The Beast from the East 2.0 can't stop the Grahamslaw Clan from procuring their Sunday Lunch fix.
To paraphrase Michael Corleone, “Just when we thought we were out, it pulls us back in!” – such could be said about the recent “Beast from the East” and some of the most stubborn snow & ice conditions in recent memory. Having been confined to barracks for much of March, we decided that enough was enough, so we headed out for a slap-up Sunday Lunch at the Holiday Inn Washington.
The hotel boasts a bright and airy in-house eatery named “Traders” and whilst this isn’t perhaps your immediate choice for a Sunday Lunch, it is immensely popular with those locals “in the know” – even on a particularly treacherous afternoon.
On arrival, we were greeted warmly and shown to our cosy corner spot. The restaurants large windows afford some lovely views over the hotel’s grounds – much of which were blanketed in snow.
Casting an eye over their Sunday offering, what struck us was that all dishes were of the plated not carvery variety which ensures for a higher quality, more personalised experience.
We kicked off with the classic prawn cocktail with marie rose sauce & brown bread fingers and the winter-warming tomato soup served with crusty bread. Delicious!
For mains, Traders offer up roasts of Chicken, Pork and Beef alongside other main plates such as Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Fish & Chips and the Halloumi & Mushroom burger for veggies. I chose the non-vegetarian Chicken Breast whilst Jack and the Girls tucked into the topside of beef. Portions are to be applauded here with our plates arriving piled high with meat, mash, roast potato and Yorkshire pudding. The meat was tasty and succulent whilst the sides of fresh vegetables were a crunchy Al Dente.
If you’re anything like me, “The Beast..” will have played havoc with your new year diet plans, so I rounded off in a similar vein with a bowl of homemade trifle.
With our bellies filled, we left in warm spirits – this was a Sunday Lunch well worth braving the conditions for.
