The Castle

Note to self: Do not go to King’s Cross on a Sunday for Sunday Roast. Nothing will be open. I wondered if I was missing a trick when 3 consecutive pubs we went to around the area were firmly bolted and gated. 

As Lady Luck would have it, if we’d never been locked out, we’d never have ventured further up Pentonville Road to The Castle pub. I had sudden flashbacks of early days in London when salsa dancing with dodgy men and scary women (the type slightly past their prime but believing their daughters’ outfits would sort that out) was what friends and I were into. I swear this place had a salsa night in the first floor.

Admittedly, the main reason for this post is because all the staff were so genuinely friendly, which is a rarity in London. We were greeted with smiles and hellos from the bar as we walked in, and were politely informed that the roast beef was no longer available if we wanted food. And this did not waver during service. Aw.

Now this was not to say the food wasn't good. The food was good AND the service was friendly. That's how Londonised I've become. My chicken roast above was excellent: chicken that tasted like chicken, vegetables that weren't boiled to pieces, crispy roasties and a glossy, rich gravy. The type you would order bread just to soak it up with.

The other dish: Chicken stuffed with Brie and Spinach, wrapped in Parma Ham, served with Green Beans and a Bacon Potato Cake was great gastropub food. The chicken actually took me by surprise as it was a breast, and I hate breast meat with a passion. 

Later that day, I searched Time Out for a review but alas none to be found. Though what a find for me. 

The average price for a Sunday Roast dish was £11. During summer there is a terrace on the first floor. Goodbye dodgy salsa nights.