Balkerne Colne Restaurants - Colchester

Another lovely meal today. It’s turning out to be a firm favourite in our annual calendar. We will be back in the spring for another meal. What we ate today you cannot truely comprehend that the food was produced by catering students these young people will go on to be fantastic members of restaurants and businesses in the future.

Unbeatable value rising stars in front and back of house absolutely fabulous faultless performance well done guys I can’t imagine how hard you guys work

Excellent Thursday night taster menu, enjoyed every course, with a very nice bottle of Primitivo £20)! A tasting menu may cook up something that is not to your taste, but this time every thing was good, especially liked the Amuse, Beef Tartare with toast, which was a small taster, and was as good as any main I have tasted in France. I even liked the second course, Wild mushroom, butternut squash, spinach ricotta Rotolo veggie) The main course of chicken breast with barley, I enjoyed, but left some of the barley. So just one ingredient that was not to my taste, out of many! All this for £35! Well done guys. This really is a treasure in Colchester and deserves support as these guys are our future hospitality....

Our party of 4 visited on a Thursday for the tasting menu, having not visited for quite some time. The students work hard throughout the evening and despite the obvious nerves/knowledge gaps, the service is good throughout. Tasty food for each course, with the pork belly and sweet potato soup being favourites, this is really worthwhile visiting due to the quality and value that you receive.

What a disappointment. Over the years I have eaten some marvellous meals at the Balkerne Restaurant but not so today. The choice was limited with just 3 items for each course and I was filled with dismay to read that the main course options were Moussaka, Mussels or Goat’s Cheese Risotto. I am allergic to cheese (it won’t kill me, but I’ve always been extremely nauseated by all types) and the thought of eating a mussel turns my stomach. One of my friends had a similar problem, but there was no alternative for us and no member of staff to advise the very young inexperienced waitress. I had no choice but to opt for two starters which was to some extent equally disappointing. The thick mushroom soup although delicious was cold and consequently unappetising and the buffalo wings were far too highly spiced and practically impossible for an eighty-year-old to eat particularly as I’m not used to eating with my arthritic fingers and could get nowhere trying to attack them with a knife and fork. Thank goodness there were a few small thin strips of celery, which were extremely tasty. I could not fault the dessert choices, but simply selected the unhealthy option of sticky toffee pudding because I was so hungry. Throughout our time at the restaurant I only noticed one lecturer on the floor and she was mainly concerning herself with serving wine. However, I cannot fault the keenness, helpfulness and politeness of the students . It was a pleasure to meet them and I wish them well.