WITH its generous and refined Sunday roast, Colchester's Castle Inn has the ability to dull any hunger and quickly put a smile on the face of even the weariest of weekend visitor.
On this occasion, that's me.
Arriving at the spacious pub at 11.25am (better safe than sorry), I was in plenty of time for the roast.
While speaking to the lovely, professional, and politely persuasive bartender, my eye was taken in by the striking Cruzcampo beer tap, a drink I had heard of but never had.
Perhaps it was the pretty glass it was served in, or how it was masterfully pulled, but I certainly think the softly sweet Cruzcampo is just a slither of a cut above the rest of other similar light beers such as the on-trend Madris.
Having asked fervent questions about the meats they offered in the roast, I was more than happy to upgrade my meal to an ‘XL’ including three out of four meats, a mouth-watering combination of beef, lamb, and gammon.
I only had to wait for less than twenty minutes - which flew by - for my meal to come served on a classic white plate, sturdy enough to carry the heaped portions with my name on it.
Vegetables took centre-stage in the original leafy canopy presentation (tear off the broccoli for scrumptious surprises), reminding me positively of how Chinese restaurants adorn their own ‘three-roasties’ dishes.
The hidden small carrots and parsnips retained their true, sweet but not fake flavour, unlike the duck-fat smothered versions I end up making.
The gravy was rightly rich, meaning I did not need to pour all of it, and it worked with all the meat, with the gammon being my favourite.
A heavier ale, unlike the thin Cruzcampo, would have been overpowering, and instead of dessert I chose to drink the inn's own delightful homemade orange juice. A wise move.
Castle Inn’s roast will unite both traditionalists and modernists with their excellent whole-package service.
The pub is equally as great as bougie roasts in other cities, and at £14.95 for a regular and £21.95 for an XL, is a relative bargain and quite gentle on the wallet.
Rating: 5 stars
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