Eating Around: TGI Fridays, Wembley, London

With a half day off work at our fingertips, my husband and I decided that before attending our evening comedy gig at Wembley Arena, we should certainly spend a decent chunk of our free afternoon indulging in a complete pig-out of a lunch-come-dinner. Although we don’t know Wembley well as an area, the nearby London Designer Outlet shopping haunt provided more than enough choice for our rumbling tummies, with my husband selecting popular American burger joint TGI Fridays as our chosen food refueling spot.

We had visited a TGI’s in the past, many moons ago when we were first dating, around our local Essex, in Lakeside. Since we hadn’t been in so long, we were intrigued to see what updates had been done and whether the menu lived up to our fond memories of meals gone by, of finger-licking meats and full-to-bursting plates. Upon entering, TGI’s certainly blasts you with cherry-picked and stereotypical aspects of American diner culture, its loud and brash style unapologetic and vibrant. Flashing neon light decor, shiny red leather booth seating, and cranked up music added to the black and red theme across the roomy and spacious restaurant. We were seated at a row of tables for two, Dan taking the lower red leather sofa style seat across the back of all the tables, while I sat opposite him on a dining chair.

Since TGI’s is renowned for its cocktails, I felt compelled to have a peruse. The options were certainly plentiful with an entire book full of the different available options, whether you wanted luscious dessert style options, large sharing goblets, or maybe something frozen. With such an abundance of options, I was stumped for a bit, but then I decided to try and be vaguely healthier by ordering a skinny margarita in the blackberry flavour. When it arrived at the table, it wasn’t really what I was expecting, as it was a blended frozen cocktail, served in a tall, thin glass with a blackberry perched on its icy top.  It was delicious, refreshing and I loved the blackberry tones, which also gave it a fabulous purple colour. However, when I ordered a repeat cocktail later on during the meal, it arrived in a martini glass, and was a thin, pale purple toned liquid rather than frozen. It is very apparent that I had had two very different blackberry cocktails, but since I didn’t know how the drink was meant to be presented in the first place, it’s difficult to know whether to question it or not. I have a feeling my second drink was actually the correct one, as I did not ask for a frozen cocktail, but either way, both drinks were tasty and refreshing even if one wasn’t one I ordered.

We decided that for starters, we would choose a couple of dishes and then share in a true romantic fashion. Scanning the menu, I was really intrigued by so many of the options; it appears to me that TGI has jazzed up its menu to deliver typical American grub but in creative and imaginative ways. For example, one of our starters was Chick Cones. This is basically miniature waffle cones, like you would have with ice cream scoops, however these ones were stuffed with Cajun chicken pieces, interlaced with a fresh tomato salsa type sauce and heaps of fresh and spicy guacamole. The three cones were wedged into a white triangular sundae dish, and I have to say it looked really appetising. I loved how different it was, as I haven’t seen anything like this before. The chicken was tender and lightly spiced, however the heat was in full force when it came to the guacamole and salsa! You almost needed the chicken and the plain cone to help tone down the fiery warmth! There were moreish and soon disappeared in a few bites each. Our other starter was some garlic ciabatta bread, which was cut into four windmill wing pieces. Crunchy and crispy on top, the ciabatta underneath was soft, the garlic butter permeating through each layer of the hole-ridden bread. We really enjoyed the starters, and we were certainly contemplating how we would make room for our main course.

When picking my main course, I did something I have never done before; I ordered a double stack burger. Yes folks, that’s two flame-grilled beef burgers. I clearly took the indulgent afternoon off meal to a whole new limit when I selected the Warrior burger. This bad boy not only contained two thick patties of beef, but also featured gooey breadcrumb coated mozzarella dippers, both Colby and American type cheeses that were oozing over my burger layers in a slick caress, bacon, caramalised onions and some of TGI’s mayo for good measure. Throw in a tomato and some onion and the burger was complete. It was a complete monster of a tower, and although my mouth was watering just looking at it, I was also intimidated! What I found hilarious though was the balance of the meal. Next to this colossal burger mountain was a single lettuce leaf, acting as a mini platter for a dessert spoon of apple coleslaw. The rest of the wooden, rectangular chopping board plate was full of crunchy, narrow skinny fries. I also had some of the cheese sauce served on the side in a small dip dish.

This burger was impressive. It even had three bread layers, so was fundamentally an entire burger and then a whole second burger, just without a top bun. Its size was undoubtedly its most eye-catching element, however it did actually taste as good as it looked, which is always such a bonus when it comes to burgers. The beef was moist, flavoursome and a decent chunky patty, which I love. The beef was also the perfect conduit for the cascades of cheese in my burger, but for me the mozzarella dippers were a really unique touch that set the burger apart. The breadcrumbs added just that bit of crunch but the stringy melted cheese within just accentuated what else was in the burger. The bacon gave a salty hit to slice through the opulent cheesiness, while you simply cannot go wrong when it comes to caramlised onions; they just enhance every dish they have the pleasure of gracing. This burger was epic, and I thoroughly enjoyed pigging out and indulging in being greedy for once.

The apple coleslaw was quite refreshing and added a vibrant and colourful crunch, which pepped up the presentation of the plate. I liked the addition of raisins for a fruity chew as well. The chips were pretty standard in my opinion, with a solid crunchy outside and soft potato on the inside. Dunking the fries luxuriously into my cheese dip was delish. I managed to make decent headway into my meal considering its size, and I only left a handful of chips, much to our waitress’s admiration. She commented that I’d cleared a lot more than other customers have done when tackling the Warrior. To be honest, I was unsure whether this was a compliment or a veiled insult!

Stuffed to the rafters, we couldn’t even contemplate dessert, so we quit while we were ahead (read: could still waddle), paid the bill and left. From my younger days, I remember TGI’s being a bit of a teenage hangout, but now my perception has changed. The menu is more extensive and certainly brings a more imaginative type of American cuisine to our British plates. I mean, the pulled pork sundae on the starter menu also sounded pretty immense to me. The menu is so big that there will be something for everyone, the portion sizes are full of American generosity and I would say the prices are standard for this type of grub too. The serving staff were polite, even though the cocktail confusion was a little bit of an oddity. We really enjoyed our lunch at TGI’s and I’m sure we would not be adverse to visiting again when we are next passing by.

Eating Around: Duck and Rice, Soho, London

Since my mum’s favourite cuisine is Asian, I am always on the lookout for new venues we can try. When we were looking for a suitable restaurant to chow down on dinner before a theatre trip in London, I managed to hunt down the Duck and Rice, a stone’s throw from my Soho based office and a further five minutes from the theatre. Seeming to tick all of the required boxes, we promptly booked a table and looked forward to what we would eat.

Firstly, I loved the design and layout of Duck and Rice. Both the upstairs and downstairs areas have a bar, although downstairs has more stool style seating and upstairs has that more distinct restaurant feel. Large copper water tank heaters are an unusual centre piece for the dark, oriental themed wallpapered rooms, a black cast iron spiral staircase leading scenically to the upper floor. The patterned black and white tiled floor added to the elegant, overdone feel of the restaurant, although the main thing I loved was our table.

Uniquely, the upstairs dining area had what I would call a half balcony. Instead of a solid wall facing the small side street outside, it was a foldaway surface, meaning that the cosy sofa style seating hemmed in between the wall and the back of the sofa actually looked out scenically across the street as if you were sitting on a balcony. Since we visited on a particularly humid day, being able to sit in the shade of the restaurant yet with fresh air slowly breezing in was really lovely, and this quirky touch further endeared the restaurant in my eyes.

With the opulent décor receiving top marks for classy elegance, it was now time to see whether the menu was up to par. Starters had to be dim sums, and my mouth was watering at the prospect of fluffy Chinese style puffs and the squidgy dumpling style gyoza. Conveniently, each dim sum came with three pieces, so since there were three of us, we chose three dishes and sampled one piece of each. The mooli puff was served in its traditional woven steamer, the exterior of the puffs a solid white in colour, looking exactly the way I would envision a cloud. It was light, soft, fluffy and melted like butter in the mouth, sheer heaven, especially with the flavourful and saucy centre. I think I could have just eaten those! I love the texture of these, they are just incomparable with any other food.

The venison puffs on the other hand cam encased in a crispy, flaky pastry style cover, the tops glistening thanks to a sheen of egg yolk no doubt, the sprinkling of sesame seeds ample décor. The chunky, meaty filling was rich with a lovely depth of flavour, the sauce oozing nicely into the pastry exterior. The gyoza were once again a different texture for us to sample, the pork filling a bit lighter, especially when paired with the Chinese leaves. Soft and boiled I think, the hand crimped edges were easy to bite into, and while they might not look the most appetising, they sure did taste good.

Whilst supping on our pick and mix starter, my sister and I shared what was called a cup of Pimms. This was served in a large glass chalice, with a wavy fluted edge. The Pimms was filled with an abundance of mixed fruits, including oranges, lemons and strawberries; the cup presented with two glasses and a wooden spoon so we could divide the delicious drink and capture the alcohol laden fruit.

For main course, I had to go for the restaurant’s trademark dish of duck and rice. It’s very simple, very straightforward but makes for a nice, light and even vaguely healthy looking meal. Presented in a deep blue and white patterned china bowl, the plain white boiled rice forms the base of the dish, a juicy chunk of duck breast sliced generously on top, the skin intact and crispy, full of the wonderful, aromatic duck meat juices with a gooey hoi sin style sauce smeared briefly on top. Peeled and rustically chopped stumps of cucumber also graced the plate, but I soon palmed them off onto someone else – cucumber isn’t my scene. There wasn’t enough sauce for me, so I used some of the remaining dip from our dim sums to pour over my rice to give me enough sauce, although the flavour of the duck was superb. It was tender with that lovely game-like taste, succulent to eat; you just can’t beat that juxtaposition of the melt in the mouth duck meat paired with the crispy tear of the fatty skin. It’s a match made in heaven. The rice was a mere platter for the duck. The portion size looks small, but after our starters, this was fine and I was full afterwards, although if we hadn’t had been going to the theatre, I probably would have needed dessert as well. Asian restaurants never seem to do large portions when you select individual meals.

All in all, I really enjoyed Duck and Rice. We paid about £30 each for our drinks and two course meal, and the waiting staff were really lovely. Our waiter patiently answered all our questions about what the dishes were actually like as the menu is not descriptive in the slightest, and he even gave his recommendations on what he thought was best. He was the one who highlighted the glorious Pimms cups, so kudos for that. The atmosphere of the restaurant is a fantastic cross of London city slick with the modern copper aspects, crossed with the slightly fusty oriental intricate patterning, the black and gold tones maintained throughout the restaurant. A great spot and we loved our unique table too, I think I may have to visit again soon!

Holiday Munchies: Liskeard Tavern, Liskeard, Cornwall

During a recent week-long stay in holiday hotspot Cornwall, big family dinners out were the norm. With an age range between five and 50 plus as well as diverse food tastes, finding a restaurant that fits the bill for everyone can be tricky. Now I already know that Table Table and the other pub chains associated with Premier Inns tend to offer tasty fodder around my more local haunts, but I was interested to see whether the menu differed greatly or how the quality compared when you swapped the M25 based eateries for something a whole lot more scenic.

One night, we headed to Liskeard Tavern, a Whitbread Inns venue decked out in muted shades of mauve and soft blue greys for a peaceful aura. Ordering a glass of white wine (large of course), I settled down to take a look at the menu. I fancied something protein fuelled, and although steak is usually my first port of call in these cases, I rather liked the sound of the garlic roasted potatoes and carrots that were set to accompany the smoked gammon steak. With this in mind, I thought I’d go for the steak, since I haven’t had this in a while and I always like to have something different when I’m out and about.

When my plate arrived, I was a little bit disappointed by the size of my gammon; cut in a long, thin strip that edged my white, oval plate, it was narrow and also very thin – it would have been nice to be treated to a few more centimetres to make it more of a steak shape. However, it was tantalising griddled with charred cooking lines, the narrow boarder of fat crisped and oozing on the edge of the meat. Gammon is usually a bit harder to cut into, however I didn’t find this a massive problem and I loved the ripe flavours of the steak – the smoky flavourings were more of a gentle infusion and not too in your face at all, simply another layer that enhanced the natural juiciness of the pork deliciously. Despite how thin the meat was, it was still succulent which proves good cooking and the natural cooking style really let the meat do the talking.

The potatoes and carrots were really lovely, oven roasted with garlic for a pungent herb kick that bombarded your mouth with warmth. The potatoes were basically a relation of the classic roastie, so they were nice and crisp on the outside (without nearing burnt status) whilst light and fluffy on the inside for a great texture composition, the garlic really tying the textures together. The carrots added a sweetness and firmer crunch, great when paired with the potatoes. The dish was also served with a flavourful mustard and apple sauce that was a real surprise. It was have looked like a mere chunky apple sauce, however its taste had far more kick, with a sweet yet peppery wallop of mustard that somehow managed to enhance the sweetness of the sauce. Smeared on the gammon, this was simply a match made in heaven! Peas were also present and that is all I have to say about those!

After polishing my plate and helping my hubby with a few of his remaining chips, it was time to pick dessert. I find it very hard to resist a decent sundae, especially if there are brownies present, so when I spotted the rocky road sundae on the menu, complete with marshmallows and brownies – let’s just say I didn’t stand a chance. In a very nicely portioned sundae glass, my vanilla ice cream tower was stacked decadently with gloriously squadgy cubes of chocolate brownie that added a lovely, cakey element and a rich, chocolate flavour. Soft marshmallows balanced on top with a few scattered down below, chocolate sauce drenching the inside of my sundae glass. Topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream and speared with a wafer, this was one of those desserts that is just so simple yet so enjoyable, so it’s difficult to go wrong with such a classic.

All in all, we very much enjoyed our meal at Liskeard Tavern. The service was a little slow at first, especially for a Thursday evening, but the staff were all polite and pleasant. Having an energetic little one in our group caused a few pointed stares from other customers which I found a bit odd but other than that, it was a nice meal. Sometimes you just need a standard, classic menu to see you through.

Holiday Munchies: The Old Quay House, Hayle, Cornwall

Sundays. The home of many things. The home of the lie in. The home of breakfast in bed. The home of all laziness. However the most important item that Sunday houses is undoubtedly the great Sunday roast. During a recent holiday in Cornwall with my in-laws, Sunday rolled around and my father-in-law was unstoppable in his mission to locate this British tradition for us to partake in. Hands up to him, he found a real winner when we stumbled across The Old Quay House, which actually specialises in its Sunday roast hot buffet, served at both lunch and dinner time.

Situated off a main road and surrounded by rolling greenery and nearby animals also chowing down on the lush grass, The Old Quay House is your typical old school Cornish building; white-washed with an interior loaded with dark wooden beams, stark and cumbersome against the pale walls and ceilings. Upon entering, my husband and father-in-law had to mind their heads, however we were instantly greeted by the welcome sight of a well-stocked bar on the left and an array of mismatched seating on the right. An official dining room sat in a conservatory style addition at the back of the building, but us latecomers had to be seated in the front bar area instead, which to be honest I preferred.

To go alongside the characteristic beams and the simplistic dining set up was a quirky collection of sporting goods. Framed and colourful football t-shirts sat next to mounted cricket bats and club mascot posters, black and white sporting images huddled alongside coloured team pics. Adding an assortment of colours and textures to the décor, it really juxtaposed with the tradition building to add interest.

The popular Sunday roast is served as a hot buffet, where waiting staff help you to pile your plate high. You start by going up to the paying desk next to the bar, ordering your roast dinners and collecting a token for each meal you order. Then, you queue for your dinner, giving your token to the first waiter to serve you to show you have paid. You order your drinks independently at the bar. This method of ordering may appear cumbersome, but it’s great for groups who want to split payments, or for those who are driving and don’t want to contribute to a friend’s alcohol consumption if a bottle of wine is also shared (come on, we all have a friend like that!).

Reaching the front of the buffet queue, the heat coming from the platters from absolutely stifling, however the smells were equally making my mouth water passionately. Bringing a fresh gammon joint, I ordered the first few slices for my meal, as well as some tender strips of beef to accompany it. A squadgy Yorkshire pudding was piled on too, nice and soft, just how I like them, as well as these weird cubes that were attempting to pass as stuffing. These stuffing cubes were the only aspect of the meal I wasn’t 100% sure about – they tasted and looked a bit artificial for my liking.

They really loaded you up on veg too; I went for roast potatoes, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, broccoli and cauliflower cheese, my plate straining under the weight of my meal. Needless to say I didn’t let peas tarnish the hearty meal I had so far complied. At the end of the homespun buffet was a selection of gravy and sauces for you to slop on, so I splashed some over my meal with gusto.

It was a corking roast dinner. A brilliant size, you can’t help but feel stuffed when you are done. The meat is a real speciality and you can taste the TLC that has gone into the cooking of those succulently large and juicy joints. The gammon had that lovely fresh twang of pork while the beef was pure melt in the mouth. The veg was all pretty standard and nicely done – not mush and not al dente – and two Yorkshires was a plus point too. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this hearty and homely meal, and I could completely understand how they had sold out at lunchtime.

The dessert menu was very simple. Once we had made our order at the bar again and received our food, it was actually a lot simpler than even I had anticipated. In my opinion, so much effort and care had gone into the cooking and preparation of the main courses, that dessert was most definitely an afterthought. Although the presentation was neat and well, just nice, it looked shop bought and plonked on a plate. I’m not being funny but I can do that at home if I want, I don’t really want that when I’m out and about.

I ordered the roulade of the day, which I was informed was chocolate orange, one of my very favourite flavour combinations. However, when it arrived, I was underwhelmed. It was a chocolate sponge that had been rolled with whipped cream to form the trademark roulade spiral, the edges of the plate dotted with tiny segments of tinned satsuma. It was nice and it was sweet, but I can’t help but have this niggle of ‘is that it’? My father-in-law’s pavlova was nicely stacked but again looked shop bought while my husband’s sundae was merely scoops of standard ice cream in a tower. Nice but distinctly underwhelming compared to the magnificence of the classic roast dinner that came before. Clearly, people don’t usually have space for dessert!

Accompanied by a glass (or two) of sauvignon blanc, I did enjoy my meal – the roast dinner is a real winner and is honest, homemade cooking at its best. There is nothing fancy about a roast, but done well, it can excel itself, as it did here. The meat in particular was delicious and very flavoursome. Price wise, The Old Quay House was reasonable and the other main course dishes we saw whizzing from the kitchen also looked incredibly palatable. A cosy home away from home, it’s worth a pit stop if you are a fan of the roast. Just make sure you book if you want any hope of getting a table!

Holiday Munchies: Jamaica Inn, Bolventor, Cornwall

Fans of Daphne du Maurier will be well versed in Jamaica Inn’s murky past, the grey stone Cornish pub come restaurant once being the weather-beaten home to smugglers and trawlers pestering the coast of the wild Cornish moors, grabbing some much needed refreshment between lifting loads of goods. Although now the location is more famed for its ghost walks than pirate locale, I couldn’t wait to investigate the character of the place as I headed there for an evening meal with my in-laws on the last night of our stay in Cornwall.

The interior is typical of many of the older buildings we had come across during our stay in Cornwall; dark and chunky wooden beams lay coarsely across low white-washed ceiling, the beams encircling the walls and mirroring the dark wood of the bottle clustered bar as well as the polished tables and stools that sat around the relaxed eating area in the pub. A crackling log fire blistered within a large stone hearth, adding a unique homely feel and a hint of times gone by. Paper thin coloured notes of money, I couldn’t tell which, were stapled to some of the ceiling beams, adding an intriguing splash of colour and character that seemed almost a clue to the well-travelled visitors of the past. Odds and ends seemed to be everywhere you looked, creating quite a hodge-podge collection; however every item looked at home in its spot, as if it were meant to be sitting there. I could almost envision the trade ships and pirates who must have gathered in this quaint and quirky place.

A group of six, we were shown to a rectangular table next to the fire, three of us seated on a wooden bench made comfy by a matching deep red cushion, the rest of us perched on wooden chairs that had a stool like feel. The light from a tiny window adjacent to the table cast a nice natural glow on our table, while the fire the other side protected us from the rather draughty breeze that whistled past our feet.

Sipping a refreshing chilled glass of sauvignon blanc, I perused the classic British menu. The choice wasn’t massive, but it featured your classic grills, burgers, pizzas and pies – solid comfort food with something for everyone in the family, making it suitable for all ages. Feeling decidedly British, I opted for the steak and ale pie. Made with shortcrust pastry, it was a circular individual pie that emitted a delightful puff of steam when I cut into the crunchy, golden crust. Tumbling chunks of tender beef rolled out over my unwelcome portion of green garden peas, the rich inner gravy also sluicing over my rolled round of creamy mashed potato. A separate portion of gravy was presented in a tidy plain white jug.

The pastry was buttery and nicely seasoned, with the perfect level of crunch, even after being sodden in the rich, flavourful gravy. The beef was soft and the ale flavour added that little something extra to the flavour, deepening it somewhat. The mash was smooth and lump-free, soft and creamy – it even managed to disguise the taste of the peas that blighted my plate. The main course was very much an unfussy meal; it was plain, simple, homemade cooking, like Sunday dinners prepared by your mum. No frills it was honest food that tasted good, so it gets a simplistic thumbs up from me in response. It didn’t blow me out of the park, but I enjoyed the meal a great deal.

I continued  my British food theme with dessert, choosing a particular favourite of my granddad’s; spotted dick. Asking for extra custard, I ended up with two small jugs filled to the brim with the yellow vanilla loveliness, drowning my unfortunate pud! (Note: this is a good thing in Katie terminology). The pudding itself was taste yet again nothing to write home about. A bit lacklustre in appearance, it was nice and squidgy, dotted with plump sultanas and raisins, presented in a neat circle. It was a good size for a dessert so that made me a happy bunny!

Jamaica Inn couldn’t really be described as gourmet, but it is somewhere I would go back. Its atmosphere is strangely different, with that unique echo of traditional Cornwall and times gone by where pirates ruled the roost of the coast. Homely and comfortable, it is suitable for adults and little ones alike, with a menu that even the fussiest of eaters couldn’t complain about, so that also presents a win-win. It made for a very nice, uncomplicated evening with the family that didn’t burst the bank balance either.

Eating Around: Cote, Great Portland Street

When planning my London based hen party back in April, I knew an all singing and all dancing musical would be involved. Opting for the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic Cats, my partner in crime and maid of honour Jess also helped me arrange a slap up meal for our group of eight to enjoy before the evening performance. With the ladies in my family all having quite varied taste buds, it was quite a mission to pick a venue that would provide the exciting and adventurous cuisine some hankered for, whilst also offering traditional staples for others. In the end, we settled on Cote, serving delicious French dishes, pre booking for their pre theatre menu – designed to be quicker to plate up but still just as tasty. With three courses coming to under £15, this set menu is also a complete steal.

Walking in to Cote’s Great Portland Street branch, situated near the incredibly central Oxford Circus tube station, it was bursting with classic French chic and an understated style that leaves you feeling positively Parisian. Spheres of light hung from the ceiling, while the polished dark wooden tables were neatly decorated with cutlery and crisp white napkins. I loved the chunky water bottles that reminded me of old fashioned beer bottles, heavy and with a rust coloured pottery style hue. Smart rectangular mirrors on the walls helped to accentuate the space of the rather long room, and as we settled into a long table near the back, I was looking forward to getting stuck in to my dinner!

Selecting a refreshing white wine to have with our meal, I began by picking my starters – chicken liver parfait paired with grilled strips of ciabatta and a ramekin of mini, knobbly gherkins. It may be a starter that crops up on many menus, but it does so for a reason – it’s versatile, tasty and each restaurant can put its own spin on the dish. Going for the parfait route, the chicken liver meat was served in a small Kilner style jar. I speared and flicked the traditional thick fat layer off and scooped up a large blob of the smooth pate to smear on my ciabatta. I loved the fact that there was plenty of bread with this dish – there is really nothing worse than having lots of delicious pate and then a meagre amount of bread or toast. It’s a make or break factor so in this respect, Cote gets the thumbs up. The parfait itself was really tasty, with a full bodied flavour that was wonderfully spreadable. I also really enjoyed the smooth creaminess of the parfait matched with the spicy little bitter pickles – they complemented each other perfectly and the gherkins added a great zing to the dish.  Presented on a wooden chopping board, it also had great impact on the table.

For my main course, you can’t get more French than Coq au Vin, or to you and me, chicken in a wine sauce. A juicy, fat chicken leg had been cooked up with a thin red wine sauce, and pooled delicately in a soup style bowl, the plate clustered with baby mushrooms, carrots and shallots, as well as a molehill of potato puree (aka mash). Really nice and light to eat, this definitely didn’t sit heavily in the tummy, which is nice when you know you’ve got to walk around later. The chicken was cooked beautifully, being nice and tender, the white meat falling off the bone, soft and juicy as I bit into it underneath the soggy skin. The red wine jus wasn’t overpowering in the slightest, and added more of an accompanying depth of the flavour soaking chicken, working to tie together the various ingredients. The veg was fine and the mash was really yummy – so creamy and the perfect sponge for the runny sauce and veg. Buttery and melt in the mouth, it was really great to have a dish like this that I don’t usually prepare at home.

Last on the agenda before leaving to hit the theatre was of course dessert. I chose the dark chocolate pot with crème fraiche, also ordering a cappuccino at the same time for speed. I was so impressed by this dessert; granted it doesn’t look like much. Served in a disappointingly small jug style ramekin, the appearance is definitely understated, as all you can see at first is the flat white top of the finishing crème fraiche layer. Digging a teaspoon in, the deep and dark chocolate soon revealed itself, and boy did it have flavour! Rich and luxurious, the texture was out of this world – it was almost a cross between a custard and a mousse, being wonderfully thick and gloopy, but also so silky and smooth. It really was a remarkably opulent texture that was sensational. The really dark, intense chocolate taste was instantly lightened by the bright crème fraiche, so the two worked together in a magical harmony. This dessert may look a little on the plain and bland side, but it is the taste that does the talking here.

Although we did have to wait longer than normal for our desserts (coffee ended up arriving before dessert – always a bad sign in my book), we managed to make our seats in time for the show, so it wasn’t disastrous fortunately. Food wise, I really liked the meals I chose. Casting a quick glance at the full menu, some of the dishes had my mouth watering at the thought, so I would love to try some of their a la carte items. Interestingly though, their set menu is seasonal, so you could simply visit at another time of year and have the same set menu for the same price, yet pick completely different meals, which means the food is never boring or repetitive. For that price as well, you can hardly knock it. This chain has plenty of venues, so I suggest you look up one near you soon!