Opulence Restaurant in Derby

Very pleasant large palace house

Great afternoon tea, but as per other reviews I've seen, the atmosphere could do with some work and the decor may be in the process of modernising!

We stopped for a snack and found this well established old firm of Birds do a great cake and cuppa. Friendly staff too.

Stark hall, pub food, no wine list, untrained (though friendly) staff. It seems that the Michelin listing claimed on the website is long gone.

Went for dinner last night. The restaurant...and the hotel...is a shadow of its former self with skeleton staff and the staff who did attend were the dedicated few. Basically, this place is being run down by its owner which is a crying shame as it has a wonderful history and is in a prime location in historic Derby city centre. A real disappointment. Hope it can be turned around. Well done to Gemma and Tyrone who were on duty last night, who did their best for us under difficult circumstances. Don't know who the chef was but she did not meet our expectations, sorry.

Good menu choices & an enjoyable experience

Lovely food and breakfast was fantastic.

Went here for an evening meal as we were staying in the hotel. The room has the potential to be lovely but it falls well short. Double height ceilings, beautiful coving and nice wood panelling would sound like a gorgeous place to eat but it's no where near. The lighting in this room is what I can only describe as being under TV studio lights, it is so bright that any atmosphere there could be is destroyed by a cascade of light. This could be easily changed with a candle on the table or just using some sidelights instead of the gigawhatt 5000 that they are currently using. Table service was a joke. Not once throughout our meal did anyone ask if we wanted any drinks, the menu was thrown down on the table and when we were spoken to it was more of a grunt than spoken words. Terrible service. The food was distinctly average and when we had breakfast these the next day everything from the buffet was cold and stale. I wouldn't go here again even if I was paid.

We stayed at the hotel and had a superb evening meal there. We chose from the three course set menu and the choices were very good. Everything was cooked to perfection and well presented. The portions were also very good - more than enough. Highly recommended.

Had three excellent courses, good wine list and good choice on the menu. Definitely worth a try if you are in the area.

A group of us visited on a Wednesday night in December for a festive meal. On the positive front the hotel and restaurant were very quiet (practically deserted) meaning we could enjoy talking to each other without shouting over loud music/background noise. Unfortunately that was the only positive of the evening. The downsides were: 1) Only one person serving in the bar who was very slow and didn't even know what a Lime & Soda was - a glass of soda arrived with lime juice in it instead of cordial! 2) Because it was so quiet there was no atmosphere and the lack of xmas decorations in the very large restaurant with very bright lighting did not help. 3) Only one person serving the table all night and no proactive offering to get more drinks nor was anyone offered a wine list. Occasionally helped out by restaurant manager but she seemed to disappear towards the end of the meal leaving the one poor girl on her own. 4) No bread offered - those with soup as a starter had to ask for this, it was then obviously put in the oven hastily as it arrived after everyone had finished the soup! 5) Duck served far too pink and was very tough. The rest of the food was well presented and tasty but was let down by not being hot enough. The plates need to be hotter. 6) When desserts were due to be served the waitress appeared at the table to ask 'who has ordered the panna cotta because unfortunately the sorbet hasn't worked properly' to which we all replied 'and......' before she then proceeded to offer alternative options. All in all we expected better from this standard of hotel restaurant and won't be returning in a hurry.

I was really looking forward to celebrating for my friends birthday and we were left sorely disappointed. The staff were not attentive, nor knowledgeable. The food was average at best and overpriced for the tiny amount you received. And to top it off, the manager was unprofessional, argued with us and no apology was given regarding the poor service or food. Will not be going back again and certainly will not recommend to anyone!

Really inventive menu with food beautifully cooked and presented in lovely surroundings.our waitress could not have been more attentive and we look forward to our next visit

As it was our Carol's leaving get together, we decided upon afternoon tea here at the Cathedral Quarter. The restaurant is upstairs and were pleasantly greeted by a very welcoming member of staff who sat us down at the top left hand corner of the room. We were then given exotic tea menu's to which I decided upon the Marrakesh mint to sooth my stomach. We were also given a jug of iced water. As prearranged, I had the gluten free option, which consisted of the following items: x2 cheese and pickle and salmon sandwiches and x1 ham sandwich, accompanied by a slice of vegetable quiche and a sausage roll. Profiterole, rectangular Victoria sandwich, triangular flapjack, half a pecan pie cake, meringue with strawberry mousse, triangular bakewell tart and a scone. Very delicious and filling.

We've had Sunday lunch 4-5 times here and came here with 15 friends on Xmas day. All has been really good, food is excellent, the surroundings great and staff really friendly. They're really trying to get it mainstream again so I'd recommend giving it a go.

beautiful old building in the center of derby.we visited for sunday lunch and were very impressed with the high quality of the food ,for a very reasonable price and would go again (one very minor issue the carpet needs a clean)

Wonderful atmosphere, incredible staff to meet all your needs and comforts. A very classy experience. Food is beautiful and my group of guests all felt special.

Food Amazing and the staff could not do enough for you. We arrived a little late but it was no problem at all. The food was delicious and served really hot and very well presented.

Came for a Sunday lunch groupon deal. Starters were lovely. My roast lamb dinner was very chewy. It must have been left on a warming plate for hours. Couldn't even cut the vegetables! Desserts were minimal. What they had left that was. Maybe if I gone earlier in the day or wasn't using a groupon voucher things would have been better

We've now dined at Opulence on four occasions. Sufficient I think to express an accurate view of this establishment.The menu is most definitely not fixed. There are some dishes that are retained, but clearly they are dictated by the supply and availability of key items. So if you take a repeat visit, don't always expect the same menu. This can be disappointing if your were expecting to try a particular dish. But it does prompt you to try something else, and my experience is that can be rewarding. But whatever you choose, you'll find it prepared and presented well indeed.The surroundings are very relaxing. We enjoy arriving early and taking a drink in the main foyer. The building is an old council building, but don't be put off by that. I visited that place when it was still in use by the local constabulary and used to marvel at the ornate windows, wall panelling and marble. Thankfully, none of that has been touched.It's a gem. You'll not be falling over other customers as they don't put the kitchen under too much pressure!As for price? Well, it's good quality at reasonable price.I don't return to somewhere that I don't enjoy the food and experience. But I'm back at the Opulence Resteraunt at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel tomorrow night!

Took a friend for afternoon tea for her birthday, and we had a lovely time with excellent service and a beautiful spread.We were shown a lovely selection of teas to choose from, although there was the option of Prosseco or Champagne but we were both driving. There was a selection of 5 different sandwiches, the scones were still warm, and the cakes were beautiful. This is a proper, posh, afternoon tea served very formally, but then you are left in peace to enjoy in the beautiful surroundings. It was very quiet on the afternoon we went which is surprising given the quality.At £15 per person, I thought this was great value too. I later saw that they were doing a 2 for 1 offer during August, which is a shame I missed out on, but was still value for money without the offer.

The staff were very attentive, the food tasted amazing but the portions were tiny. My main course was the size of a starter (4 mushroom rice balls the size of golf balls). We all left the restaurant feeling hungry and ended up calling in the chip shop. Until they provide a normal size meal we won't be going back & it may explain why it was 3/4 empty.

We ate in this restaurant last night and it was lovely. The olde worlde feel has been retained from when it was the former magistrate's court and the dining room is grandly ensconced in wooden panels and tasteful décor. Indeed, the marble (I think?) staircase leading to the restaurant hosts a fabulous series of stained glass windows which are well worth a few minutes to digest. The restaurant has a lovely calm and sophisticated feel to it with good service from the waiting staff and crisp white linen. During our visit a large party arrived and although they were a little louder than the rest of us, it didn't disturb our enjoyment as the room is large enough to absorb this. Our food was excellent and we enjoyed all three courses. My only gripe was that the wine we requested from their menu wasn't available and then when I tried another bottle that wasn't available either. The staff were apologetic and found us another wine which was fine but was our 'third choice'.

I previously posted a review of the chef’s table experience we had for our anniversary, and it wasn’t overly positive. Following that we were contacted by the management who were shocked to hear we’d had such a disappointing experience, despite us having given the feedback to the staff at the time. He explained to us that the kitchen staff at the time were temporary and they now had a permanent chef/staff in place and they were confident they could change our minds. So we returned, and we were very glad we did.The difference in the quality of ingredients and preparation was significant. The starter was ravioli filled with spinach and gruyere, with asparagus and topped with a soft poached egg. The second course was portabello mushrooms with applewood cheese, roasted chicory and apple chutney. This was served under a glass cloche which was filled with smoke flavours, which really enhanced the experience when unveiled.Next we had a palate cleanser of sorbet which was made up of a lemon granita and a small soft meringue. My fiance’s main course was textures of beef, oxtail and shallots, which he describes as outstanding. My vegetarian main was a courgette flower stuffed with goats cheese curd, and a vegetable and goats cheese parcel, with a red pepper coulis, which was lovely.The desert was textures of chocolate; which included chocolate soil, honeycomb, chocolate parfait, salted caramel sauce, chocolate popping candy, dried orange slices and orange segments infused with Cointreau. We both agreed this was very probably the best ever chocolate desert we had ever had!We were due to have petit fours and coffee, but we were too full to try this final course. Following our second visit and experiencing the chef’s table with the permanent chef/team, we would highly recommend this experience as it was beyond our expectation. I just have to re-iterate, our high expectations were well and truly surpassed!

Not bad food, but you can only get it delivered to room, so you need to be staying at the hotel to eat on certain days.

After a comedy of errors and a lame apology.. We were promised a call (when I wasn't so upset!) to rectify the disastrous 'champagne breakfast' that was booked here... Never heard a word/received a call, nothing!!!Just to recap...We can fit you in at 10, no later as we are fully booked at 10:30?!?!No one was there at 10:30, apart from us at an unmade table, sipping warm champagne and staring gobsmacked at a bit of curled Parma ham and a pot of yoghurt!!! Help yourself to the buffet?! I don't want cheap cornflakes and naff museli, the premier inn serve better cereals than you, and the bruised apples and cheap yoghurt a just weren't acceptable....especially not at £22 a head!!! As we left, upset and hungry at 11am, we heard someone whisper, 'same issues as before?' To the manager... Speaks volumes? What a waste of a beautiful building, could be a goldmine with the right team in there!! We trotted off to 'Bennetts' and they fed and watered us to an amazing standard, so the day ended well :)

Visited this restaurant this Tuesday and was very impressed. The set menu had a great selection of dishes which looked like they had escaped from MasterChef and we're just as specular to taste. The starter, main and dessert were all perfectly presented and of excellent quality. The staff were very polite and efficient and praise to the new chef who had only started recently. I think this restaurant has plenty to offer for a great dining experience.

Drinks in the bar downstairs then into the restaurant for Afternoon Tea for thirteen people, super service from the staff, attentive and efficient, well done. The Tea itself was excellent, sandwich's, cake's and scone's all tasty and an ample amount.

We were greeted by Max on reception and guided upstairs to the restaurant. It was 7pm on a quiet Friday night and we were the only diners in the restaurant, for the entire time we were there. This can often mean overly-attentive staff or poor quality food if the restaurant lays on only second-string kitchen staff.Neither of these applied in Opulence that night. Max was fantastic - he was there when we needed him and left the four of us in peace when we didn't. We had time to chat and relax whilst we celebrated the 70th birthday of one of our party. As she happens to be deaf, the lighting in the restaurant was perfect for conversations in sign-language and the background music was low enough not to intrude.The bread rolls were warm and tasty and the starters were incredible. The smoked haddock velouté was by some way the best starter my wife has ever had. Presentation, taste, texture - all absolutely incredible. My black pudding scotch egg was a feat of technical brilliance. The yolk of the tiny egg was perfect as it oozed onto the warm black pudding and crispy breadcrumb shell. Max cleared away and gave us time to savour the starters before bringing the main courses. I know the others were delighted by their meals (sweet potato and mushroom strudel, supreme of chicken and a plate of belly pork the same as mine) but I couldn't have cared less; my focus was on the succulent, delicious, amazing plate of belly pork I was served. The flavour and texture were just perfect. The accompaniments on the plate were just right and cooked to to perfection but the star of the dish was the pork belly.After choosing my dessert for the third time (items not being available was the only failing in the restaurant that night) I enjoyed my banana panna cotta as the others devoured their eaton mess. A perfect way to end the meal.Our meals were from the set menu and came to £19.95 per head for three courses. The bottle of pino gris was good value and rated very highly. Even more highly rated though was the service from Max. A job well done young Sir....

Upon arrival we were greeted by Katrina on reception, she has a warm and welcoming personality and is a credit to Cathedral Quarter Hotel. Secondly I would like to say a massive thank you to Zenga the Food and Beverage Manager, who took care of our every need. His professional standards and knowledge of which wine goes with each course are superb. I had taken my brother out to Dinner one evening last month and Marc had a wonderful evening, we both had steak and it was mouth watering. I can not wait till my next visit to opulence, both my brother and I, very much enjoyed our evening and hat was mainly down to the atmosphere that is created by knowing that you have a wonderful team in place to take care of your every wish. See you all again soon.Daniel

Very good food in a huge opulent dining room,which was just not appreciated by guests and on many nights I found I was dining alone. A pity,as the queen dined here when she gave the Maundy money away a few years ago.

Visited the Hotel yesterday for afternoon tea. All I can say is it's ok. We arrived early but had to wait 45 mins for our food. In my opinion that is far too long. The food was good and the surrounding are lovely. However, the staff did not seem at all enthusiastic and we weren't made to feel special. Afternoon tea cost £30 so there was no tip from me - although I did feel like say speed up! I'm sure this hotel could do much better! A smile goes a long way! Not sure if I'd visit again, which is a shame.

Visited the restaurant twice while staying at the hotel, and loved it. The food was excellent, the staff could not have been more helpful, we loved everything about it.Although the menus are small, we found more than enough to choose from, and the food was served quickly and tasted brilliant. The waiter on duty was very knowledgeable and was able to provide information about items on the menu.Would definitely go again, and have recommended the restaurant to friends & family.

I visited this restaurant yesterday for dinner, as a belated birthday treat for my nephew.Our food was served very quickly, and it was all lovely although the portions were on the small side (you will definitely need all 3 courses!). The food was well seasoned, and the vegetables were fresh and crisp. Of course the restaurant is beautiful, and everything was spotlessly clean. The service was very good too, except for one thing.The reason I have not been able to give 4 stars is that the room was unheated and therefore it was absolutely freezing! We were given no explanation or apology for this. In the end I was so cold that I could not finish my (cold) dessert, although my nephew was quite happy to eat it for me. Even a cup of tea did not help to alleviate the situation.I would be quite happy to visit this restaurant again, provided that the heating was operational.And I received a 20% discount off the bill, courtesy of my Trent Barton Mango card.

My husband and I both in our fifties, my daughter aged 22, had Christmas Day Lunch here at 1.30pm. We started with a drink in the downstairs bar which was very quiet. We were half an hour late being seated as the previous sittings over ran. The restaurant room is very ornate and entered via a lovely stair case but there was not much of a Christmas atmosphere really. This made things a bit flat. Some festive music would have helped.The food was very tasty and we had scallops, turkey with parma ham and Christmas platter. We could have done with a few more vegetables which were a bit dry and over cooked. The staff were helpful but could have smiled a bit more. Overall a nice day but there is room for improvement and it does not really live up to the hype it is given.

Went with a small group for a private party & we were shoehorned into a private room off the main dining room. The chairs were dreadfully stained & in definite need of a clean or update.The service was non existent. Noone came to ask if we wanted drinks before our pre-ordered food arrived. And despite pre-ordering with the hotel they had taken the decision to change the menu & so presented me with something that I could not eat because of an allergy. However as the staff were completely non-existent for the whole of the course - even the restaurant was deserted (there were no other guests dining that evening) I could not ask for a replacement. When the waiters came to clear the plates they didn't even ask if there was anything wrong even though the plate was untouched. It was only when someone physically restrained a waiter and demanded that they take drinks orders were we able to get a drink. All in all an extremely poor experience and not one i would choose to repeat

The title says it all, what a disaster. The main party room was well decorated but after that it was all down hill. After being seated had to wait for approximately 75 minutes just for the starter, main course portions were tiny and the service from the young staff was dis-organished. After a while it was quicker to go to the Bar downstairs to get drinks rather than asking the staff. I have been to Opulence before and have been totally satisfied but on this showing I would/could not recommend attending an event here.

The fact that it was Christmas Eve may have been a factor but overall our experience wasn't great.An elegant room, the restaurant had no Christmas Tree (despite there being ample space); unlit candles in the windows; fairy lights around the walls that went out half way through the evening and zero atmosphere. Christmas tunes were playing in the background but the volume could have done with being ramped up a little - just to try and inject some life into the place.Considering the restaurant is recommended in the Michelin guide, I would also have hoped that some of the little standard touches were attended to. We were not offered any bread at the table, the wine list was limited to a choice of 3 reds, 3 roses, 3 whites and 2 champagnes and apparently the hotel only had 1 brand of lager on tap available.We understand the need for a limited menu at this time of year and the menu that was offered certainly catered for most tastes. The quality of the cooking however was disappointing ... You could tell that the ingredients were good quality but the vegetables were cold the meat overcooked. Given the menu price - I think it's fair to say that we won't be going back or recommending the restaurant to friends.

Had my breakfast and evening meals here, the food was excellent as was the service. The menu choice however was limited but the quality of what was there was excellent

DO NOT GO THERE!!!Very disappointing- my second afternoon tea there after almost two years and first time for daughter and elderly disabled mother who was in wheelchair - there is no provision for wheelchairs above the first floor where wheelchair had to be carried up two stone steps , then the actual tea was absolutely pathetic - £15 each per person for equivalent of only one slice of bread each which was dry , chicken in sandwiches was like processed chicken , battenburg cake was very dry and stale, shop bought scones were dry . All served on a couple of slate cheeseboards instead of the advertised cake stands as seen on the website .The teas listed and in display box were not all available. After being seated initially the Service was then zero until I complained to a bar manager from downstairs and he must have felt sorry for us as the chef had gone home so he gave us some biscuits and a couple more sandwiches on a cake stand he'd found.I complained to the deputy manager as my birthday tea was effectively ruined, we all had indigestion as we had all been upset by this shoddy service .Please ! Do not go there !!!you will be badly let down!!!!The deputy manager did not charge us in the end , but the birthday tea we had been looking forward to with my sisters , daughter and elderly mother was ruined

I noted several negative reviews on the Opulence Restaurant before committing but as I was getting it on a Taste Card two for one deal though what the hec! I needn't have worried. Yes there were only five other tables occupied so not a busy bustling atmosphere but at least we could talk. Young staff were pleasant, knowledgeable and discreet. A credit to themselves. The food was perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. Wine. Couldn't provide my first choice so did no more than recommend a similar, more expensive bottle for the same price as my original selection. I would definitely recommend the Opulence Restaurant and will certainly visit again.

Never been before, booked a table for 4!First impression was 'wow' the most beautiful staircase takes you into the restaurant! Great room to dine in!Starter, was curried scallops which were really good, my main was pork which was so delicious I could've licked the plate oops! My pudding however when it arrived lacked the 'wow' factor! A coconut & chocolate pot!! Not a pot in sight! Four mini brownies, some raspberries a smear if passion fruit & some white coconut cream or ice cream! So I asked where's the pot? Reply, chef forgot to put it in! So I asked again was the pot empty? Reply, yes!A disappointing end!

Visited the hotel today for afternoon tea with a friend. Thoroughly recommend it, the hotel is beautiful afternoon tea was delicious. Good quality finger sandwiches, macaroons, cakes and scone, jam and clotted cream. You won't be disappointed.

Этот стильный ресторан является частью отеля Сathedral quarter. Он предлагает блюда современной британской кухни. Мы воспользовались предложением послеобеденного чая за 15 фунтов с человека, который включал традиционные английские булочки со взбитыми домашними сливками и джемом, кусочек морковного торта, домашний кекс, горячий шоколад и свежие фрукты.

Visited on a Friday afternoon with mum as a gift for Mother's Day and had heard mixed reviews about the hotel. On arrival, the receptionist greeted us and was friendly before showing us upstairs to the seating area. Once upstairs, a smiley gentleman seated us promptly and offered to take our coats before talking through the different teas from around the world offered to us. Despite being a large room, there was a relaxed atmosphere with the background music which was lovely. We were then presented with a three tier cake stand with a selection of four different sandwich fillings which were just the right size and tasty, but they could try some more exciting fillings! There was also scones with jam and clotted cream and then a selection of 4 cakes/ pastries, which were delicious. We didn't manage to finish it all, so asked if we could take the rest home, which wasn't a problem. The only criticism is a couple more scones would be nice as they were lovely and maybe alter the sandwiches a little.Thank you lovely afternoon with mum, in a beautiful building, service with a smile and a laugh and a delicious selection of food

I attended for afternoon tea, as one of a fairly large group, and was very much looking forward to it. The surroundings are lovely, and set the mood for what could have been a lovely experience. Unfortunately, this did not materialise. The sandwiches were tasty enough, but in short supply - with no offer to replenish the empty plate. The scone was not the best I have tasted, and there was not enough cream and jam to go around. The cake offerings were not very exciting, and few in number, considering their small size. The wait staff were pleasant enough, but the service was poor - we had to ask for "top ups", more cream, more jam ...... all in all, a very disappointing experience. A beautiful venue, where afternoon tea could have been so much better.

I was looking for that special place to celebrate my Mother's 60th and came across "Afternoon Tea" at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel. I must admit even being a Derby girl I didn't know this place existed. We had a lovely time and the tea was beautiful. We had the place to ourselves and the waitress was lovely. We are now planning on coming back with the rest of the family ladies to celebrate my 40th in April. The building is lovely. We parked in Parksafe at Bold Lane and that came to £3.10 for the duration.

We arrived dressed up an in a mood to celebrate my daughter and wife's joint birthday. The restaurant was virtually empty and now we know why. After a 30 minute wait our starters arrived. There was no bread on the table to pick at during this time. The scallops we ordered for starters arrived - however it was actually one scallop cut into 3! The olives in the bread and olive selection were hard and refrigerated and were identical to the selection you can buy at the Sainsbury's deli counter. We ordered Monkfish "chip shop style" and gourmet chicken burgers. After a further 20 minute wait the dining room began to stink of acrid smoke coming from the kitchen. A cursory apology for the delay followed and as our 2 teenage children were hungry we asked for some bread rolls. 2 miniature rolls arrives which could have been baked at a primary school baking class by a toddler. They were hard as rocks and inedible. 10 minutes later the main courses arrived. The "chip shop style" chips were rancid and the 3 small pieces of monkfish cheek were overpowered by the batter they were covered in. This delicate fish was accompanied by a pot of curry sauce. How classy! The cheeseburger was accompanied by an indelible salsa style sauce, a raw piece of halloumi cheese and wilted lettuce leaf. Again inedible. By this stage having been present for one and a half hours in a dining room which now smoky and dominated by the overpowering stench of burned fat, we elected to leave and call an end to this special birthday evening which had been completely ruined. The whole experience was straight off an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Please do not make the same mistake - believe us - anywhere would be better than this.

Having gone here for my birthday meal booked by my partner we were really looking forward to a romantic dinner for 2 with a good atmosphere. How disappointed were we! The restaurant was nice enough but at 8pm on Wednesday we were the only table in there. The staff outnumbered us by 3-1! Fortunately another party of ten of what seemed to be "very important people" arrived which did improve the atmosphere! The service was adequate but the staff appeared inexperienced and lacked any sort of knowledge of the food or the wine.However the biggest problem was the portion sizes. Ok for supermodels perhaps but not ordinary people. For the price they were a joke. the scallop starter at nearly £10 contained 2 small scallops and a bit of plate decoration! The main course was more like a starter and whilst nice enough was gone in 50 seconds. We had to fill up on cheese and biscuits at the end avoiding the assiet of desserts in case we couldn't find them on the plate! Very poor value for money. We don't mind spending a decent amount of money on a birthday meal but this felt like you had been robbed!

As a sole diner in a large dining room it could have been bad, but it wasn't. I was made to feel at home and the staff were attentive but not over the top and a conversation with a waitress (started by me) was interesting and passed the time pleasantly. The steak was good and the extra veg served instead of carbs very tasty - the house red was fine. A little on the dear side but the clue is in the name!

Un ristorante che vorrebbe essere molto raffinato, ma che si perde nei dettagli. Cibo nella media, con buona presentazione, ma decisamente troppo costoso per ciò che offrono.

We found the evening meal a bit disappointing. The food was tasty but the portions were tiny and the brown shrimps were the smallest I’ve ever seen. The waiting staff seemed indifferent to us as we had bought a voucher through Travelzoo.No voucher in the morning and the difference was amazing. First course is fresh fruit salad with yoghurt. Then out comes Danish pastries, still warm from the oven. Following that you get a tray of lovely toast and various spreads. Finally (and if you’ve left room) out comes the full English – bacon, sausage, black pudding, beans and eggs. Scrummy. The staff were friendly and attentive this time.The surroundings are lovely (but starting to get a bit shabby) but there was always an odd choice of music that was played at a really annoying level; not loud enough to hear clearly yet loud enough to be buzzing along in the background.Would definitely have the breakfast again and maybe try the dinner without a voucher.

Nice dining room, but no atmosphere on the wednesday evening that we went for a meal. Only 3 couples in all night.Choice on menu looks good and starter of Goats Cheese, Pistachio Granola, Carrot, chicory and red onion at £6.95 was very tasty but quite small.Main course of Seared Lamb Cannon, Pommes Anna, Goats Cheese, Black Pudding, Artichoke & green Peas @ £21.50 was tiny. I could not believe my eyes when my plate arrived the portion was so small. It didn't help that they had forgotten to put the Pommes Anna on the plate! and eventually brought that separately.I had exactly 6 small mouthfulls of meat. Whilst I appreciate Michelin Stars are about presentation and quality, I still expect to have some food for my money.We didn't bother with dessert as we expected tiny portions.Whilst what we had to eat was very tasty, it was certainly not worth the price. When we paid the bill and expressed our dismay, we were informed that it was a new chef and that the previous chef did provide larger portions. This did not help us. we went away hungry!Not impressed with this restaurant and would not return!

We were in a party of 12 on a Saturday night when the restaurant was less than 1/3 full.There was not enough bread for our party and it appeared as if 2 small fish had been shared between the 8 who ordered sea bass. The food tasted good, but the portions were way too small. After complaining about this we were brought two small bowls of kale and carrots to share, and these arrived after everyone had finished their mains. Complimentary cheese and biscuits were brought to the table but not served, and without cutlery and plates.The restaurant is mis-named: the only thing in abundance was poor service - the servers didn't seem to have a clue and the manager only appeared when we complained.

A grand dining room and the tables were not crammed in even though there was room to add plenty more. The service seemed a little slow to begin with although that improved during the evening and the staff were very pleasant and friendly.My starter was delicious. Home cured salmon with light crispy anchovies - gorgeous! Our mains of venison were beautiful. The meat was pink and tender - accompanied by spinach, creamy mash and carrot jus, we totally cleared our plates. We're fairly big eaters and the portion size was just right for us without having to order any sides. The cheese and biscuits to end with were OK but nothing out of the ordinary. It seems a missed opportunity to promote some of the region's fabulous locally produced cheeses. However, overall it was a really good night. I would definitely like to return in the future.

A group of 12 friends and colleagues booked Opulence for one of our rare get togethers. As the meal was to be proceeded by a night on the tiles, I anticipated soaking up the flowing drinks with a delicious 3 course meal. How wrong could I have been? The restaurant itself is feeling a bit dull and musty - in need of redecorating, unlike it's polished image a few years ago when I last visited. The service was pleasant, but desperately slow, with things such as bread taking forever to appear after numerous requests. The main course was the real disappointment. Nearly all of us ordered the sea bass, but when it came it was tiny! It really was 'starter' sized. We then requested vegetables to bulk it up a little, but the serving of them was so slow that we'd finished the tiny main course by the time the vegetables were put on the table! Needless to say, we didn't hang around for dessert. We did receive some pretty basic cheese and biscuits by way of compensation, but really the staff just didn't seem to 'get it'.

Lovely decor & helpful staff. The food was very nice, was expecting more from the starter though as it wasn't as good as the mains. Love the cocktails & the decor was very grand so give it a try!

Enjoyed a nice evening out at the opulence restaurant in derby with my wife and friends.The hotel is a beautiful old building and is very clean and well maintained inside.Service in the bar and restaurant was very good, all the staff were very friendly and pleasant. The food was also very well presented and tasted great.We all enjoyed it so much we will be going back again

Travelled 200 miles back to my home city to celebrate my 50th with 12 friends ....thought this upmarket cocktail bar and restaurant would be perfect !So wrong !!The environment and decor are lovely and the cocktail waitress was super and friendly and I thought this is going to be great :)Basically on reflection I think the problem was all to do with our 'large' group . They couldn't make all the cocktails so some wAited 30 minutes and had to have it taken to the restaurant .We had a luke warm welcome at the restaurant . The food was ok but nothing special . My steak was incinerated ( to be fair I was offered a new one), no steak knives, no bread for anyone ( we did have butter and side plates !) No one was rude , it just wasn't special . I think despite the obviously hefty bill we paid we were too many for them!Later I did mention to front of house that I was disappointed and she said she would get someone to talk to me ...it didn't happen .They tried yo double charge is for drinks and didn't believe us and had to ring upstairs to confirm !Frankly the staff were probably over stretched and under trained.I was frankly rather embarresed although the company made it lovely : none of us would return .

(Last reviewed 28 August 2013) Yet another visit to this delightful city centre hotel for Afternoon Tea. On entering the Hotel you are faced with the grand staircase leading upto the Opulence restaurant & grill were tea is served. Restaurant has high ceiling and large windows, tables are well spaced out and it is well decorated in keeping with the rest of the Hotel. Choice of speciality teas, 4 different fillings for the sandwiches, scone with jam/cream, cakes, chocolate mouse, shortbread, strawberries and chocolates make up the Afternoon tea. Service was good, staff were very polite and attentive to our needs. Well worth a visit.

I was given a voucher as a birthday present for a high tea for two at the Opulence restaurant in the Derby Cathedral hotel.All I can say we were not disappointed. We were greeted by the waiter and shown to our table.We had a lovely selection of sandwiches,cakes and scones.All the staff were very attentive.If you want to do something special or just as a treat you would thoroughly enjoy visiting here.

Six of us for a celebration dinner (birthday/wedding anniversary). We've been before and found the service somewhat lacking, actually.Seating us and welcome: fine.Ordered starters - great, and a bit of light-hearted banter from our waiter which was nice. They came quickly and were tasty. However...no bread was brought to the table until the person in our party who was having Spiced Sweet Potato soup asked for a roll.Wine arrived as requested before the starters.Main courses: arrived in a reasonable amount of time. The person in our party who had the venison wellington asked sure it well done and it arrived as requested. Good knowledge from our waiter regarding the difference between rib-eye and flat iron steak too. The water jug only turned up after I've of us requested it, even though water glasses were layed.Desserts were a BIG problem though. Four people ordered cold desserts (lemon possett/chocolate mousse) and two ordered poached pear tart tatin. After 10 minutes the waiter told us the tarts tatin would take 10-15 minutes to be cooked. After 25 minutes we were getting impatient (and tired after a busy day) so we enquired about the cooked desserts. The waiter sheepishly told us it would be 4 minutes more "as it's an old French delicacy". After nearly 10 more minutes the pear tarts *finally* turned up - we decided to forego coffee due to how long we'd been waiting.On paying we suggested that they should make it clear on the menu that the tart tatin takes 15 minutes to cook, so order in advance (as many restaurants do). We were told that management would be told this.In summary: great food let down by disorganised, sloppy service.

We went as a party of 4 for a birthday dinner and booked the chef's table since it was a special occasion. The chef's table is in a private room with a large window into the kitchen so you can see the chef's hard at work preparing your meal. The service was great - always attentive, but never in the way, our glasses were topped up regularly and nothing was too much trouble.Now on to the food - we had a personalised 7 course tasting menu which was absolutely delicious! The chef was happy to alter some of the dishes to suit dietary requirements within our group and every course was well presented, perfectly cooked and full of flavour. I would definitely recommend going on an empty stomach if you're going to attempt the 7 courses - I couldn't have eaten another thing by the time the last course was finished but it was worth it! Game terrine, stuffed pheasant, and chocolate orange fondant to name but a few of the dishes (see photos)- I would recommend anyone to go and try a meal at the CQH, you won't be disappointed.

Perhaps this was partly due to being first sitting on Valentines Day evening:1. Telephone booking not recorded.2. Lots of inexperienced staff standing around without a clue.3. First waiter disappeared after introducing himself.4. Starters OKish.5. One main had cold mashed potatoes obviously had been standing around.6. Wine order not brought to table we had to ask for it.7. Sweets not brought to table we had to ask for them.8. We were taken to a cold ante room for coffee and just left there..9. I had to go out into the foyer to find out how to pay the bill.10. They wanted me to go back upstairs to pay the bill when I was already standing next to the hotel checkout.11. When the bill eventually arrived it included a bottle of wine we had neither ordered or consumed. The manageress deigned not to charge us for that!A shambles I am afraid so dont bother to go on an important day perhaps its better when there are no customers.

Martin SawyerHad Sunday Lunch today for our sons birthday 09/02/14 can only say that all our expectations were met, spectacular reception stairway and dining room. Food was great, staff so nice and price was such good value.Glad our son is at Uni in Derby and will go back whenever we visit.

My husband and I were staying at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel on and dinner, bed and breakfast deal. The menu was excellent and we were both spoilt for choice. We had the braised ham hock smoked chicken terrine and the home cured salmon for starters, both were delicious. For the mains we had the braised pressed belly pork and the sea bass fillet. Both dishes were faultless. Unfortunately we were unable to fit a desert in as we would never have done it justice. This was fine dining at its best.

My wife & I visited the hotel for afternoon tea as a treat and we're not disappointed. The building itself is very grand, the dark reception gave way to a bright & beautiful staircase and the main room we took our tea in was very grand and airy. The service was very polite & professional, discrete but always available - though this could have been because there were only ourselves and another couple in the room!We were offered a wide selection of special teas with a selection to smell before hand, we tried 4 different teas in the end and all were lovely. The food was also nice, tasty & fresh with moist cakes, scones with jam & cream, a chocolate mousse and finger sandwiches. The sandwiches were all fairly normal flavours (egg mayo, ham & mustard, cheese & pickle and smoked salmon & cream cheese) but we're nice & fresh. We also partook in a glass of Prosecco which was very nice. All in all it was a very nice experience and we would happily recommend or return.

My partner booked this restaurant as a surprise for my December birthday. I'd never been there before and really enjoyed it. The staff were great and the food faultless. Ryan our waiter was excellent and David the chef came out to talk to us about the possibility of some bespoke menus for upcoming family celebrations in 2014. Nothing was too much trouble, we'll definitely be back!

We first went to Opulence on New Years Eve in 2012 and thought the meal was excellent, so when we decided to invite friends from various parts of the UK to celebrate her birthday, we thought we'd go back to Opulence as it was a safe bet.How wrong were we......Our table for six was booked for 9pm and we walked into the restaurant a couple of minutes after that time. We could see our table in the corner (only table to have six seats around) wasn't ready and had plates, glasses etc still on there. The server said that it would take 20 minutes for the table to be ready of which we stated we would go to the bar and asked her to come and tell us when the table was ready for us. Unfortunately, nobody came to find us and at 9.25pm we went back to the restaurant, the table was ready, so seemed strange that nobody had come to get as us as agreed.The starters came and went and were ok, nothing special - but no issues.The mains then came and I was recommended the steak, so I took this. I asked for it to be cooked medium rare. When it arrived, it was beyond cooked. The steak was completely over done and can't even be described as well-done. I asked for it to be changed, the server was very helpful and instructed he's get the steak changed immediately. Fifteen minutes later, still no sign of my replacement steak and everyone else had nearly finished their mains. I asked the server where my steak was and he said he would check with the chef. He came back a little flustered and said it would be another fifteen minutes. I said that it would be pointless now as everyone had finished their meals. He asked me if I would like to complain to the chef, of which I agreed. He then came back and said the chef wouldn't be coming to see us (we were the only table left in the restaurant at this time).......I asked to speak to the Manager, she duly came to the table and was apologetic. I stated that I was far from happy with my visit and that I would not be paying for the main courses. She went away and came back and said that all food would be removed from the final bill. This of course, was appreciated by me - but when you take into account the delay in the table, resulting in over £30 worth of drinks we wouldn't have had and the wine at the table, this still wasn't a low cost. I emailed the hotel to put my feelings in words and nobody has had the decency to respond - obviously, I will never visit the hotel nor the restaurant again.

We decided to have our works Christmas meal here, with many of us having already had afternoon teas/meals here previously, so we were very much looking forward to it. And it didn't let us down.We were given the Chef's Table (I believe this is what it was called - a separate room with a window allowing a great view into the kitchen) and the service and attention to detail by Ryan, our host for the evening, was fabulous. He regularly made sure we had everything we needed without being imposing and allowed us to enjoy our evening.The food was utterly delicious. Not one morsel was left on any plate! With the benefit of having the window we were able to see David and his team working hard. It really was stunning food with great attention to detail. I've eaten at many restaurants throughout Derby and this meal certainly topped the rest.I'm already planning a return visit! Thank you...

5 of us went for afternoon tea and also shared a bottle of champagne as it was a celebration. The food was terrible.The sandwiches were very ordinary - egg, tuna and cheese. The three types of cake all looked the sane - large chunks of unidentifiable sponge. The scones were rock hard and very stale. We even had to ask for a second serving of tea. The afternoon finished with the bill which overcharged us by £20 for the champagne! Don't waste your money on afternoon tea here!

This was my first time visiting this hotel restaurant. The building was unusual and I believe it started life as a police station. The lobby was vast with echoes of its former incarnations. The restaurant is up an impressive marble staircase with stained glass window. The room has high ceilings and wooden panels and has an air of a bygone era. We were brought a selection of teas to choose from and some were quite unusual. The sandwiches were very good as were the scones with jam and cream. On first sight I thought the cakes were not so visually attractive as some afternoon teas. However on eating them they were tasty and moist. They were just cut into small squares. There were also chocolate chip cookies. We all had a second cup of tea. There were several tables having afternoon tea. Sometimes it was difficult to attract the attention of the waiting staff but on the whole it was a pleasant and relaxing experience. No-one hurried us out either. I enjoyed it.

My partner and I had a meal here taking advantage of a promotional offer in a local newspaper. It was excellent. So, sometime after that we booked a table, in anticipation of a special evening. What a disappointment: there were 7 items on the menu for main courses, 4 steaks, 2 burgers and something vegetarian. I queried this with the waiter and was told there was a new chef. I told the waiter that he wasn't very adventurous and even suggested that I could be a chef with that menu. We both had mushroom and thyme soup for starters. Very tasty but full of thyme stalks. It isn't difficult to take thyme off its stalks! The service was elegant but badly flawed. Soup spoons didn't arrive until after the soup. We had to ask for salt and pepper. The burgers were burgers. The wine list was very limited. There are many many pubs in the Derby area who can provide a more varied menu with the same quality food and better service. I will never visit Opulence again

Took my wife there for a birthday treat.very poor quality of food . Sandwich fillings were cheap and tasteless . Cakes were just pieces of tray bakes rewarded as they were stale and dry as was the scone .jam was again very cheap quality .do not bother with this place

My partner booked in here for my birthday for afternoon tea. We had a lovely welcome and were shown to a nicely laid out table, in a large room which was elegant. The waitress brought a display case of leaf tea which you could smell every tea on the menu. This made my day as it is a rare to be offered loose tea; especially toSmell and select. I thought this was a great touch. Our tea selected the waitress then prepared it and brought it over to us. She then brought over delicious sandwiches and magnificent cakes and scones; carefully hand madeAnd tasted delicious and the tea was out of this world.I asked the manager about the teas and where they came from and she was very obliging. The whole experience was lovely, good fantastic and staff very accommodating and friendly. I will be going back.

We were delighted to receive a voucher for afternoon tea at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel, as we had not previously visited this "boutique" hotel which has played host to the Queen on her visit to Derby. We visited on a sunny day and on entering seemed to be plunged into darkness with the reception area on the right hand side. The receptionist indicated that we should go up the sweeping and impressive stairway with beautiful stained glass windows at the top to the restaurant on the first floor. We were, in fact, two minutes early for our booking and this was commented on by a member of the restaurant staff. However, we were shown to our table and then given the opportunity to choose our tea from a selection of sample tea leaves. Our choice was brought quite promptly to the table, with a teapot each. Unfortunately, neither of these poured well and so we both left stains on the lovely white tablecloth! We were then brought a plate of four scones with a small pot of jam and another of cream. Our waitress told us to ask for more jam and cream if we needed it. The scones were delicious but unfortunately there was only sufficient jam and cream for two of the scones. We tried to attract the attention of the server - as did two ladies who were waiting to be shown to their table - but failed to do so. Eventually we got up and asked for more - feeling a bit like Oliver Twist! We were given another small pot of jam but no more cream. During the time we were having tea, a gentleman in jeans and tee shirt came in to remove the flowers off each unoccupied table and subsequently replaced them with fresh ones, which seemed a bit strange. Also my partner noticed that the windows were all very dirty.The prices at this hotel are quite high and we felt overall, that the service and ambience are extremely lacking. We think they need to pull their socks up, get the windows cleaned and the staff better trained. One goes away with the feeling that the owners/managers probably think it is better than it really is.

we have had afternoon tea and sunday roast here. The afternoon tea is lovely and very filling. Really enjoyed being about to smell all the different teas before trying. The roast was nice but my partner can't eat gluten so his meal was a bit plain.

Unfortunately I would not go to this establishment again. The concept was brilliant cakes and various teas. The teas were great the cakes weren't. The sandwiches were dry at the edges and the cakes were also dry as if they had been out for a number of hours. The first tea pot had a blockage in it which was changed on request but when we had another ne later the same blocked tae pot came out. On the plus side the building was fabulous the stair case was breath taking. If the food had been up to scratch it would have been fantastic unfortunately the food was the main part of aFTERNOON TEA.

Had an Afternoon Tea and what a delight. The dining room is reached by a fantastic staircase and the dining area is really good. You are given the chance to pick out a tea of your choice by smelling some sample tea leaves and there is a good variety to choose from. The Afternoon tea is well presented, four types of sandwiches, mini quiche, three types of cake plus scone, jam and cream. The service was very good and staff were very attentive. Would recommend a visit to anyone wanting to escape for a few hours of peace and quite in great surroundings.

I was given a voucher for afternoon tea at The Cathedral Quarter for Christmas so decided to use it for my birthday treat! Hotel tucked away so unless you knew about it you wouldn't' pass it - but just around the corner form the cathedral. Very tired looking building but would certainly be impressive if done up. Dingy reception area - we had to go up the marble staircase to reach the restaurant which is in a lovely high ceilinged room which would have looked better without the black patterned ceiling. Maybe a make over is needed so lovely serving units could be featured & a more traditional colour on walls.However the staff were very efficient & friendly & the tea was very good. The unusual thing was we were given a box with tubes of teas to smell so we could choose which one we wanted, none of your ordinary sort here. We took the one recommended (pear & caramel - excellent) which was then made in teapots for us. Tea tasted so good we each had a second full pot!!It was a shame that we were the only ones there as I would imagine with a full house the atmosphere would have been great, although I realise that we were eating mid afternoon & the staff were preparing the room for dinner.

Lovely decor and well spread out, had the steak, but would like to try the a la carte next time. The high ceiling made it feel very spacious and tables were well spread out

Got this cream tea deal on groupon and it was wonderful. Very tasty, beautifully and skilfully served by Ryan. Great variety of teas available.Decor and ambience all added to a great afternoon treat.Well worth a visit

Sam the waiteress was a breath of fresh air. Comfortable to talk to, was great with our service and increadibly proffesional. the food was superb and there was a lovely atmosphere. i only regret not ordering a starter. i will definately be recommending this restaurant.

Great food & good service from Ryan (although he needs to attend the cocktail school ;-)). Fabulous building & ambience, will come again.

Fantastic location in a superb dining room .Located on first floor reached by a fantastic staircase with fabulous stained glass window. Great well presented food with friendly attentive service. Onlyqiuibble was rather a pricey wine list. A cheaper house option would be welcome.

Keen young staff served up some fantastic dishes. We were at the 'chef's table; ' a private room with a large window on the kitchen ,where we were well looked are A small criticism is that I think we did not need the full size portions for all six dishes.! You can have too much of a good thing. What we liked most was the way that The chefs all talked so passionately about their excellently executed dishes.Overall a great experience.

We went for Sunday Lunch. It is a lovely setting but the meal etc did not match it. The starter and dessert were very over priced for what you got. The soup only filled a third of the bowl.The bread was only one piece of French Bread. This was stale and warmed up. There was no choice of white or brown. The main course was a nice piece of beef, but most of the food was hidden under it. ie 2 small roast potatoes, something yellowish green which I think was cabbage 2 small pieces of uncooked broccoli. and several carrots, and that was £15 and no silver service. Just plonked on the table on one plate. This was extremely a great surprise considering this is the only place out of the whole of Derby that The Queen had her meal, on her last visit. I certainly hope she had a better meal. AND Silver service. The Glass of wine was only a half a glass.

We were very impressed to start with. It's set in a lovely old courtroom. Tasteful decor with nice lighting. We had amazing cocktails in the bar below even though they set us back about £8.50 each, which we didn't mind too much as they were quality cocktails.The service was good and the staff were friendly. We ordered two bottles of wine which were both lovely.The food seemed to be the only let down. 4 of the 6 starters were very bland(pigeon). The main was nice(steak) even though the chips weren't all cooked through enough. The desert was the biggest let down as we couldn't even cut into the treacle tart with a fork or spoon, it was rock hard. They apologised and sent them back 15 mins later, they were red hot and really dry so we sent them back again and went without. We managed to have lovely night, but it was more from the good company and a fancy venue rather than beautiful food which we were expecting.

Sadly a disappointing meal. Service was slow, food very poor. They agreed to waive the bill so that was decent, but come on guys, you should be able to do much better

Excellent service from efficient and friendly staff. Lovely environment to eat in with immaculate facilities. It is expensive so will not become a regular haunt but I would consider going back again.

Tried the Opulence Restaurant for the first time and was glad i did. The building is beautiful and i believe it was formerly a court? The interior is very nice and elegant with a large marble staircase leading to a well decored restaurant.Food was very good with lots of choice,I enjoyed all my courses and found the staff to be very polite and well trained,the only thing i could moan about was that the wine menu was a little expensive for the wines on offer.I will go back to this restaurant again and would recommend the Opulence Restaurant to most of my friends and family. If you fancy something a little bit different its well worth a visit.

We came for afternoon tea here. The hotel is beautiful, and the room we were sat in is stunning. However afternoon tea did not live up to this. Some of the sandwiches were a little stale and there were only a few and no other savory items included, cakes were lacking in variety and some of them had clearly just come out of the fridge and unfortunately the scones were very dry. We should have worried about the state of the scones when given a huge bowl of jam and clotted cream to go with it! There was a beautiful lemon possett served in shot glasses and lovely chocolate muffins. There was also a huge selection of loose leaf teas to choose from.

We visited with friends recently Our coats were taken on arrival we were seated choice on menu was only 5 starters, 5 main 5 desserts would like to have seen more choiceI will start by saying how disapointed with bread I was, I am a believer in the bread sets the mood for the rest of your food well they need to change the bread it was awful even with plenty of butter there was no taste it was a bit cardboard ish Each course arrived they were all hot and well dressedI had the Chicken and Black pudding terrine to start is was really lovely I would recommend as it was delicious I had the Goat cheese Terrine for main well it was just ok - too much goats cheese and not enough of any thing else I had Chocolate gannache for desert which was lovley The meal over all was good not quite reaching its price bracket thou I wont be in a rush to eat here again I have eaten at far betterNot sure its worth its price

We had afternoon tea in the restaurant this week and I can highly recommend it. All the usual items were included and it was interesting to smell all the available teas and choose which one we wanted. Plenty of cakes, all of which were delicious. A few more sandwiches or savouries would have been nice but, to be fair, there was more than enough to eat and we actually left 2 chocolate brownies and a piece of carrot cake. We added a glass of champagne each as it was a celebration. The only v. minor down-side, in our opinion, was that the bread was a bit too thick for afternoon tea. The service was excellent and the restaurant is elegant (as is the hotel itself). We'll definetly be going again.

My three stars were definitely for the service of the sommelier and waiters here. I have not had such attentive service in many places i have been to. It was such a shame that the food did not match. Pretty presentation, but bland taste - judging by the reviews, i am surprised the chef hasnt done something about it yet!! If the food taste was better for the price i paid, i would have said i would be back.

Went for Valentines meal with my girlfriend, wanted somewhere special and little more up market than our usual restaurants, and it didn't disappoint. Had the 4 course Valentine meal which was faultless along with the service. The tables are set well apart so even when busy it's not cramped or imposing, the staff couldn't do enough for you. Would defiantly make a return visit.

We stayed at the hotel weekend just gone and thought we would dine here. I really feel awful saying anything bad about this place as the hotel is amazing and all the staff were wonderful. Head waiter was very polite and he offered to take our coats when we walked in. We then got seated and looked at the menu. It was a set 4 course, Nothing really took our fancy so we just ordered what we thought best. I will be honest in saying that the cheese and crackers was the most enjoyable and that wasn't really that great. All food seem to taste the same, Home-made ravioli, Goats Cheese Terrine, rabbit. After seeing our plates near on full after every course i would have thought the waiter would have knocked a little of our bill but when it came we paid near on £90 to feel hungry. It is really our fault that we didn't complain but the staff work so hard and were so polite and helpful. Also food was very well presented and served quickly. I think food might have been appreciated more by people who prefer 'fancy food' We like our seafood and perfect steaks! I am usually first to complain if something is not right but like i said the food may just not have been 'our cup of tea'

One of Derby's top three; Derby's top three all punch above their weight on a national scale.

Thought we'd try this for my birthday dinner. Had been recommended by my daughter and were well pleased with the lovely building, decor and staff service. The starters were excellent and our expectations raised. However, as we didn't want a heavy meal, the only fish option was pollock wrapped in parma ham. What a let down - the fish was overcooked, as were the accompanying crayfish and the 'crispy potatoes' were anything but - soggy and bland. The cheese board contained a very basic selection of 3 cheeses and the crackers a bland selection also. The creme brulee didn't have a characteristic glazed sugar crust - but soft. Overall, for the prices of the courses being charged for the a la carte - cannot say this was value for money.

Having booked a table in the restaurant for my husbands 40th birthday many months in advance, I have just received a call to say that they have cancelled it as they have taken a large booking for that day and basically I am being thrown out. Now left with the task of finding another restaurant close to Christmas. Having used the place many times before, I will never go there again.