The Royal Inn on the Park

Sunday lunch is a sacred and sacrosanct British tradition. So, I'm always amazed when it goes so wrong, so often. Is it really that hard to make a decent gravy and roast potatoes in a catering environment? Too often, the meat is overcooked, the vegetables soggy, and the potatoes sodden and tasteless. I've spent a few lazy afternoons in The Royal Inn on the Park (next to Victoria Park, Hackney, E. London) since our little boy was born, catching up with friends, sinking a few pints, and leering at the plates passing us by. It was time we ate there.

I'll be brief. It's good. Not mind-blowingly out of this world, but good quality ingredients, cooked well. The menu is traditional: lamb, chicken, beef, or pork roast (and a token veggie dish: I would only recommend this place to meat eaters), and chocolate tart, crumble, or sticky toffee pud for dessert.Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. A generous plateful, and well-cooked flavoursome beef.

Roast pork belly with apple sauce. Jon loved it, but I thought the crackling looked a bit disappointing (not given a chance to try it!). It needs to be well blistered to get a proper crunch.

My roast chicken was enormous. Half a chicken with a lump of lovely bread sauce, sitting heavily on the vegetables. I think it took me 40 minutes to eat it all.

One sticky toffee pudding, and a table of four. Three of us were furiously jealous. It was decadent, rich, and the epitome of comfort food. Full marks.

Meat lovers and beer lovers won't be disappointed.