Royale, the rotisserie chicken delivery concept from the Leroy team, was a bright spot in lockdown so we were very glad to see it return In real life this month. Located at East London Liquor Company, Royale has taken over a beautiful old warehouse building adjacent to the distillery, complete with a flower-filled terrace. Ignore the traffic on Grove Road and you could almost be transported to the south of France…. well it’s as close as we’re going to get this year anyway.
The menu has been greatly expanded from the delivery offering and there is now way more than just chicken. The starters and snacks are serious high points, and if there’s just two of you, we recommend going heavy on these and holding back to just half a chicken for the main. ‘Must orders’ for us were the chicken and chorizo croquettes; the courgette fries; the incredible anchovy & caramelised onion tart; and the bagna cauda, a smooth creamy dip made from anchovy & garlic, and served with our favourite Spanish Bonilla crisps.
The centrepiece is still that chicken of course – a half or whole rotisserie chicken (a corn-fed bird, cooked on a vintage Rotiserol), served alongside jus-soaked potatoes. Just make sure you ask for a side of aioli for those spuds too.
It’s well worth making a day of it and sticking around for dessert – the two on offer on our visit were sublime. A sharp lemon and meringue tart, plus a chocolate ice cream which was actually more like a frozen chocolate mousse in its richness and texture. Both absolute bangers.
The menu at Royale is right up our street and the setting is pretty glorious too. Try and catch it soon for a long summer lunch with a glass of wine out on the terrace – you won’t regret it.
221 Grove Rd, London E3 5SN
royalelondon.com