Old school dining institution that defies history
Location: Covent Garden
Cuisine: Classic British, with heavy emphasis on game
Budget: ££
For the perfect Sunday lunch why not visit the restaurant named the oldest in London for truly traditional British fare!
With a loud and busy restaurant downstairs we sat upstairs in the bar area (bookings in the restaurant fill up quickly!). The tables upstairs are still more formal than a typical bar with swivelling tables and sofas to relax upon as you fill your stomach. Surrounded by illustrations and trophy heads of previous hunts you will feel quite the country bumpkin!
Rules showcases British game spectacularly – time your visit to coincide with the season (October – December) for the widest selection.
Start you meal with a cocktail from the bar. Kate Middleton’s Royal 29 is worth a try, and you can pretend you’re drinking a regal beverage.
For starter I chose the venison carpaccio with hazelnuts and quince puree – a lovely balance of rich and sweet flavours. Charlie opted for the pigeon salad, the tender pigeon breast served warm accompanied by foliage and walnuts.
I decided to brave hare (after a previous unfortunate incident with rabbit) and was pleasantly surprised.
The loin of hare and shoulder ballotine with celeriac puree and pickled blackberries was absolutely divine!
Charlie’s breast of mallard with fondant potatoes and red wine jús was a pleasant combination although not quite up to the hare’s standards!
You don’t really need a side if you wish to enjoy three courses – we weren’t aware of this however so ordered some dauphinoise potatoes. They were very tasty, and particularly cheesy (a dream for me!) so perhaps quite rich for some diners.
To finish on something sweet we shared the blackberry and apple crumble, yet another delightful dish to round off a fabulous meal.
Alongside the meal I would recommend ordering one of Rules’ extensive list of wines.
Rules specialise in Rhône valley wines and age them within their own cellars, choose one of these special reds to compliment your meal.
All the dishes we tried at Rules are hearty yet refined offering the best part of a Sunday dinner without the massive food baby!
Find Out More…
Rules – http://rules.co.uk/
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