REVIEW: Sunday Lunch at The Guard House, Woolwich

Eclectic, inviting and unexpected - three words that perfectly sum up The Guard House. Hidden away in Woolwich (literally, the hardest place to get to), this pub from Geronimo Inns has be transformed from a late 18th century wharf guard house and into a contemporary, vibrant pub that perfectly suits the diverse Woolwich community. 

Guarded (haha) by two HUGE Great Dane's, the entrance to the pub is reminiscent of a Roman town house. Pillars, a steep porch roof and elegant frontage all secrete away the incredibly bright and colourful interior. The bar is decorated in mis-matched painted wood panels and each room is heavily finished with patterned chairs and wood-topped tables.  

We visited for Sunday lunch and, I won't lie, I needed it. Day two of my hangover was playing on my mind (and stomach) so one was in desperate need of a comforting cuddle in food form. Sunday lunch it is then. 

There's a roast-specific menu with Dingley Dell pork belly, beef rib eye, and herb roasted chicken which are all a no from me (soz) and a delightful veggie option of sweet potato, spinach and brie layered on buttery soft pastry. Thank GOD for a veggie option I can actually eat! Nut roast is so lazy and means I normally go hungry - selfish though my complaints may be, I was bloody chuffed to have a veggie roast I could dive right into!

We began with a lovely bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone, 2014 - my favourite red wine out there. Notes of black pepper and violet came through with a smooth finish. It paired really well with Alex's gamey dishes, but perhaps a lighter choice would have worked better with my veggie dishes - oh well! 

 Speaking of veggie dishes, to begin we both opted for 'on toast' plates. Mine (first image) was a sticky fig and rhubarb jam with squidgy, soft, salty blue brie layered on top and a peppering of fresh rocket. The contrast of salty, sweet and peppery flavours worked beautifully together and the crunch of the toast was the perfect accompaniment. A very accomplished starter. 

Alex went for wild boar terrine (second image) with a tangy apple and cider chutney and watercress. The terrine was smooth, not at all grainy, with a rich, gamey finish. The chutney helped cut through the richness of the terrine and again the peppery leaves helped to give a well-rounded mouthful.

For mains we, obviously, went for a roast each. I chose the veggie option of sweet potato, spinach and brie layered on buttery soft pastry. The veggie stack in itself was delicious with a creamy sauce in the base of the pastry, however it said on the menu 'comes with veggie gravy'. For me, the 'gravy' was more of a tomato and pepper sauce which is sad as I was super keen for an actual gravy, but there you go. The Yorkshire was lovely and I particularly enjoyed the buttery cabbage and leeks. 

Alex's roast Dingle Dell pork had a good rind of fat on it which added even more richness to the plate. The potatoes, when drowned in plenty of meaty gravy, were lovely but we could have done with more than one carrot each!

Ah, dessert. We took a much-needed 20 minute break between those rich savoury dishes before moving onto the sweet desserts, which incidentally were not that sweet. The nut-free options were an egg custard tart slice and chocolate fondant cake with salty caramel ice cream. 

I found the egg custard tart a little strange in texture but the nutmeg flavour was good. The raspberry sorbet (Jude's!) was particularly good too. The chocolate fondant cake was DIVINE - not too sweet and perfectly balanced with the salted caramel ice cream. It was served cold though, which was a touch strange.

Overall, I found the starters at The Guardhouse the real stand-outs of our visit. Add a few glasses of wine and enjoy a few starters to share and you're guaranteed a lovely supper. The meat roasts looked (and in Alex's case, tasted) great and it is really awesome to have a veggie option I can enjoy too! Yes it's a trek to Woolwich (Zone 4!) but take a walk around the changing area, watch the planes landing and taking off at City airport and enjoy something delicious at The Guardhouse - it's a very relaxing Sunday indeed. 

Thank you to The Guardhouse and Geronimo Inns for hosting this review. All images and opinions are my own.

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