Summer is creeping in slowly but surely. Days peppered with bursts of sunshine are becoming more frequent and we’re finally allowing our toes to come out of hibernation and enjoy the fresh air.
As a nation picnicking in the summer is a right of passage, we love to celebrate the light evenings and warmer weather with an al fresco experience, sharing and enjoying foods that are only made to be eaten from a wicker basket on a balmy summer day. Unfortunately planning these kind of occasions can be tricky knowing British weather as we do, but luckily The Jones Family Project have come up with a wonderful solution with their pop-up indoor picnic area and their brand new picnic baskets stuffed with foodie treats. A cosy corner of their upstairs bar has been re-imagined with astro-turf, comfy seats and a meadow background and they are serving this special hamper throughout the summer. The area can be reserved or the picnic can be enjoyed at other tables in the restaurant or taken out to be enjoyed on those occasional warm evenings.
Getting comfy in the picnic corner a large box with a picnic for four arrived. We tucked into the warm, homemade sausage rolls with onion jam, which were delicious with flakey, buttery pastry and a meaty sausage interior – the perfect British picnic food. Crisp tortilla chips came with a chunky guacamole and a smooth beetroot humous, which were both delicious.
We also enjoyed chicken coronation wraps, another patriotic picnic staple. Opening more boxes and tubs we discovered a lentil, feta and roasted vegetable salad, which was a lovely light accompaniment to the other dishes.
Dessert was a deliciously gooey, generous triple chocolate brownie, which was served with dulche de leche sauce and summer berries. The brownie was dense, moist and extremely chocolatey, the perfect friend for strawbs and rasberries. We washed this down with a lightly sparkling gin and elderflower drink which is included in the picnic pack.
It was an outdoor feast of epic proportions, served in the safety net of a casual restaurant setting. The Jones Family Project seem to get it right every time, their restaurant is a beautiful independent offering of great service, a warm atmosphere and exceptional food, all three being surprisingly difficult to pull off in the oversaturated dining scene of London. Don’t miss their unique and quirky picnic dinner; it’s a great evening to enjoy with friends or would be perfect as a romantic event for two. It’s going to be hard to keep up with these Jones’s this summer.
