FOOD + DRINK
DINNER AND A SHOW AT THE
Orchard Theatre
GOING TO THE THEATRE IS ALWAYS A TREAT , AND YET THERE IS ALWAYS ONE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED WHEN IT COMES TO THE TIMING OF YOUR VISIT : FOOD . WITH EVENING SHOWS TENDING TO START AT ABOUT 7.30PM , EATING BEFOREHAND CAN BE A BIT OF A RUSH AND CERTAINLY ISN ’ T A RELAXING AFFAIR FOR FEAR OF NOT GETTING INTO YOUR SEATS ON TIME . EATING AFTERWARDS ISN ’ T MUCH BETTER . WHAT TO DO THEN ? LISAMARIE LAMB HAS THE ANSWER .
The answer is simple : book your theatre tickets for shows at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford and you can eat before the show in the theatre ’ s very own restaurant . The meal can even be included in your ticket price and the staff will make sure you ’ re in your seat ready for the show to start . Now doesn ’ t that sound like a good idea ?
Not only is it a good idea in respect that it won ’ t make you panic or rush your food , but since that food is terribly tasty too , you ’ ll actually enjoy your meal .
My guest and I certainly did . The Orchard Theatre is a great space for being entertained – bright and airy , it ’ s comfortable even when full of excited people and the restaurant is no different . Large floor-to-ceiling windows make the room light , yet the dark wooden furniture gives it a cosy kind of feeling ; the best of both worlds , you can read the menu and still have a meaningful conversation without feeling as though you are being listened to .
For starters we opted for halloumi bites with tomato chutney and the salmon and prawn salad . Those halloumi bites were incredibly moreish , coated in a delicate breadcrumb that wasn ’ t greasy and added a nice crunch to the otherwise soft and salty cheese . The salad was a generous size and full of salmon and prawns , not just leaves . Crunchy and tangy , my guest ate every bite and enjoyed every mouthful .
It took a while to pick the mains as choosing was tricky because everything sounded wonderful . There was pea and mint tortellini , cobb salad , a hunters chicken burger , beer battered haddock and chips … the lovely list goes on . In the end we went for a piri piri half roast chicken served with rainbow slaw , Cajun fries and sour cream , and the cheese and bacon burger – 100 per cent British steak burger , smoked Applewood cheese , grilled bacon , dill pickles and tomato . Both were good choices . The chicken was spicy without being uncomfortable to eat , and the sour cream added a cooling balance . The burger was exactly as a burger should be : juicy , meaty and indulgent .
There is always room for dessert , of course . At the Orchard , if you are feeling full or you want to go to your seat for the show , you can opt to eat your dessert in the interval – we didn ’ t . We wanted our warm chocolate brownie and our raspberry delice right there and then , and they truly were wonderful puds .
Full , content , with no need to rush , to drive anywhere , or walk a long distance , my guest and I strolled to our seats in order to watch the show – the wonderful Abba tribute , Thank You For The Music . The Orchard Theatre has reinvented the idea ‘ dinner and a show ’ and got the experience exactly right .
Orchard Theatre Home Gardens Dartford DA1 1ED 01322 220000 www . orchardtheatre . co . uk
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