to avoid levels of guilt no resolution could immaculate. So we’ve come to Roast with a couple of rules, like a couple of bores; a fish course each and to prioritise game over red meat (it’s a hard life).
We start with three perfectly seared scallops; plump, sweet and only just done in the middle. These are served alongside a series of things which are in danger of summing a dish bracingly saccharine. In fact, raisins, parsnip, toffee and apple, with inherently sweet scallop, did not have us reaching for the insulin. It’s a fine balancing pulled off with dexterity; the winter apples thankfully sharp and the parsnips bringing earthiness and snap. Alongside this, a pressed game terrine generous with large pieces of liver sitting centrally. The minerally, almost metallic taste so beloved of offal aficionados very much present and correct here.
Being in a place called Roast and not having one, in some guise, would be sacrilege, so we pay our respects at the oven altar, with a trio of bird, turducken affair. It arrives as a single slice – a cross section of the three – and nicely tender; not an easy ask when balancing competing cooking times and temperatures of three fowl. Accompanying was couscous for those wishing to temper their gluttony, and some excellent roasties for the rest of us. The name demands them to be done right. All too often spuds cooked in this manner on this large a scale turn up soggy and old tasting. These were crisp as Walkers. Job done.
All this excitement made the Cornish hake feel like an afterthought but it arrived thick, well cooked and inviting. It was polished off with the gusto of a diner only ordering one course.
DRINK
We were recommended a 2016 Primitivo pinot noir to best serve the fish and fowl, light yet full bodied enough to straddle both species in symphony. It was an excellent choice from a sommelier who glided around the room with grace and poise and offered a similarly astute suggestion of a glass of Coteaux du Layon to finish; cleansing with its high acidity after a rich meal.
WHY GO
Christmas is over but winter sure isn’t. When the New Year’s resolutions turn carnivore, wet and profligate with crushing inevitability, Roast will be there to take you in with a snug embrace, warm you up and take really good care of you. Just ask for a window seat, watch the world go by and imbibe.
Website: www.roast-restaurant.com