The weekend before last, prior to the arrival of this year's "Big Freeze" I cycled over to Greenwich to meet my brother for Sunday lunch.
I love Greenwich: with its sweeping river views, magnificent architecture, and verdant wide-open spaces, it's very different to central London, and I alway feel like I'm on a bit of a day-trip when I go there (despite only being a 45 minute cycle from my flat).
I caught up with my brother at the Cutty Sark (a useful meeting point!), and we wandered through the Naval College Gardens to The Trafalgar Tavern, a lovely venue right on the banks of the Thames. It was fairly busy inside, with lots of people relaxing with drinks or enjoying a casual Sunday lunch in the lively bar area, but we somehow managed to bag ourselves a window-side table overlooking the river - a perfect location!
Despite being sorely tempted by the fish and chips (the next table seemed to be enjoying theirs) we decided to stick to our original plan and go for the roast. My brother opted for the slow-roast leg of lamb, while I went for the half-chicken with autumn vegetables, stuffing, roast potatoes, and bread sauce.
It was good, solid fare, nothing exceptional, but tasty nonetheless (I was too busy eating to take a photo of my food, which is always a good sign!). My half chicken was succulent and moist, and paired well with the creamy bread sauce and roasted autumn vegetables, while a fairly average disk of stuffing and unexciting cubes of roast potato were saved by the incredible gravy - deep brown and delectably savoury, it made everything it touched taste amazing. While it wasn't the best roast I've had in London (nothing compared to The Albion, say), it was still very enjoyable and pretty good value too.
All in all, with good food, a lively atmosphere, and a fantastic location, I would definitely reccomend dropping into The Trafalgar Tavern if you're ever in the area. The bar is a great place for a drink or relaxed pub lunch, and if you're after something a bit smarter, there's a restaurant too (which I've heard is very nice).
After a satisfying meal and a good sibling catch-up, I cycled home...just in time to catch this beautiful sunset over London Bridge. A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
