I recently booked the famous buffet at The Glasshouse, for a special occasion. And at £65 per person for dinner Monday to Thursday, (Friday to Sunday will set you back £82), it is definitely more of a ‘treat’ than a go-to dining spot. Tucked away at the back of The Grove Hotel – a luxury, 18th century Hertfordshire mansion with an 18-hole golf course and spa – guests must walk through the bright and stylish Glasshouse bar to access the restaurant.
After giving our name to front of house, we were shown to our table by a friendly hostess, who enquired as to our New Year’s festivities, before taking our coats to stow in a cloakroom.
Looking around the space, The Glasshouse certainly lived up to its name, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that, should we have arrived for the lunch sitting, would have offered a stunning view of the imposing gardens and grounds enveloping the decadent property.
Cappuccino-coloured leather bucket chairs adorn the palatial conservatory, whose décor champions marble accents and gold embellishments. A ground floor peppered with round tables is home to the impressive dessert station, whilst a mezzanine of additional seating leads the way to the food buffet. Ambiance is buzzy, and despite being a full house, decibels weren’t excessive. My friend and I were seated in a booth on the upper level before our waiter for the evening introduced himself. On confirming it was our first visit, he proceeded to explain how it all works: drinks are brought to the table, food is self-service, and visits to the buffet are unlimited. As with most buffets, plates are found at the food stations and each is cleared to make room for a fresh serving.
On perusing the drinks menu, we opted for a bottle of Noughty non-alcoholic white wine – which will set you back £24. Whilst that is rather steep for what was essentially a posh cordial, it was delightful. Crisp, citrusy and light, it evoked all the indulgence of alcohol, without the side effects, and was freely topped up from its nest in a nearby ice bucket.
Finally the time came to survey the bountiful offerings of the main event. We conducted an initial sweep of its international delicacies -seven generously-stocked stations including: a carvery; robata grill; seafood and sushi station; Asian tandoor station; a live pasta station complete with a stone pizza oven; a salad bar and a charcuterie. A small selection of vegan dishes is also available.
We commenced proceedings at the centerpiece salad bar, which is stocked with generously dressed caesar salad leaves, superfood salad, green salad, potato salad, beetroot, hard-boiled egg, crudités, tzatziki, babaganoush and some of the best hummus I’ve eaten, amongst a cheese, cracker and chutney area offering crumbly stilton, brie, goats cheese, cheddar and a spattering of grapes. Around the corner you’ll find sliced cold cuts (mortadella, chorizo, prosciutto) complemented by cornichons, various paté and artichoke antipasti.
The seafood table is impressive. Large shell-on prawns are tucked up against mussels, smoked salmon, herring rollmops, smoked mackerel, lemon wedges, marie rose, dill mayo, taramasalata, caviar and tartar sauce. Next up is the sushi selection. Spicy tuna, salmon and avocado and more – all prepared fresh.
Moving on to main courses – of which there are plenty - the tandoor option houses fragrant curries, rich dhals, naan bread, tikka chicken and spiced fish, as well as Vietnamese pho. The Robata specialities include a skirt steak and a hearty gammon pie, whilst the main event – the roast – stood out. Staff were on hand to carve juicy slices of perfectly pink beef, tender chicken or lamb on request. Once chosen, a myriad of trimmings await – cavalo nero, parsnips and dauphinoise among them. Special mention has to go to the seriously crispy roast potatoes and the deliciously thick gravy.
A word of caution. As with most all-you-can-eats, pacing oneself is highly recommended, though it’s easy to get carried away with the fresh olive bread and baguettes at your disposal here. Despite exercising restraint, it was at this point that we began to flag. Foolishly opting to wear starchy and unforgiving denim, our status as amateurs was cemented. Professionals amongst us were just warming up, whilst we feebly felt the need to discreetly pop a few belt buttons. Nevertheless, visitors would be remiss to skip the dessert station.
This is where my eyes grew larger than my stomach, seduced as I was by the veritable feast of delectable sweet treats before me. It’s easy to go overboard when faced with a gushing chocolate fountain with a plethora of dipping choices – brownie, strawberry, marshmallow – every patisserie one could think of (pistachio, kumquat, salted caramel), chocolate mousse, blueberry cheesecake, bread and butter pudding, fig roulade, cookies, truffles and a lemon tart, to name but a few.
I could wax lyrical about all the culinary enchantments The Glasshouse buffet has to offer, though there is still some room for elevation and improvement. Overall, The Grove’s clear homage to The Ned’s Sunday Feast provides a special experience for a big birthday or celebration. Although the cuisine, atmosphere and service were all of a good standard, I can’t help but afford The Ned a competitive edge over this suburban alternative. But then it is incredibly hard to compete with the grand scale of the former London bank, from its whole lobster and oyster selection to its live grand piano accompaniment. That being said, with The Ned now costing an eye-watering £100 (£165 for ‘free-flowing champagne), The Grove presents far better value for money. While both may be priced beyond the average, (particularly in the current climate) those able to satiate large appetites would find it reasonable for both quality and enjoyment.
Food: 8/10 Ambience: 7/10 Service: 7/10 Price: 7/10
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