Entertainments | Restaurant Reviews | Grand Union
Dining out at the Grand Union is not like visiting any other restaurant I have ever been to.
It is a whole evening of eating the most marvellous food and drinking the best wines but be warned, an evening of the best does not come cheap. Places need to be booked at least a few days in advance and it is obvious from the way some people were greeted that some people like to return time and time again.
At the Grand Union everyone eats their six-course meal together. Guests begin arriving at about 7.30pm and you are greeted with a glass of house wine which is included in the set meal price. At 8pm a gong is banged and you are introduced to the waiting staff and told what mouth watering food lies ahead.
The decor is pure chintz with big mirrors everywhere, white pillars and vines and leaves drawn onto the walls. There was one choice of soup, spinach and mustard, which was delivered onto the table in a large bowl and left there for us to help ourselves. It was delicious but fortunately we heeded the earlier warnings not to overdo it on the first course although it took supreme will power not to scoff the lot.
Next we had a choice of chicken and rocket salad in a horseradish and olive oil dressing or pork and liver pate. Both of us chose the chicken which was simple but effective.
A sorbet is then delivered to clear the palate and while you are consuming this waiters fly around the tables carrying huge platters showing the choice of three main meals. There is always a fish dish which this week was fillets of haddock with watercress and stilton and two meat dishes. There was a choice of a loin of pork cut into strips and pan fried or roast loin of lamb with spring onion and mixed pepper stuffing.
I had the lamb which was lovely but after a while I found it a little too rich and I am assured the pork was delicious too. Then comes a chance to relax and wander outside before the waiters again run around the room displaying a variety of six home-made puddings of all varieties to choose from. I had mint choc-chip cheese cake but by this time I was starting to struggle. A wine waiter came round offering a small glass of dessert wine which my partner took advantage of. When the bill arrived we discovered this glass had cost £4.25. After that the cheese and biscuits and coffee and mints were enjoyed. The set menu is £28.50 a head and a bottle of house red was £9.25. As I said earlier it may be a little pricey but the restaurant is definitely splashing out upon. The atmosphere is relaxed and the waiters do their best to be friendly. Well worth a visit. Sarah Portlock *****
