Gravy, good. Meat, good. Yorkshire Pudding, good. If you sent Joey Tribbiani to Whitechurch in Durham for his Sunday Lunch, we’re almost certain those would be his comments. We couldn’t send Joey but we did send the next best thing(s). Amy Smith and her partner headed to Durham for a Sunday Roast last weekend and here’s what they thought.
Located on the corner of the busy Church Street crossroad in Durham, Whitechurch offers the perfect combination of café and pub, a glance at the menu and we saw a host of breakfast and brunch offerings, cakes, sandwiches and a coffee menu that would put Starbucks to shame! We however came for the main event of the week- the Sunday Roast.
Being part of the same family as our personal Durham favourites Tango, The Rabbit Hole and Zen, we were excited to try the British classic offered by Whitechruch and we were not disappointed.
Walking through the doors, you are immediately welcomed by a warm and friendly ambience. The rustic décor set against white walls coupled with the welcoming smiles of the staff sets the tone for a comforting experience and if you’re a dog lover, you may even see a dog enjoying a trip out!
We settled into our seats- a gorgeous built-in bench in a huge bay window, which going along with a joiner was not unappreciated, the light flooded into the room and the positioning created our own little ‘booth’ without isolating us from the friendly chatter and hubbub of the rest of the restaurant, and grabbed the menu eager to start.
The Sunday Lunch menu is exactly what you’d expect. Three meat offerings, chicken, pork and beef, and a vegan offering of nut roast, nothing flashy and fancy, just good honest food. As usual, we had been thinking about our menu choices on the drive up, but it was still a difficult decision to choose between the belly pork and beef rump, so we went for one each and ‘shared’ a bit of each other’s. Again, being the closest thing, the Northern Echo has to Joey Tribbiani, we don’t like to share food so it was a reluctant offering.
If you’re feeling extra hungry you can also go for a starter and they offer deserts, more on these to come, but we don’t have starters with our Christmas Dinner, so we weren’t about to spoil our appetites here.
Our lunches came at lightning speed and we were excited to try the main event. Piping hot and served with all the trimmings, including chunky golden roast potatoes, fluffy Yorkshires, cheesy leeks and a roasted carrot to die for, each element was cooked perfectly and was a testament to the dedication of the chef to cook the perfect British dish. The meat was the star of the show. The belly pork was cooked to perfection, with crispy salty crackling and tender meat that melted in your mouth, the apple sauce complimented it flawlessly and the velvety gravy elevated it further. The same can be said for the beef. Ben had a horseradish sauce that “blew his head off” but it didn’t stop him from ladling spoonfuls onto his plate.
The portion size was perfect, just enough that you felt satisfied but not too much you felt too full, which is often the case with Sunday lunch. We decided to indulge in a pudding, because why not? I went for the sesame and vanilla cheesecake and Ben opted for the classic bread and butter pudding to round off his meal. The cheesecake was more ‘deconstructed’ than a traditional cheesecake but was devine. Rich vanilla mousse, crunchy sesame crumb that reminded me of cornflakes but nicer and a fruit compote. Coupled with a vanilla chai latte, it rounded off my meal on a high note.
Ben’s bread and butter pudding was singing the same tune. Brioche bun, succulent sultanas, and a dollop of vanilla ice cream, you couldn’t ask for a more patriotic end to a quintessentially British meal. He also had a cappuccino to test out Whitechurch’s award-winning coffee.
We left Whitechurch feeling fabulously full and satisfied with both our meal and the exceptional service we had received from the staff. If you’re looking for a quick coffee or brunch, or like us you want to go all out and treat yourself to a Sunday Roast, then Whitechurch is the destination for you, although they fill up quickly and booking is highly recommended!
The Details
29 Church Street | Durham | DH1 3DN
Phone: 0191 386 8897
Website: whitechurchdurham.com
Ratings
Service: 10
Surroundings: 7
Food Quality: 10
Value for money: 9
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here