Brits have been left mystified at a New York restaurant's decision to only serve Sunday roasts between 12pm and 3pm. Hawksmoor NYC, opened by childhood friends Will and Huw from East London, started serving Sunday roasts on January 29 following their success in their UK restaurants.
However, diners can not get their head around their decision to serve the traditional meal between 12pm and 3pm, claiming "Sunday roasts are a 2pm to 6pm affair". Taking to Twitter, Katie Deighton, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal, said: "Hawksmoor NYC started serving Sunday roasts for the first time this weekend, but only from 12pm to 3pm, and it's not inaccurate to say that the Brits are rioting."
In agreement, one user said: "Imagine eating a roast at midday. That’s practically breakfast."
Another user added: "Cruel tease only serving roast until 3pm. Never in a British household with Sunday dog walks and being late home from the pub with dad would you have a roast before 4pm - let alone in a city where brunch runs until then too."
A third user said: "12? What is this - brunch?"
However, others argued that 3pm seems about right because many restaurants start to run out of ingredients around then.
One user said: "This feels like a good level of honesty really. London pubs have normally sold out of most elements of the roast by 3pm."
Another user added: "No one should eat a restaurant roast after 3pm? That’s common sense. The quality goes down hill after two hours, then after 4pm forget it."
One more user said: "Good luck getting a roast in a pub after 4pm Enjoy your roast at 6pm if it was hot at 2pm."
In the UK, Hawksmoor serves its Sunday roasts for a longer period - but warns they "can't guarantee roasts will be available after 5pm".
Their roasts have been crowned the 'Best Sunday Lunch in the UK' by the Observer Food Monthly Awards.
When adding the iconic British meal to their New York menu, a statement read: "Sundays at Hawksmoor in the UK are all about our Sunday Roast.
"Think all-natural, dry-aged, slow-roasted Rump served with crispy beef dripping potatoes, buttered greens and carrots, gigantic Yorkshire puddings, lashings of bone marrow and onion gravy and the option for a side of cauliflower cheese.
"The tradition of Sunday Roast dates back to the 15th century where large joints of meat were roasted on a spit over an open fire, strictly on Sundays as some abstained from eating meat on certain days of the week due to religious affiliations.
"As you might imagine, to achieve a similar flavour, we start ours on our charcoal grill and finish them in the oven.
"Many who have had a Sunday Roast equate it to a Thanksgiving dinner – a comforting, filling meal that is best in the company of loved ones. And, should a Bloody Mary, or two, be consumed alongside it, who are we to judge?
"This British institution has brought friends and families together for centuries and we’re delighted to welcome New Yorkers to this tradition. Sunday Roast will be available from 12 to 3pm from January 29th onwards."
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