Last Updated on December 23, 2024
Go West for your Sunday Roast
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
While it’s hard to be convinced that going west to Brentford will result in blue skies or a beach to enjoy, I could agree that the pace of life is gentler than in much of central London, that having Sam’s Waterside on your doorstep means that rustling just to feed can be a thing of the past. Sam’s restaurants have always been the kind of places that adds a lot to the local community and Sam’s Waterside is no exception.
A spacious modern configuration with massive glass windows looking out over the water makes for a relaxing and convivial place to enjoy a meal at any time and a great venue for one of those long Sunday lunches that just seems to sprawl lazily across the afternoon.
Visiting Sam’s Waterside on possibly the wettest Sunday this year did feel like a bit of an excursion from South London, but once inside, it was cosy and warm. With a spiced plum bellini in front of me, it was perfectly festive, though the ‘Sam’s martini’ enjoyed by my companion was also an elegant choice of aperitif.
We’d been instructed to try the parmesan churros – a suggestion that needed little encouragement – and were rewarded with a beautiful copper pot stacked with crispy cheese churros laced with parmesan.
Intending to review the Sunday roasts as the star of the show, we knew by now that it was a good idea to go light on starters. Watercress and leek soup garnished with creme fraiche and served with a Colston Basset stilton scone fitted the bill precisely – a smooth and fragrant bowl of winter warmth, stunningly garnished with creme fraiche and served with a tangy cheese scone on the side.
Meanwhile, my companion’s beetroot and Dima vodka gravlax came with pumpernickel bread, cultured butter and a tiny mound of green apple and cucumber. Refreshing and light, she was particularly impressed by the nutty bread
We went slightly off-piste for the Sunday Roast, ordering one dish from the Waterside Roasts section and one from the Sam’s Waterside mains.
My companion’s roast Huntsham Farm Middle White Pork looked just the ticket. Served with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, roast carrots, spring greens and gravy it was a generous plateful of tender, sweet meat with all the right trimmings perfectly cooked – and as she pointed out, a portion of extra gravy on the side (essential!).
I was trying my best to avoid red meat, but couldn’t bring myself to order the veggie roast, delicious as ‘celeriac, pumpkin, raclette and spinach pithivier’ sounded. Instead, I opted for the seasonally appropriate Cornish Red free-range chicken with parsnip puree, pigs in blankets, kale and cranberry sauce. And, because I was trying to be healthy(!) a side order of roast potatoes.
The chicken was utterly delicious and moist, with all the flavour of the kind of poultry I used to enjoy as a child growing up in the country. I remember that before the days of factory farming, chicken was a special occasion treat – one really worth waiting for because it was full-flavoured and yet had no fat. Pay for good quality free-range or organic birds and you’ll get the taste I remember – as I did at Sam’s Waterside.
Of course, dessert wasn’t necessary – of course, we were tempted to indulge – and of course, we had no regrets no matter how many lifetimes on the hips. I’d anticipated a little jug of PX and cream to go with my Christmas Yule Log, but the subtle infusion of the sponge didn’t disappoint.
My companion’s Krakow Apple Crumble Pie with vanilla creme Anglaise looked almost healthy by comparison but was deemed excellent with a fine buttery crumble topping and crisp shortbread pastry below
After coffee we made our way home, wistfully longing for a Sam’s on our doorstep…
Sam’s Waterside is an excellent Sunday lunch venue for friends and families, with roast mains and sides for less than £30 and with a good selection of other options if you prefer. With charming service and delicious food in a warm and friendly setting, what’s not to like?
Sam’s Waterside
3 Kingham Avenue,
Brentford,
TW8 8GP
Tel: 020 8150 1020