Restaurant Review: The Lordship
The quest for the perfect Sunday lunch continues...
The Lordship pub is another of those SE22 venues that has a history. Off the top of my head it’s been the Magdala and the Magnolia in recent years. For a while it was home to the East Dulwich Comedy Club after it was turfed out of the East Dulwich Tavern. I saw some great gigs here two decades ago. And best of all, it was only about three minutes walk from my home.
It’s still only a three minute walk from my home but there are sadly no more comedy gigs here. The mock tudor beamed back of the pub where they used to happen is now a spacious, airy dining room, with an outdoors and an indoors. The furniture is light, wooden and vintage. If it was sourced from a junk shop it was a very classy junk shop. Those big tables don’t come cheap.
There was just of us plus dog but we had a nice big square table facing the kitchen area. I often wonder what goes on in the kitchen. Here I could see a whole team of white-coated (male) staff beavering away and taking things very seriously. It all boded well for a top quality meal.
And it certainly kicked off well. We decided to share a vegan starter of grilled asparagus in romesco sauce (£10.25). I’m not a big fan of asparagus, but if you’ve followed my tedious health journey you’ll know why I ordered it. And it was way nicer than this vegetable had any right to be. Grilled will always be my preference over boiled or steamed from now on.
Romesco sauce, which has its roots in Catalonia, is usually served with fish, but here it gave a decent kick to the asparagus that perched on it, with tomato and garlic combining well with the peppers and all topped off with a sprinkle of almonds. To be honest the sauce would have gone down well with some sourdough, some bruschetta, anything that can be dipped.
When it came to mains I went for the healthiest option on the menu, the chipotle-marinated cauliflower steak (£16.75). My lucky partner went for the poussin. Both came with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, carrots, garden peas and green beans, so I didn’t feel I was missing out too much on the Sunday roast experience.
In fact when the plates were served it was better than expected. There was also a dish of broccoli in white sauce which I don’t remember ordering and we weren’t charged for it so I guess it was part of the meal. I also asked for some meat gravy and that came in a dinky little jug.
The cauliflower was a bit full on if I might say. Let’s be honest - here’s a picture below. Does it look like a brain to you because it sure looks like a brain to me. A big one at that, which was slightly off-putting. But the fragrant chipotle sauce – not a million miles away from the delicious harissa sauce that has taken up permanent residence in our fridge – took my mind off the thought that I was recreating a scene from Silence of the Lambs.
I was definitely grateful for the gravy. the vegetables were very much on the al dente side. The carrots were almost as crunchy as they might have been if they’d been pulled straight out of the soil. I like them like that, but some might prefer them softer. If I’d had my way the roast potatoes could have done with another thirty minutes in the oven, but they were perfectly OK, particularly suited to soaking up the gravy.
Of course, I spent most of the meal drooling over my partner’s poussin and herb butter (£20.50). There’s something rather decadent about being served a whole bird. Even a small one like this. I behaved myself and in return was allowed to have a couple of slivers of white meat. Tender and moist and the highlight of the meal. If we’d been eating it at home I’d have picked at the carcass like a vulture, but I was under strict orders to keep my mitts off.
If Sunday lunches were a league table, I have to be honest, this wasn’t the best I’ve had in SE22. But it was good and filling and the Lordship is a great space. The atmosphere was buzzy without being overwhelming. And did I mention it’s only a three-minute walk from home? It’s an independent pub and it really feels as if a lot of work has gone into creating a pleasing ambience. The service was efficient and friendly without ever being overeager to please – our dog got a bowl of water before we had even ordered. I just hope that thinking about that cauliflower and Hannibal Lecter doesn’t give me nightmares.
The Lordship, 211 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HA.
All meals paid for and identity not revealed before or after.T