Sunday Style at Scott’s in Sunny Richmond – What better way is there to spend a winter Sunday afternoon than enjoy a good roast lunch.
Actually, it felt wonderfully spring-like last Sunday as we headed over to Richmond Riverside to try the recently launched Sunday roast at Scott’s Richmond. A few years ago, now, Scott’s nabbed, arguably, the best location on Richmond Riverside and transformed the former Revolution bar into a stunningly beautiful venue. It’s one, by all accounts, that’s a destination for the glitterati of SW London, often joined by their pals from busy central London seeking a little jaunt to somewhere quieter, less urban and built up.
If you’re lucky enough to bag a table by the window, you can enjoy the river view as well as observing the seamless service and the central bar where the mixologists are busily making cocktails. The interior is simply sensational – I dread to think how much was invested in its transformation.
We started with a mocktail for my husband (who’s recently decided to try life without alcohol) and a glass of house champagne for me. He chose to start his lunch with Wild mushroom soup with pickled walnut and Stilton muffin and having tried the delicious baked crab on a previous occasion, this time I chose Devon crab with green apple remoulade, fennel and lemon mayonnaise. The soup was proclaimed excellent and knowing that we were going to have a roast for the main course, the crab was the ideal starter: delicate and lightly seasoned, allowing the hero crab to hold its own.
While Scott’s is renowned for its seafood, the roast sirloin of Argentinian Black Angus beef served as the Sunday Roast is worth a trip. We were advised that it would be served pink (the pinker the better as far as I’m concerned). Two beautifully pink slices, accompanied by roast potatoes and a mega Yorkshire pud were joined by some seasonal veg (roast carrots, peas, and cabbage), gravy and horseradish sauce. The spuds were the crispiest roasties I’ve ever had and were sensational. The beef was beautifully tender and flavoursome, and I’d forgotten how delicious cabbage can be (especially if dripping in butter as ours was). A glass of Malbec and an alcohol-free beer paired well with our mains.
I foolishly thought that a dessert of Amedei chocolate mousse with blood orange would be a light(ish) finale to our meal. Reader, it was so smooth and rich and was spectacularly presented with a chocolate tuile with candied cacao nibs’ lid. The orange sorbet offset it perfectly, but I still didn’t manage to finish it. My husband sensibly opted for a selection of home-made ice creams.
The Sunday roast at Scott’s isn’t cheap (£32 a head) but when one compares it with the cost of a roast in a pub or other restaurant, and considers the amazing setting it’s served in, it really does offer a splendid way to spend a Sunday afternoon (with people spotting thrown in).
Later this month, there’s an exclusive culinary partnership between Scott’s and Harry’s Bar, the esteemed Private Members’ Club founded in 1979. From 6pm, Monday 18th – Thursday 21st March, one can step into a realm of further opulence, as Upstairs at Scott’s is transformed into a haven of Italian decadence, with a special A La Carte menu paying homage to Harry’s Venetian roots. From the food menu to the drinks, iconic Harry’s crockery, and look-and-feel, you will have the opportunity to experience a taste of Harry’s Bar in Richmond. You can also be transported to the sun-kissed landscapes of Northern Italy through cocktails, including the iconic Bellini (£12) made from white peaches, lemon, and Prosecco, perfectly encapsulating the spirit of Harry’s Bar. There are also live music performances on the evenings of Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 March, to accompany a taste of la dolce vita!
The Seasoned Gastronome