Now that’s a grand hotel entrance!
The Sunday Roast has held a special place in British hearts for hundreds of years, it’s status verging on mythological and which has survived even the best attempts of competing global cuisines, chain restaurants and pubs to relegate it to EPL status. The challenge is finding a good Sunday Roast, one that makes one feel whole and happier about the state of the World, or one’s family for that matter than one did before lunch.
Happily there has been renewed interest by restauranteurs and chefs to serve a quality offering (including the Red Lion & Sun, and the Parakeet to name but two), and of course there has always been continuity at some restaurants, pubs and some of London’s top hotels – the Holborn Dining Room at the Rosewood London being one.
The Rosewood London has since 2013 occupied the site of the old Pear Assurance headquarters, a grand Edwardian structure with later complimentary additions. Some readers might recognise it through its use as a location in a number of TV shows. Now that the Rosewood London has a new sibling at the Rosewood Chancery (Grosvenor Square), the Grande Dame of High Holborn is not resting on its laurels, it still delivers high class service, and quality to the ‘midtown’ crowd.
The Holborn Dining Room fronts onto High Holborn, and across the entry arch is Scarfes bar (formerly the site of the French restaurant ‘Pearl’ – shout out to Jun Tanaka), both are popular with locals as well as hotel guests. There is also a side door on High Holborn for their brilliant pie take away, the Pie Hole.
The Holborn Dining Room is a handsome classic brasserie.
My guest for lunch was the legendary new wave musician, Salvatore Mulligan, formerly in a host of 80’s and 90’s bands, recordings and tours, now an artist and flaneur about town. On Sunday we were greeted by the Host Manager, Robert Gould, a comforting presence who instantly made us both feel welcome- a good start to a restaurant visit.
The Sunday Roast menu was straightforward with a selection of well curated starters and several roasts to choose from including a vegetable wellington (for those in need). We started with martini’s, straight up with a twist, as that’s the only way to have them (debate me if you dare), excellently mixed at the large gin bar which extends along one wall of the restaurant.
First up were Maldon Oysters, two mouthfuls of the sea, my guest ordered the trout tartare which apparently was excellent too.
Being ‘wine time’ we were fortunate to be guided by the sommelier, the highly informative Roman Barina who picked out two lesser known wines which perfectly paired with our food choices, a Rabigato from the Douro, and a Sangiovese. I would recommend chatting with him should you be served by him when you visit the restaurant as he has a wealth of knowledge to share.
For the main event we chose the roast chicken (for two to share). The whole bird is brought to the table and carved by the server. The skin crisp, the meat moist – just a perfect roast chicken. Yorkshire puddings (perhaps over done to my taste), various vegetables and potatoes, all nicely cooked and presented. It was all one could ask for in a Sunday Roast. The size of the chicken was more than the two of us could finish so a doggy bag was provided – in effect Monday lunch.
To round off the meal a pineapple tart tartine, and a raspberry Bakewell tart were required to complete an excellent Sunday lunch.
One should always ask oneself after a good meal whether one would return to a restaurant, in this case I certainly would. So the Holborn Dining Room is recommended if you are considering eating in a grand but comfortably relaxed brasserie setting, and it definitely meets the brief for a quality Sunday Roast.
The Information
The Holborn Dining Room at the Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London, United Kingdom WC1V 7EN
Reservations: https://holborndiningroom.com/contact/#book
Email: [email protected] – Telephone: 020 37478633
Menus: https://holborndiningroom.com/holborn-dining-room-menus
The Pie Hole: https://shop.rosewoodhotels.com/london/london/dining/the-pie-hole