280 replies to this topic

[Summit Lover]

We had a super meal here on Friday evening. The service was impeccable (Brendan remembered our fondness for the great Zinfandel they serve) and the food was truly delicious, especially the chicken liver starter and the lamb cooked in 3 ways. Yum!

[cowell]

Amazing sunday roasts. Perfect size and tastes great.

[Dazza]

Interesting what is a perfect Size sunday roast ?

What sort or percent meat to veg ratio are we talking about ?

Dazza

[Elmo]

I require LOTS of spuds. I've always found most restaurants wanting in this area unfortunately. I can't remember how many you get at the ER though...

[Summit Lover]

Interesting what is a perfect Size sunday roast ?

What sort or percent meat to veg ratio are we talking about ?

Dazza

It all depends on whether people want a massive amount of food on the plate - I know some do. Personally I prefer less quantity but of a good quality. I am mainly veggie, so I generally ask for more veg and less meat.

I require LOTS of spuds. I've always found most restaurants wanting in this area unfortunately. I can't remember how many you get at the ER though...

A decent restaurant will generally accommodate what you want I guess - and ER has always been accommodating to individual preferences in my experience. I do like lots of spuds and parsnips too I have to say

[gekko]

Agree with you SL. I'm not a big meat eater either and prefer less meat and more veggies. Extra spuds and parsnips would be my preference - yum . Also, I hate big mounds of food - too overwhelming - so quality over quantity for me too.

[Summit Lover]

After being turned away a little snootily yesterday evening by Joanna's (to be fair we hadn't booked, but the maitre'd did seem incredibly pleased with the fact that he couldn't accommodate) we tried ER.

Luckily ER had a table free, and we had a stupendous meal Squid followed by Fillet of Lamb for R (I am not a lamb lover particularly, but this fillet was as soft and tender as pâté). Pear and goat's cheese salad, followed by another starter (chicken livers) with side orders of Dauphinoise Potatoes and Carrot & Swede Mash for me).

Divine. Friendly and efficient service; lovely food, washed down with our favourite Zinfandel. Glad they could squeeze us in

[Elmo]

Still doing the Zin are they? May have to take a trip there soon...

[moc]

Finally made it here after all this time - and for a special occasion, my partner's 40th birthday meal. I love the Exhibition Rooms! Nicely laid out out, not too close to other tables so you dont get to hear other diners' conversations whether you like it or not. Very good service - excellent waitress, offered us a choice of sparkling, still, or TAP water, very good. The service was very fluent and attentive too - I hate being in restaurants where you're tapping your fingers waiting for the waiter to see that you're waiting to be served, or trying to catch their eye. Equally, we didnt feel at all rushed. Food was great - I was of course thinking we'd do a la carte for the birthday meal, but OH was happy with the Steak Tuesday offer - steak, handcut chips, salad and a glass of wine or pint of beer for £10.95. That's a bit of a bargain?! Chocolate fondant and vanilla ice cream dessert to die for. All in all, very impressed, and can't wait to go back again. So much better than my last meal on the triangle, which was a post-Christmas Tanmag Thai where the service was slooooooooooow and I left still feeling hungry as the portions were TINY.

[bawheid]

After eating pretty much everywhere else in Crystal Palace I finally made it to the Exhibtition Rooms today. I was very happy with the whole experience...food, wine, service and decor all pretty good.

Me and my friend were both starving and had the Sunday roast, which was as good as anything I've had at Joanna's or any of the pricier gastropubs in the area. If I had a criticism of the food it would be that the Yorkshire pud was a bit dry, but the tenderness of the the chicken and the flavour of the roast parsnips more than made up for that.

I had sticky toffee pudding for dessert and it was really tasty, not as heavy as you might expect...but then I love classic English puddings.

With regard to the service I couldn't fault it. They were very busy when we arrived, we hadn't booked and all they could offer us was a table by the door but as soon as a table by the window became available they brought us over there, away from the boisterous family party of 15 that had just arrived. Service was the right balance of friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Would I go back? Yes, but probably keep it for special occasions... although Tuesday steak nights are a definite temptation.

[misspoddy]

Went there for Valentine's with hubby, mother (mine that is) and child. The food was absolutely delicious. The service was very nice too, very attentive to my daughter which I appreciate. Amazing meat, wonderful risotto and my daughter said she had the best burger... like ... EVER!
Was a wee bit pricey (40 quid per head) as it was Valentine's, but the woman I made the booking with even bothered calling me back at home to tell me the price and make sure I was ok with it.
The only, very small, reproach would be that I sent back one of my oysters which smelled dodgy and I didn't get a replacement. I had quite a few oyster/fish poisonings in my life (including one when 8 month pregnant - not good!!), so I am VERY careful and have a nose that can smell a bad oyster at 10 meters. So if one out of 6 oysters is bad, I would expect a new one, EVEN if the waiter can not smell the dodgyness...
But all in all I think ER is of the same quality as Joanna's for a better price!
Will definitely be back.

[Summit Lover]

Had a lovely meal there on Saturday night - we were in a hurry and also hadn't booked, but we were shown to a window table and they served us speedily but graciously. The food was scrumptious as usual and excellent value at early bird prices.

[Uncle Wilf]

So yeah I wanted a curry at my usual ruby murray emporium but the other member of my household was not having it so we tried the Exhibition Rooms for the first time.

They are currently doing a very good early bird deal from 6pm-7pm (3 courses for £15 or something like that).

It's very smart inside and the service was friendly and very good. The food was decent - twice cooked belly of pork are some of the few words that would be persuade me to eat pork (outside of a hostage situation). Worth a return for the early bird, but also well worth a return for their full menu.

[Summit Lover]

Have had a cracking couple of meals here recently - can highly recommend the onion and goats cheese tart and the ballotine of chicken. Thanks Brendan!

One small gripe - not with the restaurant but with the cocktail bar. The chairs are looking pretty tatty and need some TLC, the 6-8 pm half price cocktail list has shrunk to 6 choices as opposed to the whole of the cocktail menu (I guess they need more than one guy down there) and we were overcharged last time we were there. Still the best cocktails in the area though (IMHO).

Edited by Summit Lover, 06 July 2011 - 05:49 PM.

[Nanazola]

Further to the cocktail bar happy hour - we were distinctly unhappy with the £1 charge to bring 2 cocktails to our table, a journey of 5 steps.

Other than that I like the ER bar, though feel it comes into its own as a cosy winter hideaway, as the outdoor bit is dominated by a noisy and unsightly extractor fan. And those zebra-hide chairs are cool, though a bit creepy, and in all probability illegal!

Edited by Nanazola, 07 July 2011 - 07:20 PM.