Neil Littman takes on the arduous task of eating three roast dinners at three different Enfield pubs

One of the most traditional, enjoyable, and sociable dining experiences is a Sunday roast at the local pub. At least, that has been my experience going back to when, as a seven-year-old, I walked into a pub kitchen and asked if I could have another portion of Yorkshire pudding thinking I was eating at home!

This month’s review features three roasts from around Enfield borough that I have rated as basic/better/best, in that order.

First up, The Stag and Hounds in Bury Street West, Edmonton. The pub is part of the Ember Inns chain and dates from the 19th Century, but was completely rebuilt in mock Tudor style in 1925.

I had my favourite pint, a Doom Bar, with my chicken roast. It was a good-size portion of food, but I felt the veg were a bit overcooked. The roast potatoes also looked and tasted processed like a well-known brand sold in freezer packs. On the other hand, it represents good value for money at £17.29, including my beer. Other roasts and veggie options are available. In conclusion – basic.

A few weeks later I visited my local, The Kings Head in The Green, Winchmore Hill. This pub, rebuilt in 1899, has a large dining area and is extremely popular. They were very busy when I was there at 2.15pm and as I hadn’t thought to book a table, I ended up dining in the main bar area, but this was perfectly acceptable.

I ordered the ‘half a Somerset Hubbard chicken’ advertised as served, with five vegetables and bacon and sage stuffing. It was a massive portion with a Yorkshire pudding precariously perched on top.

I could not find the ‘sage fricassee’ which I think was their description of the stuffing, but that didn’t matter. Everything worked well. The roast potatoes were soft on top and very crunchy underneath and the Yorkshire pudding is best dipped in the gravy. The bill came to £26.50 including a pint of Young’s. In conclusion – better.

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Finally, I ventured up to The Rose and Crown in Clay Hill. After trying to book for three weeks I finally got a table on Easter Sunday. I had been informed at the time of booking that there was a dining time of one-and-a-half hours (although we were not rushed).

The Rose and Crown is one of the oldest pubs in the borough and is thought to date from 1706 – it was reputedly once owned by the grandfather of Dick Turpin, one of England’s most notorious highwaymen (as my friend said: “If I had a quid for every pub associated with Dick Turpin…”).

The pub is now run by Stef and Allan who previously worked at the Fat Duck with Heston Blumenthal, and it turned out to be well worth the wait.

Fortunately, the food didn’t involve any chemistry experiments, for which Heston is renowned. We started with some mixed olives with garlic and chilli followed by the chicken roast for myself and roast beef for my friend. Both arrived with a selection of vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding. The roast potatoes were perfect. We somehow made the tough decision to find room for their homemade tiramisu.

The cost was £30 each, including a beer and the dessert. There are plenty of options for vegetarians. In conclusion – the best!

Find out more about The Stag and Hounds and book a table:
Visit emberinns.co.uk

Find out more about The King’s Head and book a table:
Visit thekingsheadn21.co.uk

Find out more about The Rose and Crown and book a table:
Visit roseandcrownclayhill.co.uk

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