London Trip Report - Dining at Roast - name for neighborhood?

[StevieG]

I was in London for work a couple weeks ago. Staying at Heathrow unfortunately, but we managed to get into the city both nights.

First night we saw Spamalot. Funny in a very silly way, but one should expect that going in. Odd that for something based on Python it really was more knowing about Broadway. So not everything worked in the West End setting.

Next night was more for carousing.

Last time I was there with same colleague (B Dub), we had wanted to eat at Roast, so we made our way over there. Tube to London Bridge, then meandered to the spot. Tough to find at first because it's not on ground level, and the entrance is situated in a market.

Awesome looking market by the way. Poulterers with whole game birds, butchers with great looking cuts of meet, cheese mongers and bakers with inviting spreads.

Roast is supposed to be about old school British eats - with game, beef, lamb, and an emphasis on (ldo) roasts.

But the atmosphere is definitely modern. High ceilings, completely glass exterior walls with a view on the market and pub downstairs. Contemporary leather sofas by the bar, simple straight backed chairs in the dining area. Open view of the kitchen.

We started with a beer at the bar (Hogs Back Traditional English Ale), enjoyable), but after seeign how the bartenders lovingly made cocktails, we decided to switch. My Manhattan was excellent.

Then we sat down to eat. Charmingly, the menu warns "game may contain shot". Well, that's an invitation to have game, so I ordered the roast pheasant, and B Dub got the roast beef.

We started with haggis and potted beef. The potted beef turned out to be a corned beef, served as a cold salad with bits of gherkin pickles. It was delicious, as was the warm haggis.

The beef was pedestrian, but I loved the sauce with the pheasant, and sure enough, I did bite down on something tough, and found a piece of shot in my mouth. Whether a plant or not, still memorable. We got a side of brussel sprouts that were steamed perfectly, and dressed with chestnuts. Surprise hit.

Having dinner we noticed a pub with a good crowd spilling into the street, so after we ate we headed to The Market Porter. We had a few pints, alternately spending time outside in the chilly air, and then inside to warm up a bit, then back out when we felt too crowded again.

Good mix of age groups (and race) in the pub, and some decent eye candy.

That was even more true in Roast, where there were plenty of women on dates, including one particularly good looking blonde in fishnet stockings.

However, what is with the trend in London of women wearing dark colored hose with light colored shoes? I hope it's fad, because it really looks trashy.

After the Market Porter, we stumbled over to Rake, self proclaimed as the smallest pub in London. It was basically a few taps and a fridge, with riot grrls behind the bar making knowledgable suggestions about the Belgian beers they had on offer.

I wish we tried one more spot there and went home, but instead we hit the Sportsman (where I lost money at Blackjack) and the Vic (where I lost a some more quid in a few orbits of running cold). Nothing special there except to see that the Poker room now occupies a whole top floro at the Vic.

All told, I really enjoyed Roast and the neighborhood surrounding the market. So the question is, does that area have a name? Where was I? Would return again.

[jaymajik]

it's called Borough

And the market is Borough Market

[StevieG]

Thanks, jay.