We’ve all done it, scoffing food down in a mediocre restaurant somewhere across London. And, we also know there is no shortage of dining experiences across the capital. But with immersive dining is on the rise, there is an opportunity to level up your next dining experience with something show stopping — popping melodies, uncontrollable laughter, and dancing in and out of your seat. After all, eating out should be an experience in its own given right. So, where’s hot right now? Transport yourself to North London, an unleash your wild at Wembley Park’s newest immersive dining experience, Studio 5ive at Troubadour Theatre.
Stepping into the restaurant, I was greeted with stylish decor, with an open plan kitchen with an army of chefs ready to feed many hungry diners. With an array of midnight blue plush seating revolving around the centre stage, where artist performing takes to the floor for a night of gleeful entertainment for hours on end. Who was performing? The one, the only, Dolly Parton! Or, should I say, someone that sounded and looked very much like her. Our very own Dolly was second to none, especially with the melodies that echoed were incredibly angelic, and very much like the country singer herself.
We kicked things off with cocktails, with a selection of fruity and sweet cocktails, covering all your classics, and something for those who prefer slightly sharper, sour cocktails. I couldn’t help but accentuate my end of week excitement with a touch of bubbles, which the Rose Fizz fulfilled.
The evening meal consists of a set menu with four delectable dishes to choose from for each course, starters, right through to dessert. Much to the delight of my accompanying diners, there was a selection of dishes to accommodate each of our palettes.
For my starter, I went for delightful heritage beetroot tarte tartin with goat’s curd and crushed hazelnut. The tart itself was well seasoned, the beetroot just past al dente, with a soft bite, and bold flavour, which made the dish extremely tasty.
Followed by the baby chicken with slow roasted mushroom, tomato and a rich tarragon gravy. The chicken itself was tender and filled with moisture. I find not many restaurants are able to achieve that level of retained juice when cooking chicken, complete with a crisp skin with vast amounts of flavour — I was throughly impressed. The chicken was paired with a few dishes we shared on the table, side of corn draped in warm creamy butter, and a crispy, fluffy chips. The girls went for the beef cheek served with roasted carrots and dripping toast topped with beef liquor. They were both impressed with how the meat melted in their mouth and was held extremely captivating and rich flavours.
With our tummies fully, Dolly came out to turn things up a notch. From approaching me to sing a duet on stage with her, to the whole restaurant getting up on their feet and singing along to their favourite Dolly tunes from the top of their lungs, it was a night of fun for all.
However, there was still room for one more course, the sweetest of them all. Between the girls and I, we shared a yummy decedent sticky toffee pudding with custard and toffee sauce, and a constructed Eton mess, both equally divine and the perfect way to end a smashing, eclectic evening at Studio 5ive.
If you’re looking for a different kind of dining experience, definitely book yourself in for a theatrical evening at Studio 5ive, Troubadour Theatre’s resident restaurant for a night you won’t forget. You can check out the schedule of dinner performances here.
Until next time…
