ROTUNDA

Rotunda is a bar and restaurant located at King’s Place, Kings Cross, so named as it is semi-circular in its layout. Situated right on Regent’s Canal, Rotunda is perfectly situated for some waterside drinking and dining. In the summer months Rotunda’s outdoor terrace opens up with deck chairs and an outside gin bar. The BBQ is fired up for some hearty meaty cooking as well.

Rotunda also has a private dining room where themed nights are held throughout the year. These are open to the public for bookings and I recently attended an Edouard Brun champagne dinner in the private dining room. This proved to be great fun with the menu designed around the champagnes. Edouard Brun is a family champagne house founded in 1898, with management of the house having been passed down through the generations. Located in the heart of Champagne, Edouard Brun maintains its quality standards by tasting each tank after fermentation and performing all blending in-house.

The first course was a lobster roll with tarragon mayonnaise and crispy lettuce. The lobster was a little salty, but it was still tasty and juicy, with the bun being soft and tasty. The accompanying champagne was the Edouard Brun 1er Cru, a fruity and well-rounded champagne made from 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay. It had a strong body and therefore paired well with the lobster.

Rotunda – Lobster roll

The Edouard Brun 1er Cru also accompanied the second course which was a wild mushroom risotto with a goat’s cheese croquette. There was a good mushroom flavour in the risotto although the rice was a little overdone. The goat’s cheese croquette worked well with the rice, especially with its crunchy coating. The Edouard Brun 1er Cru was a nice match for the risotto.

Rotunda – Mushroom risotto

The main was a pan-fried breast of chicken accompanied with fondant potatoes, braised cabbage and a garlic cream sauce. This was a simple but pleasant dish accompanied by a drop of Edouard Brun Vintage 2002. This vintage cuvee is made from the best harvests (50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay) and is aged in deep cool cellars for approximately 5 years to allow the aromas of pure honey and oriental spices to fully mature. The Edouard Brun Vintage 2002 was delicious and lively on the palate.

Rotunda – Chicken

The dessert was a tasty floating island with a lovely soft meringue served with a zingy Yorkshire rhubarb and sweet custard. The champagne was the Edouard Brun Rosé. Fresh and fruity on the nose, it offered a vibrant acidity that matched wonderfully with the dessert.

Rotunda – Floating island

We had a lovely evening, sharing the champagne dinner with other guests who had bought tickets to this private event. The event was really fun and we enjoyed the food at Rotunda. The food was simple, but tasty and conventionally appealing. But the true highlight of the evening was the delicious range of Edouard Brun champagnes that we tried, all of which were wonderful. The price tag for the event was £49.50, which was very reasonable given the quantity of champagne that we were privy too. As a destination, Rotunda makes for a great casual drinking and dining venue, and no doubt it will come alive in the summer.

Summary Information:

Food rating: 3.5/5
Service rating: 3.5/5

Prices: This champagne menu was £49.50 per head. Refer to the website for a la carte prices.

Website: http://www.rotunda-bar-and-restaurant.co.uk/