Riverside Cafe - Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

A small group of friends ate in the Riverbank Cafe before a show, My experience was great and incident free; I ordered the Breaded Place about an hour and a quarter before the show started. The order arrived in around 10 minutes, and the food itself was good, although the chips weren't to my personal preference (slightly soggy - I prefer them crispy, but ate the lot anyway!) However my friends experience was altogether different; He arrived 15 minutes after my order , and placed his order at the bar. Despite chasing his order twice, he still hadn't received his food 45 minutes later, with only 15 minutes left before curtain up time. With only 7 or 8 minutes left his order Finally arrived; a unappetizing looking super soggy pie that had no puff or crisp, appearing more like a reheated shop bought affair. It was wolfed down with little pleasure!

Riverview Is a hidden treasure behind the very busy pub. An amazingly creative menu offering classic dishes with an innovative twist was a real surprise. The staff are welcoming, friendly and informative about the menu without being obtrusive. The beetroot with smoked salmon and mackerel roulade was delicious and the beef with green peppercorns and pressed potatoes was enough to chuck any January resolutions out of the window. So good in fact we ended up sharing a cheese board and the apple tarte tartin (with cinnamon ice cream). Still, it was worth it. The diet can start on Monday.