Food Review The Rock Bar
The Ibiza-themed nightspot just got even tastier. Your lunch is served, as Ben Johnson discovers
Food Review: The Rock Bar
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You don’t need to convince this reporter on the life-affirming qualities of cheese. We get through enough of the stuff in this office to sink a battleship. The Rock Bar on Call Lane must be able to smell the Gouda from here, as they’ve just caught on to a cleverly simple concept using three of the greatest words ever assigned to the same phrase: Cheese. On. Toast. Hardly an original idea, but name me anywhere else in the city that specialises in this combination of the best cheeses grilled thickly on the best of the white stuff? No, we thought not. We donned our anoraks and followed the scent.
So, here’s the deal: choose from cheddar and Worcestershire sauce (£2.50), goats cheese and rosemary honey (£3), halloumi and char-grilled pepper (£3), dolcelatte and onion (£3), and (my favourite) smoked applewood and tomato jam (£3), all served with garnish. They do paninis, too, including sharing platters, from cheese to meat to vegetables. The meat platter (£6) is a collection of cold meats, from chorizo to serrano, served mezze-style which befits the ornate, comfortable, Mediterranean-themed surroundings.
With a lush backdrop of drapes and cushions, there’s a high possibility that you may lose track of your lunchtime completely and risk being reprimanded by the boss for returning late to office with crumbs on your face, such is the level of escapism. So don’t say we didn’t warn you.
But let’s bring it back to the cheese, if we may. A great collection, I think you’ll agree, and there’s nothing that screams ‘hangover food’ quite as loudly as the thought of grilled cheese on only the best of breads. And chances are this is precisely what you’ll be craving if you’ve ever frequented The Rock Bar’s sterling range of diverse club nights. Already positioning itself as a killer venue for all types of sounds, in the not too distant future we can look forward to guest DJ sets from some of the country’s top names, not to mention live acoustic nights and the coolest vibes this side of the White Isle.
Although The Rock Bar is still considered to be a relatively new kid on the block, we like how much the venue has courageously expanded into a tight and well-oiled unit, with plans to double its capacity in the near future, and the new lunch menu is all part of this development.
The bar might have its work cut out to be recognised as a great purveyor of high quality food stuffs, but if it’s simple yet satisfying snacks for a casual, informal lunch briefing, then we think this is the best thing since, well, sliced bread.
Posted on Wednesday 3rd February 2010
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