The Terrace at the Royal Horseguards Hotel -

You can always rely on the British weather, rely on it to ruin your plans that is.

Invited down to the opening party of the The Terrace at the Royal Horseguards Hotel last night we watched the skies go from gloomy to serious depression as the afternoon progressed. By the time we got there at 6pm, it was even spitting a bit of rain.

But it’s hard to be unhappy with champagne in your hand and chefs cranking up a Big Green Egg to turn out lamb and goat cheese sliders and hot dogs, especially in such a fine place by the beautiful Embankment Gardens.

The Terrace was launching its brand new Terrace Menu (see below)with a selection of mezze and sliders to snack on, as well as’Terrace Jugs’ of Pimms, Sangria, Watermelon Gin Punch and Kiwi Blueberry Mojitos and’Terrace Tubs’ filled with bottles of beer, ale or cider. A selection of wines and Champagnes is also available.

The Terrace backs on to the gardens which can be accessed through an old iron gate, which before the Embankment was built, may once have allowed access to the river directly.

You can of course come to the Terrace via the main hotel lobby, but for anyone wandering the gardens this little oasis of charm will come as a pleasant surprise. Don’t be put off by the lack of a sign, the Terrace is open to all and it has to be one of London’s best’secret summer spots’ when the sun shines and, frankly, it’s still very good when it doesn’t.

The Terrace at The Royal Horseguards

2 Whitehall Court, London, SW1A

www.theroyalhorseguards.com

Menu

Available from 12 noon until 9:00 pm. Numbers refer to price in £

Nocellara premium olives 5

Moutabel with mini pitta 6

Spicy houmous with crisp breads 6

Marinated artichokes & tomatoes 7

Asparagus with tamarind ketchup 7

Marinated artichokes, olives,

moutabel, spicy houmous, pitta and

Teriykai beef fillet, corn-fed chicken

satay and grilled tiger prawns 30

flat breads 20

SLIDER PLATTER

Grangemoor beef with crispy bacon & Fourme d’Ambert

New season lamb with Moroccan spices & goats cheese

Lincolnshire pork sausage with savora mustard & onion jam

A platter consists of one of each of the above

For One Person 12

For Two People 20

For Four People 36

SALADS AND SANDWICHES

Innes goats curd, roasted beets, candied walnuts and endive 9

Hot smoked salmon with fennel cream, radicchio and orange 12

Morteau sausage, ComtÃƒÂ© cheese with baby gem salad and Dijon mustard

dressing 10

Croque Monsieur served on white, brown or granary

Served with chipped potatoes and Royal Horseguards seasoning

TERRACE JUGS

Ultimate Sangria 24

Watermelon Gin Punch 24

Kiwi Blueberry Mojito 24

TERRACE TUBS

Pimm’s 24

Six Bottles 24

Choose from Curious Brew Lager,

Birra Moretti, Heineken, Curious IPA,

Curious Apple Cider or Cornish

Orchard Raspberry