114. Purnell’s Does Sunday Lunch.

  It’s the New Normal. And Sunday lunch at Purnell’s is part of that new normal. An exciting prospect. Would there be a novel Purnell twist on roast beef and Yorkshire pudding? I wondered. Well that would have been exciting. Alas no. But that didn’t mean it was not a fabulous lunch. A languid, relaxed cruise through some old Purnell classics with some startlingly summery new dishes punctuating the menu alongside them.

  The celestial lemony black potato with accompanying edible charcoal got Sunday lunch off to the start that Sunday lunch should have. And all very elegantly plated up. 

  Along came the joyously familiar, equally celestial pain de campagne, so light and cloud-like you could float up to heaven on it and then the first starter of this aestorial parade of dishes - a lovely multicoloured dish of flavour-riven heritage tomatoes assisted in their efforts to please by sour cream and pink peppercorn. Then a ceviche of mackerel, more soothingly delicately flavoured than many dishes based on that fish, and embellished with flamed cucumber and apple gel.

  Old friends, as dear as always, turned up to the party. Better than ever it seemed, Glynn Purnell’s very own monkfish massala on its bed of spiced lentils with slivers of coconut, a dish much copied but never improved upon except perhaps in this restaurant itself. The second photograph shows what an effect I can have on a plate of this dish.

  And then the joy of perfectly barbecued, delightfully flavoured lamb rump with surprising and wholly effective peach, pea purée, a happy confit potato and the added greenness of avocado, with a lovely lamb sauce.

  A word on the wine menu. Much innovation going on with some delightful introductions to the list by Jarek Samborski. He suggested the wondrous little number depicted below and much pleasure was derived from it.

  And then the oldest friend of all, no introduction needed - Burnt egg surprise and all the little bits that come with it. 10 - 10 -10 (Oliver, Prue and Matthew).

  So no roast beef and Yorkshire pudding but gorgeous lamb and Sunday lunch at Purnell’s was well worth the trip through COVID infested streets dodging around those who confuse a millimetre with a metre. Well, if the government won’t use imperial measurements what you can one expect?

  The chef in charge that day appeared to be Luke Butcher.