The Refectory at
Southwark Cathedral
No
church mice to be seen anywhere,
says Clifford Mould
Regular
surfers of Dine Online may have noticed
that we've been taking a close look
at some of the catering outlets in
some
of London's destination venues. We
found excellent cooking at Festival
Square
at the Royal Festival Hall, and at
the Wallace Collection art gallery
to name
only a couple. At last it looks as
though museum administrators are beginning
to
realise that a feast for the eyes is
not enough!
Earlier
in then year I popped into the Refectory
at Southwark Cathedral for a quick
tea and cake on my way back from
Vinopolis, the remarkable wine exhibition
in Southwark. I was impressed and
as I was going to Vinopolis again
the other day, I thought I'd drop
in to The Refectory again to see
what their lunch time offerings are
like.
The
modern dining room is in a precinct
under the shadow of the great Cathedral,
and on sunny days you can sit outside,
people watching, on the terrace.
We tried guessing whether passers
by were Tate Modern types, or budding
Goths on their way to the London
Dungeon, or perhaps salty tars about
to climb the rigging of Drake's ship The
Golden Hind in its nearby dock.
There's plenty to see and do in this
exciting and historic corner of London,
and The Refectory makes a good watering
hole where you'll find quality home
made food and drink at sensible prices.
 The
dining room itself blends in with
the Cathedral, but is not in the
least monastic! It's licensed and
there are wines and ales, some of
which have been bottled and labelled
especially for the Cathedral. In
the summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays
there's a barbecue going, and we
tried the yummy grilled pesto veggie
skewers (£5.95). The pumpkin soup was
deliciously rustic. The home made
soups at the Refectory are a bit
of a legend with the locals. They're
offered in various packages, starting
at £3.50 for a generous bowl, or £4.95
with a choice of sandwich, or with
a salad and a goat's cheese or prawn
and herb tartlet. I had the goat's
cheese tartlet - it all tasted very
genuine - nothing bought in here!
The
real reputation of the Refectory
is founded on the most extravagantly
wicked cakes. There's a layered lemon
pancake torte which is simply amazing.
Apparently the chef is getting a
bit tired of having to make it so
often, but when he tries to break
out there's an outcry and he's dragged
back to the batter and the skillet
once again! As for the chocolate
cake - it's a disgrace - fancy offering
something so abominably sinful in
a holy place - it's just not fair.
It's
really nice to be able to recommend
a lunch place (and breakfast and
tea) that offers such good quality
for sensible prices.
The
Refectory, Southwark Cathedral
No reservations, except for functions
- what a great place in which to have a bit of a do!
Clifford
Mould August 2004
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