One good thing about the return of colder weather – from a food point of view – is that it’s accompanied by the return of the Sunday roast. I have friends who’ll happily eat a roast dinner every Sunday of the year, even in the height of summer, but for me it’s all about saving it till there’s more of a chill in the air.
My mum visited at the weekend and when she suggested going out for Sunday lunch before her long drive home, I used it as an opportunity to book somewhere we’d never tried before. Located just a 10 minute drive from home, with a children’s play area for the small person and with a decent-looking menu starring locally-sourced ingredients, The Prince of Waterloo in Winford, not far from Bristol Airport, seemed like a good shout.
It’s a pretty, 16th-century pub with ample parking behind the building and a gate that takes you directly from the car park into the beer garden and kids’ play area. Luckily, the heavy rain of the morning had made way for glorious sunshine: the small person got to enjoy some time on the slides, watching the low-flying aeroplanes overhead, before we ate.
Inside, we were seated at a table by the bar. With its low ceilings, black-painted beams, exposed brickwork and sizeable wood burner, it’s certainly got a cosy feel: I imagine it’s lovely in the winter months! Through a doorway to the right of the bar is further seating and the wine bar area, along with the toilets and the stairs up to the pub’s five guest bedrooms.
One of the things that had drawn me to The Prince of Waterloo for Sunday lunch was, unsurprisingly, its menu. Serving meat from The Story in Blagdon, sourdough from The Warmley Bakehouse and ice cream from Chew Moo’s, I like the fact that they support local producers. If you’re a gin fan, a visit to The Prince of Waterloo is also an opportunity to try some of the gins from the Chew Valley Distillery – including their Pink Grapefruit & Rosemary, Apple & Blackberry and Clementine & Cranberry gins.
Of course, the fact that their roast dinners include cauliflower cheese played a big part in my decision – as well as the fact that they cater for children. Kids get to choose from a tomato penne pasta with cheese or a beef, chicken or pork roast, all priced at £7. The four-year-old went for the pork belly (he’s obsessed with the stuff after first trying it at The Whitmore Tap), and his meal appeared first: a beautiful cube of pork (minus the crackling), two roasties, plenty of veg and gravy and an enormous Yorkshire pudding.
We adults ordered one each of the sirloin of beef (£18.95), chicken (£16.95) and pork belly (£17.50) roasts, all presented equally beautifully. We were impressed by the Yorkshire puddings, which tasted as good as they looked, and the meat was perfect: the beef served nice and pink, the chicken moist and tender, the pork belly super soft and served with a stick of crackling (which was definitely solid) on top.
There were only two real complaints: the first was that the chicken could have come with a more generous serving of stuffing, the second that the roasties could have been crispier: it almost seemed like they’d been cooked in an over-crowded roasting tin, meaning most of them didn’t have that crunchy exterior we’d anticipated.
Our main plates were accompanied by a wooden board featuring two bowls of steaming veg to share: a decent cauliflower cheese in one, and black pepper-coated beetroot slices and buttery Chantenay carrots in the other. Our server also brought out ramekins of cranberry sauce, mustard and horseradish sauce when requested.
Despite the roast potatoes, I’d definitely head back to The Prince of Waterloo – and I’d be keen to check out their main menu too. Service was brilliant and we didn’t feel at all rushed: a relief during a busy Sunday lunch service. If you’re planning on booking for Sunday lunch, I’d advise that you book in advance: I called the night before and they only had tables for 12pm left. It’s clearly a popular place – for families and non-families alike – and it’s easy to see why. Recommended.