Riverbank Restaurant - Stafford College

tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Funnily enough I have the same problem! Table for 4 booked, original people can't come so am now going to go down with my brother instead. Haven't changed it yet, in case I find someone else to come with us, but I'm leaving it a bit late!


Consommé Julienne, Cheese Straws
Melon & Prawn platter,
Stem Ginger dressing
Caramelised Pear, Walnut & Roquefort Salad, Calvados Vinaigrette
* * *
Pork en Croŭte with Apricot & Sage Duxelle, Cider jus
Breast of Duck, Black Cherry Compote, Kirsch sauce
Pavé of Salmon, Asparagus Spears, Sorel Beurre Blanc
Goats Cheese & Field Mushroom en croŭte, Madeira sauce (V)
* * *
Selection of Vegetables & Potatoes
* * *
Selection of Desserts
* * *
Selection of Cheeses
(£3.50 if ordered as an extra course)
* * *
Coffee
Click to expand...
 
S

scallywag

Well-Known Forumite
We had a table booked for June and were really looking forward to it - but then we received a letter to say it was cancelled as there would be no students available!! Disappointed comes nowhere near describing how we felt.
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Thats a bugger :(

Just back from there, lovely meal was had by all. Were only 3 of us in the end, and one of those was only found at short notice. Food was stunning as always :)
 
Stafford College

Stafford College

Well-Known Forumite
Glad to read that so many of you have enjoyed the campus restaurant. It has now moved into the new Riverbank Building and is called the Riverbank Restaurant (* Admin - is it possible to change the name of this thread?)
We are aware that it can be quite difficult to get a reservation in the restaurant. The best way to make a booking is by emailing trainingrestaurants@staffordcoll.ac.uk It is pretty much booked-up until Christmas but I have just checked and if you email now, you should be able to get a table in January. A few of you mentioned vegetarian options in this thread - just list the number of veggies when you book and explain whether they will eat fish etc.
It is currently easier to get a table in The Bistro. That is open most lunchtimes plus Tuesday evenings. It's on the ground floor of the new building. Really good food and very attentive service from the students. If you are available at lunchtime, you should be able to book a table without too much difficulty. Use the same email address as above.
We do also have a coffee shop, called The Atrium, which is next to the main entrance to the College in Earl Street and a cafe, called The Hub, in Riverbank. Both these are open to the public and no booking is needed.
Oh - one other thing...if you have eaten in the restaurant, do feel free to review it on TripAdvisor.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Stafford College said:
Glad to read that so many of you have enjoyed the campus restaurant. It has now moved into the new Riverbank Building and is called the Riverbank Restaurant (* Admin - is it possible to change the name of this thread?)
We are aware that it can be quite difficult to get a reservation in the restaurant. The best way to make a booking is by emailing trainingrestaurants@staffordcoll.ac.uk It is pretty much booked-up until Christmas but I have just checked and if you email now, you should be able to get a table in January. A few of you mentioned vegetarian options in this thread - just list the number of veggies when you book and explain whether they will eat fish etc.
It is currently easier to get a table in The Bistro. That is open most lunchtimes plus Tuesday evenings. It's on the ground floor of the new building. Really good food and very attentive service from the students. If you are available at lunchtime, you should be able to book a table without too much difficulty. Use the same email address as above.
We do also have a coffee shop, called The Atrium, which is next to the main entrance to the College in Earl Street and a cafe, called The Hub, in Riverbank. Both these are open to the public and no booking is needed.
Oh - one other thing...if you have eaten in the restaurant, do feel free to review it on TripAdvisor.
Click to expand...


Any produce sourced within a 10 mile radius?
 
Noah

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford College said:
A few of you mentioned vegetarian options in this thread - just list the number of veggies when you book and explain whether they will eat fish etc.
Click to expand...

Someone who eats fish is NOT a vegetarian (conversly no vegetarian eats fish, just to make it clear). If you eat fish but not meat you are a piscatarian (also spelt pescatarian if you prefer). Don't confuse the two

Written by a vegetarian who is fed up with being offered fish dishes and then having "but my friend's a vegetarian and they eat fish" whined at him.
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Noah said:
Someone who eats fish is NOT a vegetarian (conversly no vegetarian eats fish, just to make it clear). If you eat fish but not meat you are a piscatarian (also spelt pescatarian if you prefer). Don't confuse the two

Written by a vegetarian who is fed up with being offered fish dishes and then having "but my friend's a vegetarian and they eat fish" whined at him.
Click to expand...

I've always just referred to them as fussy eaters.
 
Stafford College

Stafford College

Well-Known Forumite
Hi John, I've asked for details of locally-bought ingredients and should be able to provide info later today. Though I should think ten miles in a westerly direction might limit us to strawberries ;) Noah, I'm a vegetarian too and like you, I don't eat fish but I know that a lot of people who consider themselves vegetarian DO eat fish and sometimes even chicken. I understand your point but in the context of booking a table for the restaurant, it's probably best that people make things clear at the outset to avoid any surprises on the plate. The restaurant manager is very considerate at pointing out, for instance, which puddings include gelatine if he knows you want to avoid that and has sometimes whizzed something different out for me during one of the 'off menu' extra courses when he knows it contains something I wouldn't want to eat.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Stafford College said:
Hi John, I've asked for details of locally-bought ingredients and should be able to provide info later today. Though I should think ten miles in a westerly direction might limit us to strawberries ;) Noah, I'm a vegetarian too and like you, I don't eat fish but I know that a lot of people who consider themselves vegetarian DO eat fish and sometimes even chicken. I understand your point but in the context of booking a table for the restaurant, it's probably best that people make things clear at the outset to avoid any surprises on the plate. The restaurant manager is very considerate at pointing out, for instance, which puddings include gelatine if he knows you want to avoid that and has sometimes whizzed something different out for me during one of the 'off menu' extra courses when he knows it contains something I wouldn't want to eat.
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Dont forget the cheeses of Ellenhall, the beers of Stafford and Stone and the Buffalos of Seighford and the milk from Bradley and the pheasant from Ranton and the spuds from Derrington and the Pork from Lapley - because I do - too often:pig:
 
Noah

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
tek-monkey said:
I've always just referred to them as fussy eaters.
Click to expand...

Two old gals talking -

First woman, "How's yer little owd niece Sarah that's stayin' with yer"

"Well" said the other, "she's quiet and ever so loidy, but a rare owd bother to feed. 'own't eat nothin' 'cept green stuffs, fruit an sitchlike"

"Oh, I've heerd about them. She's what they call a herbaceous boarder"
 
Stafford College

Stafford College

Well-Known Forumite
There ARE buffalo in Seighford? I'm so pleased. You've earned me "I told you so" rights. I insisted that I had seen a herd of buffalo grazing in Seighford and was roundly dismissed. In fairness, although I haven't had the info back from the restaurant team yet, I'm not expecting it to include buffalo.
 
Stafford College

Stafford College

Well-Known Forumite
I have got some info about the local suppliers. Please note that this info came direct from one of the chef-lecturers as he was cutting up what looked like small birds. I might not have been concentrating as much as I should have been. At present, meat comes from WM Perry in Eccleshall. The butcher sources all its meat from within 4 miles of the shop. The chef told me that they slaughter on the premises and offered to take me on a visit. I think he may have been teasing me. Fruit and vegetables come either from Birmingham Market or Lowndes Fruits. In the new year the restaurant intends to start buying cheeses from Bertelin Farmhouse Cheeses in Ellenhall - I googled that and it looks brilliant. Similarly, it plans to start using Packington Pork & Poultry, which is award-winning, free-range, Staffordshire-based but not within 9 miles.

No buffalo were harmed in the preparation of tonight's menu.
 
proactive

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Stafford College said:
I have got some info about the local suppliers. Please note that this info came direct from one of the chef-lecturers as he was cutting up what looked like small birds. I might not have been concentrating as much as I should have been. At present, meat comes from WM Perry in Eccleshall. The butcher sources all its meat from within 4 miles of the shop. The chef told me that they slaughter on the premises and offered to take me on a visit. I think he may have been teasing me. Fruit and vegetables come either from Birmingham Market or Lowndes Fruits. In the new year the restaurant intends to start buying cheeses from Bertelin Farmhouse Cheeses in Ellenhall - I googled that and it looks brilliant. Similarly, it plans to start using Packington Pork & Poultry, which is award-winning, free-range, Staffordshire-based but not within 9 miles.

No buffalo were harmed in the preparation of tonight's menu.
Click to expand...
You are forcing me to make a booking I think.
 
Stafford College

Stafford College

Well-Known Forumite
Lunar Scorpion said:
If they eat fish or chicken they are not vegetarian - simple as. If they consider themselves vegetarian they obviously do not understand the term! See here: http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=698
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Hi Lunar Scorpion, I understand totally what you are saying. As explained above, though, all I'm trying to do is HELP vegetarians booking a table at the restaurant. There is widespread confusion about the various gradations of vegetarianism and some people who think of themselves as vegetarian will eat fish. I can't change that. If I can ensure that you, them and anyone else with specific dietery requirements is able to enjoy a meal in the Riverbank without difficulty then my work here is done :D
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Could have sworn I posted on this earlier this morning? Anyway, I've worked with the public plenty of times and I know that if they have a misconception they assume its your fault for not considering it. You can't assume someone calling themselves a vegetarian does not eat fish, or even chicken, because they will be offended that you didn't know what their own personal preference was. Lets face it, even vegetarians are only half arsed about it all, but some people use that moniker and take it to mean "Someone who eats a lot of veg, but also some meat. Just not all meat, at least not all the time. Although I did have stuffed baby squirrel once and that was awesome, seriously eat that if you get offered, but honestly no I am a vegetarian and only eat vegetables. Usually".

Give them what they want, even when they are wrong, is the motto of the service industry.
 
proactive

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Table booked for late January. We're easy to please as we'll eat pretty much everything except stuffed baby squirrel :)
 
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