Restaurant Review: The Palmerston

Classic pub, classic Sunday, classic food. Bad football result.

“Are you vegan or vegetarian?” asked the waiter when he took our order. I wanted to reply “Neither, I just don’t want to die.” But I thought that might kill the mood so I just politely said I wanted to try the nut roast because it sounded healthy. Which meant sitting for an hour on a sunny Sunday afternoon and drooling over my partner’s pork.

I’ve been meaning to review a ‘proper’ Sunday pub lunch for a while but needed someone with me so I could take a taste of their meat (why does every mention of meat sound smutty?). I finally had the opportunity this weekend and headed straight for The Palmerston on Lordship Lane. It’s in a great location on the corner of North Cross Road and was one of the first pubs to be tarted up as SE22 became gentrified and has a pretty good reputation, though as they don’t seem to show live football (though I did spot a screen) I don’t tend to frequent it.

We dithered a bit about going there and actually wandered up to The Actress on the corner of North Cross Road and Crystal Palace Road, which was showing some football, but when I realised that the Wolves v Spurs match wasn’t being shown anywhere (let’s face it, would you want to see Spurs at the moment?) we wandered back down and took a nice large table next to the front door. The service was friendly and while the restaurant was crowded, it didn’t ever feel too noisy.

The menu looked good, but we weren’t that hungry so decided to share a starter of spiced aubergine, coconut yoghurt and sourdough. At least that’s what I think we ordered. What came was our mains. No big deal. We had large plates of piled high food in front of us and at that point in time that was what mattered.

My partner had the pork, I had the nut roast. I think the reason I’d been asked if I was vegan or vegetarian was so that they knew whether to give me a Yorkshire pudding, which I presume had an egg and maybe some dairy in it. I declined, but when I saw my partner’s Yorkshire I vowed on the spot never to turn down a Yorkshire pudding again. I know it’s basically pancake mix, but there is something special about a well-cooked Yorkshire . Sometimes they can be heavy and sit in your stomach until 3am. This one – yes reader, I took a bite – was so gloriously light and fluffy I thought it might float away on the gentle breeze blowing in through the door.

I also tried the pork, a generous crackling-coated slice cut from a roll. It was a little on the fatty side, which I know some people would like, and not just those with a death wish. The fat helps to give the pork its piggy flavour and the small cube I sampled was certainly mouth-watering. It took all my will power to resist trying more. Also my partner wanted the rest for herself.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a nut roast before. Certainly not one in pastry – maybe call it a Nut Roast Pie or Nut Roast Wellington. For me the words ‘nut roast’ evoke thoughts of the inevitable-1980s-veggie-option and non-meat food has come a long way since then so this felt like a throwback. If that’s the case though please throw me back. Cutting open the pastry that was perched on a bed of neatly-cooked kale and cabbage (same veg for both of us) revealed a lentil-based base topped off with Portobello mushrooms and carrots. Just the right amount of moist.

Talking of moist, I was pretty envious of the gravy that came with the pork so I asked for some too and covered my carrots, parsnips and roast potatoes in that. Perhaps my meal should have come with gravy anyway, but given that they brought me a large jug all to myself I’m prepared to overlook that oversight if it was an oversight.

The meal was just the right mix of old fashioned comfort food and modern presentation. As you can see in the pictures it didn’t quite cover the plate as it would have been if your mum made it, but that was only because each element was fashionably balanced on top of the next. It was almost a shame to take it apart. Imagine a cross between pub grub and Jenga.

The result? Nothing too pretentious but just what we needed and a total bill with a drink that came to a little bit under £50. The other result? Spurs lost 4:2. At least this lunch was a resounding victory.

The Palmerston, 91 Lordship Lane, SE22 8EP.

All meals paid for and identity not revealed before or after.