Margo

A friend and I are going to be in London next week. We want to see a play, in this case, Billy Elliott, at the Victoria Palace Theater. The show starts at 7:30. A recommendation for dinner is The Library at the Rubens at The Palace at 39 Buckingham Palace Rd. which is supposed to be a two minute walk from the theater. The earliest that we can get dinner at The Library is at 5:30. The Library is supposed to be an upscale restaurant with meals between 45 and 66 pounds which we are willing to splurge on IF two hours is enough time (or actually less than 2 hours, so that we have time to walk there and be seated before showtime).

So has anyone eaten at The Library and can vouch for the expensive splurge in terms of good food? And is less than two hours reasonable for dinner in such place?

Anybody seen Billy Elliott? Like it?
Thanks, Margo

janisj

If it was me . . . I'd have a late lunch or afternoon tea and go to dinner after the show (Or go to a casual/much less expensive place). I hate going to upscale/'destination' restaurants very early in the evening.

Billy Elliot is terrific

Apres_Londee

It looks like they don't open until 7pm...

http://www.rubenshotel.com/dining/di...hoices/library

Margo

Yikes, looking at the link you sent, apres, I guess we can't combine the two. Another link said that the restaurant opened at 5:30 and could accommodate theater goers. Still I would like to hear from someone who has actually eaten there.
Thanks, Margo

janisj

The Rubens carvery is open for pre theatre dinner if you want less pos than the Library

Margo

The carvery sounds like the best idea. It has special prices (19.50# for 2 courses and 29.50# for 3 courses) for pre-theater sittings between 5 and 6pm.
Now I just would like to know if the food is as good as it sounds.
Margo

nytraveler

It is generally not a good idea to do a special dinner the same night as a show since

1) if doesn;t really aloow you enough time to enjoy your dinner and

2) you may be forced to eat dinner at 5 in the afternoon instead of a more human 8 or 8:30

3) sitting in a theater for hours after stuffing yourself is really not a great idea ( a nice long walk after a large dinner is a much better idea)

We generally eat dinner AFTER a show - not before.

janisj

Oops - typo. Should have said ...>>if you want less posh than the Library

AisleSeat

I'm not really sure exactly where your theater is ..... but the theater district could also be labeled the restaurant district. Lots of restaurants (particularly ethnic foods of all sorts) in the area and many of them have reasonable fixed price menus.

xyz123

Personally, I would rather do a big time dinner on a day I'm not going to the theatre for a variety of reasons. My own experience is that London is really not a late night town. Many of the restaurants indeed close at 2200 or 2230. Secondly the tube stops running around midnight so having a late dinner might leave you in a bit of a bind getting back to yur hotel (not saying it is impossible but your public tansport options are somewhat less, might not make a big difference). Again, everybody has their own opinions on this.

The Victoria Palace, where Billy Elliot is playing, is a block or two from Victoria station. There is a Chez Georges which some people like (not saying it's gourmet or anyting like that) about a block away. Now, my own tastes are different than a lot of people. I like the Wagamama chain which is relatively inexpensive and has some very interesting noodle dishes although I would hardly call it a romantic place (yu sit at long communal tables)....I just love some of the noodle dishes there and when I see Billy Elliot, there's a branch a block away. (Agani, I'm not suggesting this a romatic play for a long dinner...it's sort of ast food in a different setting and some of the dishes are absolutely delicious at least in my oinion).

(BTW I don't know if this applies to you but many London theatres have senior discounts which start at age 60..they're called concession rates. Have seen Billy Elliot a couple of times (love the abilities of the kids); stopped by the morning of the performance got senior discounts for the stalls (orchestra to us Yanks) fifth row dcenter for 28 quid. Can't do much better than that!

janisj

AisleSeat: This theatre is not near Covent Garden, Shaftsbury Ave., etc. . .