Menier Chocolate Factory

I have become the new social secretary at work for the team. This has included organising a week of events the last week in the office before Christmas, but also an impromptu spot of lunch in the name of team bonding. We’re a fairly new team in the current configuration. So in the spirit of forging ties and networking I arranged a lovely sit down meal at the Menier Chocolate Factory restaurant which is just around the corner from the office. I had walked past the other day and spotted the sandwich board which advertised a lunch menu for £7.

 

It was with anticipation that we all arrived at the eclectic warehouse with high ceilings, metal beams and large windows, which also has a small theatre space at the back. I have been here before, both for dinner and a show and I thoroughly enjoyed both. This was some time ago however, and not a £7 lunch.

 

We sat down and reviewed the short but diverse menu of lunch options. Everyone managed to pick something that tantalised them in theory, if not yet in practice. When the food arrived, it is was better than expected. The portions were huge by anyone’s standards and the chunky chips (which formed the basis of many round the table’s choice) could not have been chunkier if designed to be the building blocks of houses.

 

I went for the pasta option and having not known what ‘ziti’ pasta was pleasantly surprised with my deliciously long, thick and twisty tubes of pasta smothered in a light but spicy sauce, with the tanginess of sundried tomatoes and the nutty texture and flavour of the pine nuts. My colleagues went for the steak and beef and chicken caesar sandwich. One colleague ordered the halloumi burger (apologies no photo) from the main menu (£9) that was stacked high with crisp onion rings.

 
 

Suffice to say we all came away extremely satisfied with both the quality and quantity of their offering, needing both a sleep and reason to visit again. I’m hoping the menu does change regularly and that we can continue to visit and find seasonally varied plates for a bargain lunch.