I knew I’d love The Lamp Room as soon as I first came across it in 2019.
Sitting proudly among a row of esteemed eateries on Seaham ’s North Terrace, the restaurant faces the famous tourism magnet that is Ray Lonsdale's Tommy statue on the town green, where countless events and attractions pull people into town each year. And while The Lamp Room’s surroundings certainly contribute to its charm, I loved the way the restaurant nods to Seaham’s mining past mixing contemporary industrial chic decor with colliery relics like ID tags and the very Davey Lamps that inspired the venue’s moniker.
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Having since moved to the North East three years after my very first visit to The Lamp Room, I have become a regular there for coffee, lunches and countless tasty breakfasts. (A vegan relative from Kent was once so impressed with their meat and dairy-free offering, she described it as the best vegan breakfast she’d ever had and insisted on going back a second time in her four-day visit.) With that in mind I thought I really had to give the Sunday roasts a try.
Undoubtedly The Lamp Room has earned a strong reputation for the quality of its food. With accolade comes popularity and demand, so I made the wise decision to book in advance, paying a mandatory £10 deposit over the phone. I’m pleased I did because on the day of my visit there was no seat free apart from those at our reserved table.
We were seated quickly and given menus. Service of Coke Zero and water for the table was quick and we placed our food order then.
My dining partner and I had spotted the mountainous roasts before, and despite our appetites, we opted to share a starter so a dessert wasn't out of the question later. We chose the latter from a choice of three - Bruschetta, mussels, and garlic mushrooms.
The bowl arrived quickly and, as I'm a bit of a mushroom snob, I was thankful to see chunks of the field variety - not the pimped up breaded types that excrete watery blandness. No The Lamp Room's dish was impressive: simple and flavoursome, infused - not overpowered - by garlic and butter with the added saltiness of grated parmesan.
The combination was just right. I'm a believer that you don't need to try hard to get a tasty dish out of good mushrooms and for its simplicity this dish worked a treat with buttered ciabatta toast. Problem was I ate a few too many.
Priced at £4.95 the starter met my expectations for taste, quality and quantity - worth knowing if you share one.
While waiting for the main I took the chance to spy on everyone else's dishes. Despite the demand for a good Sunday lunch there was a variation of meals going out to tables. Pan fried salmon salad, Ciabattas, paninis and devilishly appealing dirty fries wafted past me. More inspiration for future weekends.
Then two plates with landmark Yorkshire puds headed towards us. We looked at each other with excitement and dread. Those pesky mushrooms.
Priced at £12.45 for the lamb and £11.45 for the topside beef, the value of these meals was proven before we even tasted anything. They are enormous, and if you love veg like me, you'll be chuffed. Both plates had a full length roasted carrot, a parsnip, mashed root vegetables, spring greens, a dollop of mash, with crispy roasties all haloing thick cuts of meat. If you're a meat kinda diner, you'll also be delighted, each cut was around a centimetre thick and both the beef and the lamb were succulent. There wasn't a shortage of gravy either.
For reviewing purposes I scooped some on my finger before tasting anything else- deep, rich and flavoursome. It's a yes from me. Not to forget the added side portion of cauliflower broccoli cheese, drenched in a thick cheese sauce made with mozzarella. Definitely worth the calories. I'd vowed to just taste my Yorkshire pudding and leave the rest. Three quarters of the way through it and I forced myself to stop. They really should make them smaller!
To sum up the main I'd say it's a winner roast. Value for money, varied by the seasons and no compromise on taste. A treat to look forward to again and again.
By dessert time the restaurant had thinned out and waiting staff were preparing tables for the next service so it took a while to get the puddings ordered. We weren't complaining though, the rest was welcome. My partner chose the cheesecake because it 'will be the lighter option'. I went for the even lighter affogato which I'd had before and knew I liked. If you haven't had one before, this is a fusion of two dessert staples; espresso and ice cream jazzed up with an Italian twist of crumbled amaretti biscuits for added texture. You can have it with a liqueur too but I know my limits.
I was happy with my choice until my partner's cheesecake arrived. Dutifully I was afforded a taste and I savoured the vanilla filling and biscuit base. It was paired perfectly with a berry compote that was rich and tart comprising blueberries, raspberries and possibly cherries that felt velvety in the mouth. There was a sliced strawberry there too for decoration. Had I the space and the digestive enzymes spare I would have asked for a portion for me too but I ploughed through the affogato and remembered how much I enjoy that warm and cold bittery creamy crunch. We both agreed that, appearing vaguely on the menu as it does as just 'cheesecake,' the Lamp Room is massively underselling this one. But at £4.95 we felt it was the right price. The affogato too at £6.95 is fair.
Overall The Lamp Room is a treat to visit for a roast and repeated visits won't disappoint. From the Sunday lunch to midday meals and evening tapas, dishes are well devised, flavours and textures are accurately balanced, visually they are perfectly presented and they all come fairly priced and delivered with a smile.
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