Colleys Supper Rooms describe themselves as a unique dining experience rather than a mere restaurant; having dined there last night with Dave and friends I would have to agree! The first unusual aspect comes when you are informed that you should arrive at 7:30pm for the meal to begin at 7:45pm sharp! You are required to leave equally sharply, by 11:30pm. It sounded a tad scary (or even draconian), but it was bound to be interesting at the very least....
The Supper Rooms look very mysterious from the outside with their firmly closed blinds, however, once you enter the inner sanctum you find yourself in a world of dark, sumptuous Victorian reds, complete with flocked wallpaper and oil paintings. The lace-covered tables positively groan under the sheer weight of silverware laid out upon them. It was only at this point that I realised that we would be having a six course meal!!
After being seated in a cosy little dining room with four tables (the dining area was divided into small rooms giving a very intimate feel to the evening) we gratefully accepted glasses of Colley's punch (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from our Victorian-attired waitress. I must say that I'm still bemused as to why the aprons were pink rather than white (I'm a little picky)! The head waitress then described the evenings menu to us (yes, that's right - no written menus!) and reassured us that we didn't need to remember all the dishes as they would be presented to us so that we could make an informed decision.
We were first invited to visit a cold hors d'oeuvre table on which a selection of vegetable salads, fish mousses and couscous salad was available. I have to be honest and say that this was not a great start to the meal. It would have been very helpful to have little cards stating what each dish was as I mistook fish mousse for pate and thus did not indulge. I was assured that this did not represent the quality of the food to come though.
A basket of fresh breads arrived just before the soup course was presented to us: Cream of Cauliflower and Cheddar with Toasted Almonds. This was served in a tureen and I wound up playing "mother" to the table. The soup was fantastic - like cauliflower cheese but better! Very smooth and velvety. I felt much more positive about the evening after this....
Shortly after our soup plates were cleared two waiters came and displayed our two options for the next course. First came a beautifully presented slice of Quiche Lorraine and then an Onion Bhajee with Mint Raita. I opted for the bhajee and Dave chose the quiche to see how well it compared to mine! Alas, the quiche turned out to be average. The onion bhajee on the other hand was quite nice. Not quite as spicy as I like them, but I wouldn't expect it to be very spicy in a non-Indian restaurant. Still, very acceptable. The mint raita was particularly good - thick, not runny.
We were now presented with tiny cups of very good lemon sorbet as a palate cleanser/refresher. This was clearly homemade and had both a strong and clear flavour. No nasty flavour bases in evidence here!
Once our cups had been cleared, the parade of main courses commenced. First came a burly waiter bearing a huge burden: a very large rib of beef surrounded by fondant potatoes and jus. Almost everyone's eyes popped out at this! Next was a fillet of coley served on a potato rosti with a pistachio pesto (this was beautifully plated!). This was followed by a homemade chicken kiev served on a bed of warm tomato and fine green bean salad. The final option was a puff pastry tartlet filled with sauteed mushrooms in a creamy tarragon sauce with roasted shallots. I opted for the mushroom tart which was absolutely delicious and very beautifully plated. I'm a real fan of tarragon sauces and this was just perfect; no nasty soapy flavour!
And now, onto the main event! The dessert parade! This was what we all had really been waiting for and we certainly weren't disappointed. First up was a gargantuan steamed syrup pudding which had us all gasping in awe. Seriously, this was the largest steamed pudding I've ever seen. Next in line was an iced passionfruit parfait which I'm sorry to say didn't really seem to register with anyone - we were all still reeling from the sight and smell of the steamed pudding! This was rapidly followed by a rather simple but pretty peach jelly. Again, this still didn't register with everyone. I think the next dish to be paraded past us was the Almond Bread and Butter Pudding with Marzipan Nuggets and Amaretto. This looked very yummy indeed, almost better than the steamed pudding. Things get a little hazy at this point. In quick succession came a Chocolate Marquise with Caramel Sauce, Tarte Tatin with Calvados and Cream, and a Cheese Platter with an artfully carved swan adoring the platter. I think they somehow managed to cut/carve it from an apple! (Someday I want a set of fruit/veg carving knives.)
After the dessert parade was over, we all agonised. Everything looked so good! Eventually (after overhearing from the next table that there would be seconds!) we relaxed and just chose the dish that had excited us the most. Dave and I both plumped for the Bread and Butter Pudding. This was quite tasty but there was a little too much custard for my liking. The warm, gooey nuggets of marzipan were sensational though, and I'll definitely be re-creating it at home when Winter arrives.
We were then asked if we would like seconds (or rather, the opportunity to be gluttonous pigs). I promptly chose the Chocolate Marquise (layers of ganache sandwiched between chocolate genoise) which was absolutely delicious. Thick, rich and dark. Exactly what a dark chocolate dessert should be like! Dave opted for the cheese platter which looked lovely.
At this point I sat back and tried to begin digesting. The others opted for some tea and coffee but I was in serious danger of exploding.... When the bill eventually arrived it was really quite reasonable. I think it worked out to £35 per person (that includes a couple of bottles of wine and some mineral water). We'll definitely go back again!! I'm seriously considering going back for lunch on Christmas day, it's always nice to have someone else do the washing up!
Colleys Supper Rooms
21 Wokingham Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 1LE
Tel: 0118 966 4221
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