I went to a wine club dinner at the Civil Service Club. In the dining room on the second floor, as the Americans would say, (first if you count British style with the street level called ground). Take the small lift from reception. The stairs are quite steep and the ladies toilet is one floor above the dining room.
The club is in a side street near the station Embankment or Charing Cross. The Charing Cross route brings you out at Trafalgar Square which is fun and adds to your feeling that you have seen London on your evening out.
The club has a small paved garden at the front where you can sit and have drinks outside the downstairs bar.
Our table had a white cloth and what looked like fabric napkins. The napkins were actually a kind of thick absorbent 'paper', the sort you can't tear.The staff were obliging.
The first delight is the bread. I had a seed roll. Other had a plain roll or a brown roll. If you are a large group, the trick is to arrive early and pick your seat, according to the company or the roll. If necessary, swap the bread roll plates. Sometimes the person with the boring white bread really wants your white bread rather what they have. They may be glad to give you what they see as stick on your teeth seeds. Just be diplomatic.
The set menu offers a large choice. The starter I chose was a salmon terrine with salad. Another person wanted the whitebait. Everyone seemed very happy with their choices.
My main course was chicken kiev, with mashed potatoes. Unlike the supermarket chicken kiev, no spurt of garlicky lemon sauce. But still very nice. I ate it all.
Finally, delicious desserts. I could have eaten them all. I saw a gnerously large bright pink sorbet. One diner asked for a fruit salad which was not on the menu but they made it for her, a generous portion of chunks of fruit. I had the chocolate cheecake, a nice sticky cheesecake, proper solid cheesecake, with a very thick, solid, biscuity base. Not those imitation cheese cakes made of what looks like candy floss or watered down toothpaste.
All in all, a very good experience.
Not a grand place, a relaxed place.
What You Get
The club also had bedrooms, and comedy evenings in the bar and pub quizzes.
Remembering Names
The list of people attending is typed out and held at the front desk. Your name has to be verified and ticked off. I got a sneak peek at all the names on the list. Really handy, if you are meeting people you have not seen for several weks and are trying to remember their name.
Club Membership Costs
The club is a lot cheaper than clubs overseas, such as in Singapore, although the clubs in Singapore for expats often have swimming pools, gyms and other facilities. Ask around if any of your friends is a current or retired member of the Civil Service. You need two members to propose and second your membership if you are not a member of the civil service or police, or working in London. Aged over 70 the annual membership or life membership is halved. Check the latest prices and regulations on their website.
Civil Service Club
13-15 Great Scotland Yard
London
England
Useful Websites
https://www.civilserviceclub.org.uk/Becoming-a-Member/Types-of-Membership.aspx
Author
Angela Lansbury, Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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