The Rose pub in Fulham. Upstairs room rented out for parties, decorated with Xmas tree decorated with red baubles, a jolly red star on top and flashing lights. White snowflake patterns on window.
I've added this picture, although the red star is missing from the frame, because the photo shows you what you would get at other times of year, the herringbone pattern wooden floor, and the tree pattern wallpaper. When we arrived the first people put their coats on the chairs, so there was nowhere to sit. Also it looked untidy. Early on people were mingling standing up so it didn't matter, in fact encouraged people to stand and walk and talk.
But I think the room could do with some coat hooks, which could be made a decorative and attractive feature. Later, when food arrived, people wanted to sit on the chairs so some people took the trouble to hand their own coats over the back of chairs. Some eaters, not wanting to touch the property of others, but wanting to sit down, either sat on coats or pushed clothes and handbags onto the floor.
The organiser of our party, a wine tasting group, had ordered large platters of food, cheese, fish, meat, vegetarian. You can see the platter ingredients on the website which has menus.
The cheese platters was excellent. The meat was a lot of processed food, sausages of one sort or another, completely unhealthy yet very tasty and more-ish. The vegetarian was ok. We had some celery with the cheese and few chopped up strawberries.
The fish caused me a problem. The shellfish was mixed in with the plain fish, with a risk of contamination. I am allergic to shellfish. I avoided eating the shellfish. I ate the plain fish. I accidentally bit into something battered. I think it was squid. When I got home I was sick. Apart from that I had a lovely time. (As Mrs Lincoln says in the joke about 'apart from your husband being assassinated, what did you think of the play?') I think they should have labelled the shellfish as it is one of the common allergies. Also not everybody likes it.
My family, unsympathetically, said that I had simply eaten so much. (This puts both me and the venue in a good light.)
We didn't have any desserts or coffees, but finished with the cheese, which is appropriate for wine drinkers. Everybody chose their own wines and paid separately and we were allowed to give a credit card and have running tabs.
A toilet was upstairs which saved us having to run up and down. All in all, an interesting venue and a great evening.
The Rose Fulham, Harwood Terrace, (off Harwood Road,) London SW6 2AF
Tel :020 7731 1832
They are on twitter
Closed Xmas Day. Open other days.
Bar, kitchen and garden
Their website: http://www.therosefulham.com
email info@therosefulham.com
Twitter @therosefulham
Facebook The RoseFulham
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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