Located inside The Astor, The Roving Marrow is like Mad Men season seven but with way more class. The furnishings are slick and minimalistic, and dare I say, funky. The Roving Marrow do European yum cha-style offerings – trolleys of intense looking food travel around the room stimulating your eyes and taste buds. Go on, try the sea bounty mussel and kimchi pancake. It goes really well with a Bloody Mary, as do the kale chips and the braised oxtail broth. Oh, and don’t ignore the short rib dumplings, because those things are outrageous. But hey, if you aren’t ready to make your European grandma proud then why not gorge yourself on the bar food, which is still smashingly delicious. Chow down on a hot dog while you work out which of the ten tap beers you’d like to try. Or if beer ain’t your bag, then settle in with a cocktail or five. The G & Tea is a crazy-good reinterpretation of the classic using kombucha tea instead of tonic. There’s also a range of platters to share with your mates. The ocean platter is light; the charcuterie platter, which has that amazing liver parfait, is a bit heavier; and the cheese platter is the perfect way to end an evening. Who cares if you’re on a diet? Throw that silly rule book out the window. As Mark Twain once said, “Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”
Food In Focus: The Astor & The Roving Marrow
