Sunday Roast, Harwood Arms, London
Previous Winners, click the links to read the awards
This year's choice will spark controversy.
Yes, there were "composed" dishes you could rank higher on your list, but sometimes the "best dish" is the most satisfying. Out of hundreds of dishes, the Sunday Roast at Harwood Arms takes the top spot for 2022.
This beautiful plate of meat and produce hits every note.
The greens are blanched and salted perfectly.
The carrot is the perfect amount of sweet.
The fat-roasted potatoes hold integrity and crispness on the outside and reveal fluffiness on the inside.
The gratin is creamy, yet not overpowering or heavy.
The Yorkshire pudding hides away a mince, so phenomenal, it could be it's own dish.
The marrow gravy. OMG. The Marrow gravy.
Which bring us to the beef. If you don't have a quality-aged product and cook it perfectly, then everything else on the plate is a waste. Thankfully, Harwood Arms comes through in spades here. It is definitely THE star. The sun around which everything else revolves.
You may know Brett Graham of Ledbury fame oversees the restaurant, which explains the only-get-the-best-and-don't-fuck-it-up-in-the-kitchen sourcing.
Head Chef Jake Leach has done exactly that. Taken what comes in the door and elevate each ingredient without tricks. Honest, brilliant cooking.
Is your mum's Sunday Roast better? Maybe. And if so, she can fax the recipe from her closed freeserve.co.uk address.
To qualify for The Single Table awards, I had to visit that location in the given calendar year.