While the world's domestic kitchens see more action than ever before thanks to the scourge of Covid-19, we dream of baked meat and crispy halved potatoes… cooked by somebody else.
Our dreams became reality with a home delivery roast from the White Lion, Arreton. Out of the paper bags, we withdrew 11 packets and parcels.
With a good degree of foresight our Yorkshires were wrapped up separately to avoid going soggy on their 20-minute journey to our table.
Cat's half roast chicken (main image above) was flanked by oodles of vegetables including a decent fistful of whole baby carrots, plus around half a dozen of the most delicious roast potatoes. Pouring reheated gravy over the succulent chicken, Cat was transported back to good times at her own childhood lunch table.
Roast beef was a choice Matt was glad to have made. Alongside the same generous allowance of fresh veg, he had thick-sliced beef slathered in that hot gravy.
Roast beef from The White Lion, Arreton.
Salted caramel is Cat's go-to flavour, whether as ice cream, uncooked cookie dough (we are looking at you Pizza Hut) or — as at the White Lion — cheesecake. It turned out to be salted caramel AND chocolate — bonus! The sweet pudding was as intense as you'd expect, with a welcome smooth texture and caramelly swirls.
Matt kept strictly to the traditional Sunday roast canon and tucked into a solid apple crumble, easily reheated, bursting with real apple chunks and sweet crumble with a hint of toffee flavour.
Of course, this was all smothered with a ration of hot and creamy custard. Comfort food as it's supposed to be enjoyed.
Apple crumble and custard from The White Lion, Arreton.
The White Lion served us epic amounts of food at a competitive price which included delivery.
The meal gave us an authentic pub Sunday lunch feeling - insofar as this can be recreated in the home. Stand-out elements were the roast potatoes, and the massive portion of oven-cooked chicken.
We look forward to a time when we can go for a walk somewhere other than our neighbourhood and arrive red-cheeked and hungry at a pub, warming ourselves by the bar's open fire and anticipating the arrival of a piping hot lunch, maybe with a pint of ale.
But until then we can call on the services of the White Lion for a satisfying slap-up lockdown Sunday roast experience.
Matt and Cat's bill
Roast chicken £11.75
Roast beef £11.75
Toffee apple crumble £5.50
Cheesecake £5.50
Total: £34.50
Rating: Four stars: very good indeed, well worth seeking out
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