The Set Lunch at Hereford Road

''Poor and content is rich, and rich enough.''
William Shakespeare

Feeling brassic?

Well let's rejoice and celebrate one of London’s best kept secrets- Hereford Road’s Set Lunch. It’s the most perfect food-lover’s respite from the tedious uncertainties to do with the age of austerity.

Three starters, three mains and three puds- 2 courses for £13.00 or 3 courses for £15.50 and only valid from Mondays to Fridays.

And if you’re really über skint then there’s always the Express Lunch- a main course, a glass of wine and coffee for £9.50! (In reality a tenner isn’t really enough so make sure you have 69p spare…12.5% whatnot withstanding).

''...bread and butter, devoid of charm in the drawing-room, is ambrosia eating under a tree.''
Elizabeth Russell (née von Arnim)

Welcoming warm bread and butter served correctly at 21ºC. Gratis and no cover charge, all sorrows disappear thereafter.

''Divine Providence has spread her table everywhere, not with a juiceless green carpet, but with succulent herbage and nourishing grass, upon which most beasts feed.''
Thomas More

Starter of Suckling Pig and Watercress Salad

Wonderfully dressed salad with a generous amount of tender meat and take note, the raison d’être (crackling) was not omitted. Sometimes if you’re lucky enough you might find Deep Fried Calf's Brain or Lamb's Sweetbreads on offer instead.

''My favorite animal is steak.''
Fran Lebowitz

Mains of Onglet, Chips and Aioli.

We call it skirt and the Yanks, hanger- but the French, as always, have a way with words like the sweeter and more euphonic sounding enticement of onglet! Despite the alien nature of the grain and being a little tougher than the usual cuts of steaks, it was packed full of beefy flavour and tasted superb. Accompaniments included great chips, a token leaf salad to comply with the 5 a Day campaign and an excellent garlicky aioli. Capital punishment applies to those buffoons who insist on having the above steak cook beyond medium-rare.

''A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.''
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

The hard to come by but excellent tasting Criffel cheese from Scotland, served with Italian flatbed flatbread. This was a decent sized piece of cheese on a plate and quite unlike certain rip-off artists like here!

Sex is beautiful. But at my age a good apple crumble takes precedence.

Apple Crumble and Cinnamon Ice Cream ordered from the main menu. It was piping hot, delectably sweet, soothing and had the crumbliest topping ever; it was with good reason the most ideal pudding to complete the proverbial last meal.

''I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.''
G.K. Chesterton

Tom Pemberton et al, your restaurant rocks and long may you thrive! Thank you.


My previous review of Hereford Road as an à la carte diner- here.



3 Hereford Road
Westbourne Grove
London W2 4AB

www.herefordroad.org
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