Palm Court Brasserie

Great good and ambience and great afternoon teas as well.

We went for lunch and the restaurant and staff were very pleasing and we were made to feel welcome, the service was quick and everything was well presented. The first course, chicken liver parfait and sourdough promised well for the following courses, and I enjoyed it very much, with the accompanying onion chutney. The menu choices are good, although I had specifically looked forward to the Calves Liver that was on the menu when I booked 24hours previously, but not on when we got there. However I picked the Beef Bourguignon which was an extra £2 on top of the set three course choice I opted for. That would have been fine except that it was a very average dish, the gravy quite tasty but too thin and the mashed potato that came with it had a weird taste, almost as if it were ersatz. I am sure it wasn't but tasted odd. I am a retired Cordon Bleu chef and although I love everything from fish fingers and chips to high dining, I don't complain unless there is something seriously wrong, but I was just hugely disappointed with this dish. There were several small pieces of beef, but not good sized chunks which I was looking forward to. I had to pay an extra £3.50 for a dish of peas and lettuce (it only said Petits Pois so I would rather have had just the peas) and I had an average pud of pistachio ice cream, which having just come back from Italy was another flavour disappointment. So in all, I have to say that with SO many eateries in and around Covent Garden this is not a restaurant I would visit again, despite the charming staff.

The meal was good and the service quick and polite. My only problem was the ‘low lighting’. I prefer to be able to see clearly when I'm eating, just my personal preference. Plus there were two steps to negotiate which was a slight problem in such lighting.

We were greeted by friendly staff and had our own waiter for the evening. The service was good all night and the waiter was attentive, but not hanging over our shoulders every five minutes. Plenty to choose from on the menu, and all reasonably priced. Didnt have to wait for too long between courses. The food was fabulous and I would highly reccomend it to everyone who likes a bit of fine dining. We will definately be returning.

Friendly and attentive staff started our visit on the right note. Starters were good as were the main meals: tasty with lots of flavour and good portions as well. House wine was perfectly drinkable. Overall a very pleasant dining experience prior to a theatre outing.