I had always assumed that Ei8ght was too expensive and pretentious for me, but after hearing that they offered two courses fro £8.95, even on Friday evenings, I thought it was about time that I checked it out. I booked a table for 7:30, thinking myself a little bit silly for doing this. Surely at half past seven on a Friday evening everyone would still be getting ready to go out, not sitting down for a meal! When we arrived, I noted the ground floor bar was busy, with music playing, and people drinking and chatting. The atmosphere was good, and I saw a posted advertising live music every Sunday.
Up the stairs in the restaurant, there was only one free table - the one that we had booked. Everyone must have wanted in on the offer! The decor was classic, with quirky twists. Bare brick walls looked contemporary, and candles and Moroccan lanterns gave a romantic edge. The staff seemed friendly, and were quick to take and deliver our drinks orders. However, we waited a little too long to order our food, eventually having to get the waiter's attention in order to let him know what we would like. The starters also took so long to arrive, that a member of staff must have noticed our expressions, and rushed over to assure us that our food would be with us soon.
When they arrived, the starters were satisfying to say the least, and we both enjoyed them thouroughly. As a vegetarian, I had an option of about two dishes to start, and three for the main course, which is a good selection compared to other places. Our starter plates were cleared away quickly, but it was then another longer than average wait for our main courses. During this time, although our drinks were running low, we weren't asked if we would like to order more.
Our main courses, once they arrived were delicious. Since I had paid for a meal-deal type service, I had in some way expected a very average meal, however, the food was hot and tasty. The staff were obviously friendly, but the service, on the evening that I had decided to visit, was sadly not up to scratch. I would recommend this restaurant, however, I would hope that the service would be better upon returning, and that this was just a one off. I would have like to have stayed for dessert, however, having waited so long for the other courses, I feared for my sanity, and decided to head to the Tesco over the road, for some ice cream!
Bottom line - lovely decor, friendly staff, good choice and quality of food, excellent price, but sadly, waiting times were too long for my liking.
http://ei8ht-restaurant.com/
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