db Eats: Roux at The Pembury

It may be one of the busiest, most symbolic sites in the UK, but Parliament Square’s image has suffered of late.

The area has become more closely associated with the squalor of protest camps than the regal, dignified face of democracy suggested by London postcards.

It’s certainly not an obvious place to go for a civilised drink, or wasn’t until the Roux family restaurant empire established an outpost in the Institute of Chartered Surveyors last year.

Now Roux at Parliament Square has refurbished and relaunched its upstairs bar, Roux at the Pembury.

It’s certainly a world away from the rowdy student atmosphere across the road inside Parliamentary dens like the Sports and Social bar, or indeed the grotty tourist pubs which line the top end of Whitehall (with the honourable exception of Geronimo Inns-owned The Clarence).

It may be a bar, but The Pembury has not been able to escape entirely the restaurateuring pedigree of its management.

The cocktail list is divided into starters, mains and puddings, although as with a good restaurant, there was no sign of disapproval when I rebelled on the order of service. Diving straight into the main course, I began with English Garden – a summery, more interesting alternative to a G&T, although the individual components didn’t quite shine through as much as they might have done.

Bar manager, Abdulai Kpekawa – a surprisingly, pleasantly trendy character to find in such a straight-laced venue – revealed he was taking full advantage of the Roux kitchen team, who had whipped up the gooseberry syrup for this cocktail. It seems only a matter of time before Kpekawa coerces the kitchen into all sorts of inventive infusions and culinary wizardry. Sous vide Martini anyone?

Meanwhile my Whitehall worker friend had jumped in rather deeper with William’s Tipple, a punchy Kammerling-based cocktail which needed the deep leather sofas to absorb its impact.

I then went back to the aperitif section, where the Three Citrus Rickey had caught my eye.

Distinctly layered with first zesty citrus, then plush pineapple sweetness before the unmistakeable tang of fino Sherry lingered on the finish, it was a deliciously satisfying combination.

Taking her sweet tooth into the pudding section, my Whitehall worker buddy tucked into the Toasted Daiquiri.

It arrived looking like an apothecary had done something alarming to a fried egg, but was described as “like a pineapple cream soda – but much better!”

Meanwhile we hadn’t been able to resist sampling the bar snacks. As expected, they were a cut above the average.

A generous pile of pea and mint flavoured arancini arrived, the fresh summer flavours giving a lovely lift to the warm balls of risotto.

My eye had also been caught by the Scotch egg. Having avoided them until recently after associations with the sad supermarket versions, I recently had an epiphany at Quo Vadis’ QV Bar.

Kpekawa was confident the Roux version would beat this so we sharpened our taste buds and savoured the anticipation.

The egg arrived looking perfectly soft boiled but without the delicious crispy bacon strip of its QV counterpart.

In its place, however, was a bowl of homemade piccalilli, which added a juicy, sweet and sour complement to the fried piggy treat.

It was different, but not better. What finally edged the Roux egg across the line in first place was its more generous padding of equally tasty, well-seasoned sausage meat.

The ever-alert Twitter community was quick to nominate the Bull And Last in Highgate and Dove’s butcher on the Northcote Road as worthy challengers to the Scotch egg crown – can there be any stronger evidence of this country’s rediscovered pride in its foodie heritage?

In all, Roux at the Pembury seems a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. Despite its location, the bar was pleasantly free of political types, although maybe they just haven’t discovered it yet – the official launch isn’t until mid-September.

Best to pop in before then before everyone gets their noses in the trough.

www.rouxatparliamentsquare.com