Last week I popped into The Happenstance, a modern bar and restaurant located in St Paul’s. The Happenstance is part of the Drake and Morgan group with restaurants dotted around London so I am on a mission to visit them all! It is a short walking distance from St Paul’s station and perfect for the working locals to pop in for a drink at the all day bar. I came in specifically to try their Sunday Roast and honestly I cannot remember the last time I’ve had a proper Sunday Roast so I was very keen to fill my belly with fine slices of red meat and Yorkshire pudding. Thankfully at the restaurant I saw a very happy and familiar face which was Edgar the restaurant manager; he used to manage at The Refinery in Regent’s Place so it was sooo good to see him. I must admit, I was a little hungover that day and he fixed me up with a virgin Bloody Mary to wake me up. I’ve looked at their menu before arriving so I knew exactly what I wanted and what’s interesting is that their menu is consistent throughout the Drake and Morgan restaurants. If you didn’t know already I love taking photos of general interior rather than just the food. I feel like the whole experience is not what you order and eat, but the ambience and comfort of our surroundings so therefore I am particularly observant with the decor, the chairs and the quirks of the restaurant. I really wanted to capture the beauty of this restaurant as The Happenstance had a lot of quirky furnitures and wall textures which became a bit of a talking point for me with my friend (who had no interest or clue with what I was on about! Bless ’em). If you love to instagram you definitely know what I mean! I had no breakfast and hungover so without a further a do, here is what I ordered:
For starters we ordered:
watermelon, courgette, feta & pomegranate quinoa salad: suitable for all vegetarians. Great dish for the summer, very light and juicy from the watermelon chunks. (£5.50)
For my friend, he ordered the poached egg on a bed of English asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Also suitable for all vegetarians, the asparagus was well cooked and crunchy. I really don’t like runny eggs but the poached egg was perfect – not too raw! (£6.75)
Main: Rib of beef, Yorkshire pudding with horseradish sauce accompanied with a family-style roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli & plenty of gravy. (£14.95)
This was what I was waiting for and I was the pain in the arse for taking loads of pics before we could start eating. off course my friend understood but I made it as quick as I can as I know that the rib of beef was not made to be served cold! I am a sucker for a good ol’ Sunday Roast and you can’t feel any more patriotic than a homey meal with my favourite Yorkshire pudding on a plate. The portion was just about right so you can make room for desserts later and that’s exactly what I did.
How have I been at the restaurant for 3 and a half hours? Not only did I have a food coma but the seat I was in was so relaxing I could lay here for another couple of hours. I ended my marathon of 3 course meal with a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Edgar was lovely enough to show me around and I had no idea that there was another dining room at the back! It was a spacious room to hold a private function and events. Downstairs, there was also a private room that can be hired to host a private event for an intimate party or social gathering. The room was called the Curious Treasury room decorated in a homely fashion. I really enjoyed my afternoon at The Happenstance and thanks to The Happenstance and Drake & Morgan for having me to dine with you.
You can find The Happenstance at No.1a Ludgate Hill, St Paul’s, London, EC4M 7AA.
To enquire and book a table: 0845 468 0104
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