Food review, Lockdown Edition: Sunday Roast at the Empress
London Food and Travel Blogger Nicola King reviews the Sunday Roast pick up offering at The Empress on Lauriston Road.
Like so many others, lockdown has made me miss all the amazing cafes, restaurants and bars near Roman Road. My cravings for anything but home cooked meals tend to come every couple of days! It has been great to see so many local establishments pivot their business to include pickup and delivery options in order to continue trading whilst also satisfying the stomachs of local residents.
The Empress is a smart and cosy gastro pub in Victoria Park Village, just a 10 minute walk from Roman Road. They have recently started offering their classic Sunday roast with pre booked pick-up slots available between 12-4pm. All roasts are served with Yorkshire pudding (you can add an extra for £1), braised red cabbage, roast carrots and parsnips, spring greens and roast potatoes. I recommend ordering a portion of cauliflower cheese (easily enough for two people) for an extra £5 – it’s so rich and cheesy.
The food is clearly labelled and well packaged to retain warmth. Just pop some plates in the oven to warm through and heat up the gravy when you are home.
We tucked into the roast beef and roast pork belly dishes. The beef was tender, complimented well by the peppery horseradish sauce. The crackling on the pork belly was the perfect mixture of salty and crispy, and very moreish. The trimmings make this Sunday roast stand out, particularly the roasties, which were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside; the perfect roast potato in my eyes.
Room for dessert and wine?
Make sure you save some room (or just have a break like I did) for dessert. You can opt for an indulgent sticky toffee pudding or apricot bakewell tart, both served with clotted cream. Finally, you can pair your roast dinner with a craft beer, red or white wine when ordering.
So if you are missing the warmth of a cosy pub meal, The Empress is a great option for a satisfying and filling Sunday roast near Roman Road.
The options on offer are:
- Roast Beef: 60 day dry-aged rump of Yorkshire beef with homemade horseradish sauce (£16)
- Roast Pork Belly: Free-range Tamworth pork belly, rolled and stuffed with apple sauce (£14)
- Vegan Roast: Homemade beetroot and nut roast served with vegan gravy (£13)
If you liked this, you might also like to read our review of MȮTHER: the vegan lifestyle cafe of the future.
Nicola King, aka East London Girl, is a food and travel blogger who has been featured in Time Out London and Square Meal, among others. Check out her food on reviews Instagram.
Your local news is at risk
