The Sunday meat feast: Blacklock
There’s a meat revolution happening in London at the moment. People are travelling the length and breadth of this great city to find the finest meat platter available. Let me first make my apologies, the avid vegetarians out there should turn back now, for a meat extravaganza is about to come to fruition in the most carnivorous way possible.
As I walk down Great Windmill Street, friend in tow, we scour the walls either side of us, searching for a little restaurant with a gargantuan following. Unless you’re actively looking for Blacklock, you simply wouldn’t know it existed. A small sign and a black door to our right – we’ve found it. The bustle of happy carnivores comes drifting up the stairs and we hurriedly trot down to see what it’s all about. The intimacy of this cellar space is simply delightful, especially on a gloomy Sunday afternoon. We’re greeted by Josh, who shows us to our table, “We’ve got you all covered,” he says with a smile. From the look of the vast platters of meat assuming every table around in the restaurant, I’m excited to see what Josh will deliver.
Blacklock has a rather simple ethos – Chops cooked over charcoal with a little help from an old iron – and although there’s a whole lot more going on, this is principally what they do, and what they do very well indeed.
Josh returns with a delicious starter of wood roasted scallops with black pudding. A bizarre concoction in principle, it’s taste is one of mouth watering deliciousness. “Your All-In will be along shortly,” he says. I’ve heard of Blacklock’s infamous All-In meat platters before, and on this Sunday afternoon we’re in for the Sunday Roast All-In; Longhorn beef fore-rib, Cornish lamb leg, Middlewhite pork loin, gigantic Yorkshire puddings, duck-fat roasted potatoes and a plethora of delectable sides all covered in bone marrow gravy. As a self-confessed meat ambassador, I’m beyond excited.
As Josh comes beaming over with the All-In, both my friend and I stare in awe at the utterly stupendous amount of food being offered before us. We look at the platter, then at each other, then back at the platter, and begin to devour the mountain of meat. It’s all exquisitely tender and succulent, and has that familiar chargrilled flavour we all so love.
Before long we’ve been defeated – a welcome surprise as I often leave restaurants craving more. “It’s defeated us,” I say to Josh. “It defeats almost everyone,” he responds. We all laugh raucously, like viking warriors feasting after a long voyage at sea.
When it comes to the ultimate Sunday roast, perhaps mum’s will always come out on top, but I can assure you that Blacklock’s will come a very close second. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is the finest Sunday roast I’ve ever eaten out.
Blacklock’s Sunday Roast All-In is £20pp, visit theblacklock.com for more information.
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
