MOST people think of Rudi’s as just a drinking hole, perhaps serving a bit of pub grub, but the bar, which has stood at Regent Circus for decades now, offers so much more.

On a drizzly, windy and very British day in terms of the weather, I was left with no choice but to warm up with a Sunday roast. Luckily for me there was a great selection on offer at Rudi’s.

I chose to visit at lunchtime and even then the place was busy despite the awful weather conditions. We were greeted with a smile and some small talk my partner and I were shown to our table.

My first impressions were really good. Following a recent revamp, the place now has an eccentric décor that really gives it its own identity. There’s a lot of fine detail going on, whether that’s every table having different style chairs (never a matching set), to pineapple-shaped lampshades to an arrangement of 10 different mirrors among the plant pots.

It makes you feel that if they have put this much effort into the decor, then the food really must be great – and it did not disappoint.

There was a set menu on the table for Sunday lunch, with a special offer which allowed two courses for £14.95 (you could choose from a starter or dessert to go with your main course).

Within a couple of minutes the waiter had taken our drinks order. We decided to share a bottle of Vinecrafter Merlot, a fruity wine with flavours of fresh raspberry and blackberry. It cost £18 per bottle, or £6.20 for a large glass, so it was a no brainer and it combined beautifully with the food we ordered.

If wine’s not your thing, there are also cocktails, beers, spirits and soft drinks, including a two-for-£10 deal on cocktails, which I’m sure is pretty popular.

I decided to go for the starter and main, with fried egg with asparagus, rocket and truffle oil to begin. The egg was cooked to perfection and would have made for a great upload to Instagram as I pierced the centre, and the yolk trickled down my plate towards the asparagus.

The three items together tasted magnificent, with just the right amount of seasoning on the greenery of the plate which added to the flavour of the dish. It wasn’t too filling either, which was good because I still had an appetite for the main course.

My partner went for spinach and garlic soup with sourdough to begin, and, of course, I had to taste this too. It was extremely garlicky but lightened by the freshness of the spinach - perfect for the weather conditions outside.

There were five options for mains but for me only one stood out - the roast leg of lamb with minted courgette. All roasts are served with a separate plate of carrots, red cabbage, peas, potatoes, stuffing, gravy and a variety of sauces to accompany it.

What can I say about it other than it was a match made in heaven?

The mint complemented the lamb beautifully, and when I combined all the components of the dish together on the fork it was bliss. Everything seemed to be cooked to perfection.

My partner had the roast rump of British beef, which she described as tasting very succulent. Both dishes by themselves would have cost £11.95.

The wait between dishes was only 10 minutes, which was perfect for us - just enough time for the starters to go down, but not long enough to grow impatient for more.

If you want a good old-fashioned Sunday roast with a great atmosphere then I would highly recommend visiting Rudi’s Bar & Kitchen. Basic pub grub this definitely isn’t.