The Event: A Works' Christmas Party
Facade
I remember The Grey lady being the kind of place posh old ladies with blue hair mushed their way through over-cooked, anaemic salmon on Tuesday lunchtimes so I wasn't holding out much hope for this place tucked away on the road to Bradgate Park.
Now you know what I mean, right? But it has undergone a bit of a revamp since this photo was taken. There was a decked patio and a little summer-house / pergoda / gazebo type thing for smokers to huddle in.
Interior
The foyer is dominated by four, huge throne-type armchairs in black and white fleur-de-lis upholstery, laminate floors and swish glass doors. It the Grey Lady's way of shaking off that tired, starched-tablecloth-and-napkins, stuffy air it once carried.
Granted, it wasn't my cup of tea but it was good to see that they were finally dragging their straitlaced, grey asses into the 21st century.
Snap
Set menus for Christmas dos and the like never tend to be that impressive. This one though, blew me away and I ate every single morsel on my plate.
To start, I had mushroom risotto, which I was unsure about when ordering in case it filled me up. I needn't have been worried though; it was the perfect size, deliciously creamy and accompanied by parmesan crisps and an actual truffle foam! Excuse my excitement but I've never had one of these legendary, Masterchef type foams on my food before. It didn't actually add to the dish at all, but it pleased me nevertheless because I got to perform my Greg Wallace impression.
For mains, I had sole with spinach mousse and potatoes. The sole was yum, yum, yummy; seasoned lovingly and a good old portion as well. The spinach mousse squares were tasty and innovative.
To finish, I had a bitter chocolate tart, which was dreamy. The base could've been a bit softer but the chocolate itself was heavenly.
Pros
The food. I'm looking forward to trying this place's a la carte menu sometime.
Cons
The smoking hut was lit but not very well-heated and the slabs were a bit puddly. Not good for suede shoes.
Outfit
It's still quite a swish restuarant but that being said, I don't think you'd feel out of place turning up in jeans, as long as you paired them with a glam top and heels natch.
The waiting staff wear pink shirts and chinos and are nothing like the decrepid, Julie Walters-esque staff I had expected: think prim, black uniforms and lace pinnies - so you can probably take your cue from them.
Best for...
A posh meal somewhere different.
