Situated in the heart of London’s commercial quarter, in the picturesquely cobbled Leadenhall Market, Lamb Tavern is a gem to behold in capturing the essence of a gastro-pub with fine dining.
Our lovely waitress, who was attentive and accommodating throughout the evening, led us to our table and took our drinks order. We were then served some bread, which was deliciously soft and tasty. I can assure you that this was not merely because we were hungry; in fact we had both remarked on our way to the restaurant that we were concerned about a lack of appetite! The restaurant boasts an impressive wine list for any palate, and while Milly enjoyed a light Pinot Grigio, I savoured a deep and spicy Spanish Rioja.
For our starters we sampled the Homemade French Onion Soup with fresh Campaillou bread. This was hearty and warm, with a broth-like consistency and was just the right size portion-wise. If anything, the seasoning was a little heavy handed with black pepper, but because it came with more of the famed bread we were somewhat forgiving. Our other starter was Traditional Grilled Black Pudding with smoked bacon and free range poached egg, drizzled with a beetroot and pesto jus. This was beautifully presented, and the runny poached egg nicely complimented the central strong meaty flavours. The jus was somewhat underwhelming, however, in that it did not really stand up to the rest of the dish.
Meat was the theme of the main course; we chose Lamb Tavern Gourmet Burger and the Chargrilled 10 oz Sirloin Steak in homemade peppercorn sauce, both served with triple cooked hand cut chips. These dishes really made their mark as high quality gastro pub cuisine. The burger was delicious without a hint of dryness throughout and was accompanied by a beautiful summer salad in a honey and mustard dressing. We had the steak done ‘medium-well’, and although it tended more towards well done in my opinion, it was still lovely, and the peppercorn sauce with caramelised onions through it was the perfect addition. The humongous chips tasted rich and were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – just as they should be!
After this tour de force of a meal, we could only manage a dessert between us. We opted for the Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream. I think this was our highlight; it was wonderfully moist and warm, with a lovely toffee sauce that was not overbearingly sweet (my pet peeve with sticky toffee puddings). The ice cream was creamy and light and melted beautifully with the sauce.
If you are looking for gastro pub dining with a touch more elegance and class, then I thoroughly recommend Lamb Tavern. Your evening will be further enhanced by the quintessentially English surroundings of Leadenhall market.
The Lamb Tavern will be hosting a Jubilee Street Party on Sunday 3rd June. For more information visit The Lamb Tavern’s website here.
Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Mark McCloskey.