Pumpkins Galore - Double Tree Hilton

THE LOOK

These king scallops were served on a pillow of fresh pumpkin puree with scattered pieces of artichoke hearts. It was the perfect portion for a starter. For my main course I had the pumpkin risotto, also off the seasonal menu. The bright orange of the fresh pumpkin contrasted well with the creamy white of the risotto. My main complaint about these two dishes is that they would've been so much better had they been served hotter. Both were luke warm, which in some ways ruined the starter but the main was so good that even the temperature couldn't ruin it.

Rating: ***'  

THE TASTE

Personally I prefer smaller scallops as they seem to have more flavour but these definitely have the wow factor when they're served. The artichokes seemed to stick out in the dish as their flavour didn't blend as well as the scallops, pumpkin, and pea-shoots did together. However, the risotto was lovely! The pumpkin was the perfect accompaniment to this dish as without it the dish would've been far too rich. It cut through the creamy sauce of the risotto and made the dish a lot lighter.

Rating: ***'

THE PLACE

The restaurant looks very impressive! They usually seat people in the conservatory on an evening but we asked to be seated in the main area as the seats are so much comfier and you can settle down ready for a feast! The staff were very friendly and were actually interested in chatting to us, we really felt like they appreciated us as customers. Our waitress (unfortunately I can't remember her name) knew the menu inside out and made wonderful recommendations. However, I do have a couple of grumbles... The waiters didn't wait until we had all finished before taking our plates but my main problem is that when we complained about one of the dishes they did nothing to rectify the problem. My dad is a huge soup fan so ordered the mushroom soup but he soup one mouthful and almost spat it out! Even though the waiter came over several times and saw he wasn't eating he never asked how it was and then didn't offer anything else or even to take it off the bill....

Rating:*** 

Chocolate Bar - Fondue

THE LOOK

I loved how the chopped nuts and chocolate balls were served in the mini bowl but it did get very messy after a while! This is cute enough to do for a date (but definitely not a first date unless you don't mind chocolate smeared across your face!!) We put the ice cream over brownies so it melted into them, LUSH. We could've done with forks with bigger prongs as the food did fall off a lot....

Rating: ***'

THE TASTE

This was the perfect cheat day treat! The bananas were fresh, the marshmallows fluffy, and the brownies gooey. The strawberry sauce added the perfect sour hit the break up the sweetness of all the treats and was great mixed with the melted chocolate! 

Rating:****

THE PLACE

The cafe is located inside Metropolis shopping centre on the third floor. I recommend getting a window seat as it is perfect for people watching! The staff there were friendly but our table could've done with being wiped down and were weren't sure if we were meant to set ourselves or be seated. For what we had it was very reasonably priced and we will definitely be going back!

Rating:***