The Ganymede Sunday Lunch

Finally, a decent restaurant in Victoria

I don’t know about you, but hailing originally from the west country, and faced with the harrowing price increases of trains in this country, I spend an abnormal amount of time at Victoria Coach Station.

Perhaps more lame and frustrating than that opening paragraph, I spend a lot of time… delayed… at Victoria Coach Station. It’s during these times I crave nothing more than a cosy, decent restaurant that sells good food. Trust me, there is a national shortage of this in Victoria.

Or so I thought, until I was invited to the Ganymede to indulge in one of its magnificent Sunday roasts. Who knew, if you just walk ‘the other way’, you’ll find a street full of gorgeous farm shops, posh hairdressers, and this fantastic pub. How much time I have wasted?!

The beautiful pub is exactly what I wanted – cosy, calming, with a light buzz and happy chatter of the Sunday crowd. Cocktails are punchy, in fact there are over five variations of Bloody Mary, which is always a positive sign. Settling into the comfortable and plush chairs, I already knew this was going to be good.

To start, I ordered a beautiful and feather-light Scallop Ceviche which was artfully presented and served with jalapenos, radish and wasabi mayonnaise. Each flavour was so powerful, the scallop so fresh – it was perfection. My guest ordered the Pigeon Salad which looked fabulous and was served with a giant deep fried boiled egg – can’t go wrong.

For the main event, I went for the Roast Beef, which was the best beef roast I’ve had for a long time. The meat was wonderfully tender, if very pink (which I like). If you’re not a fan of rare meat, it might be worth noting this to the waiter or waitress. My guest opted for the Roast Pork which was served ‘porketta’ style with stuffing in the middle and a chunky rind of crispy crackling. Sides, potatoes and gravy were all delicious and portions, very generous.

Truffle Cauliflower Cheese was on the side’s menu, so you best believe we ordered that too. The whole main event was wonderful, complemented with a delightfully full bodied and reasonably priced bottle of Montepulciano.

The gorgeous interiors are reminiscent of a country pub, highlighted with lush greens and wood panelling. It’s a relaxing space that you could spend hours chatting away. Given its location, the restaurant is not overtly busy either, so it’s a good spot to keep in mind if you’re making more last-minute plans for Sunday lunch.

Puddings were lavish, and actually, after the good feed that we had just had, a little on the large side. You could definitely share. I was joking that the Chocolate Mousse (which was excellent by the way) that my friend ordered was larger than her roast. I went for a Pistachio Tiramisu which was on the lighter side and a delicious twist on this classic.

Feeling full and deeply satisfied, you’re fortunate enough that all the transport links in the world are within a stone’s throw, which was a blessing as I rolled myself back onto the Victoria line. What a fantastic restaurant. There are also a number of chef takeovers and supper club-style events in the coming weeks so be sure to keep in the loop of The Ganymede.

To find out more, click here > www.ganymedelondon.co.uk