When you work in such a competitive environment near Moorgate, as The Refinery CityPoint, you know small things like customer service makes all the difference between winning business or losing them from local workers. There might be plenty of offices in this area but likewise, there are plenty of top-notch gastropubs to meet up for post-work drinks or dinner with your potential clients.
Their decor is homely and inviting, the sort of venue you would happily pop into any time of the day to spend your hard earned cash. The seating might have mismatching colours, but they are all luxuriously comfortable and some come with cosy faux fur. That is one of the first steps of a successful restaurant and bar: to provide relaxing seating that will keep your customers staying at your venue for hours on end.
The service here is outstanding and personable: the servers are well-trained to make suitable recommendations based on your taste. It takes a brave woman to convince my Australian guest that the Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand is one of the best in the world. It was promptly proven true, as my guest finished one glass after another of the extremely quaffable and crisp tasting wine.
All the classics that you would expect, make an appearance on the menu. The lightly battered crispy squid was present with lemon mayonnaise which helped to cut through the greasiness. For those with a big appetite, there’s the chicken satay to choose from with the appetising peanut sauce and sesame. Whilst the scotch egg was beautifully prepared to ensure the egg yolk wasn’t overcooked and it came with an expertly judged, chorizo and smoked paprika mayonnaise.
Photo courtesy of Giles Christopher
Although their prices are on the inexpensive side, they don’t skimp on the quality of their ingredients. Case in point was the fish pie, which was filled with high-quality salmon, prawns and other seafood offering and topped with a creamy cheddar potato crust.
Don’t ask me why my guest enjoys his steak well done, but as people in the trade say the customer is king. When it arrived medium well done in his opinion, the staff did not hesitate for one second and kindly took the dish back and instead cooked a fresh piece of sirloin to just the right level for my guest’s liking. This is what you call service and hardly surprising, customers repeatedly flock back to The Refinery CityPoint.
Desserts are a serious calorific affair here, so make sure you have visited the gym first if you are attempting a 3-course meal here. Knickerbocker glory is a tower of sweet delights: it contains salted caramel ice cream, plum, honeycomb, cream and almonds. It is tremendously satisfying but the kind of dessert you will need to share with your friends.
baldwin@townfish.com