Went to Lambert’s on Sunday for lunch. I’d been meaning to check it out for a while, passing it on the way home from work quite often, and Al’s visit seemed a good opportunity. I’m keen on there being a good “modern British” restaurant near our gaff, partly because it’s tasty, and partly because a lot of my relatives are quite “un-modern British” of palate and the multiply amazing curry houses of Tooting are not for them.
Does Lambert’s fit the bill? At first I felt a little intimidated – it has a very plain front, and you can’t actually see whether anyone’s inside, so it always looks like it might be shut. Then when you get in it’s all very smart – cream and brown decor, local modern art, staff in fashionable black togs. But the staff are very friendly and crucially they love talking about the food, their enthusiasm becomes infectious and you get the feeling you’re definitely in good hands.
Any lingering doubts vanished when I started tucking in. I had a foie gras parfait on lovely hot toast – the gras was particularly light and melty and still rich. Then delicious tender roast beef with roasted vegetables – by this point I was so keen on Lambert’s that I ate a courgette for the first time in about ten years (the answer is still no, though). The service was quick and I got the feeling we could have lingered without being bothered, instead I had a pub to go to so didn’t try a dessert.
All in all, a definite and solid hit, and Isabel and I are pencilling in another visit soon.