I've been shocked by some restaurant bills in my time - and not in a good way. That eye-watering moment when you open up that folded piece of paper and regret ordering those extra sides, a dessert and that last glass of wine.
A pizza, curry or burger at a Nottingham city restaurant or pub will set you back at least £14 these days as food prices continue to soar. So it seems nothing short of a miracle to pay £13.95 for a three-course lunch.
Of course, there has to be a catch. And this is it... the restaurant isn't open at weekends or school holidays. Oh, and the food is cooked by students. But don't let this put you off.
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Fletchers restaurant, located within Nottingham College's City Hub, is open to the public. With the quality of food and a price that's almost too good to be true, I'm surprised it wasn't busier when I visited.
The whole shebang is run by hospitality students, from first to third years, under the supervision of industry professionals in the kitchen and the restaurant. The dining area has a chic contemporary look and a view of the improvements around Broadmarsh since moving from the Adams Building in the Lace Market.
Diners can get a glimpse of the chefs busying themselves through the windows into the kitchen. The simply furnished restaurant has framed signed chefs' whites taking pride of place on the walls from culinary legends such as the late great Antonio Carluccio, Marco Pierre White and, closer to home, Michelin-starred Alchemilla chef Alex Bond - a reminder of what these trainee chefs could go on to achieve in their careers.
After being shown to our table, which is laid out with shiny cutlery, wine glasses and neatly folded grey napkins, we're presented with the April-May menu. There's three starters, three mains and three desserts to choose from - with vegetarian options for each.
We skip ordering drinks and just ask for water that promptly arrives and is poured with a steady hand. As a former teenage waitress I suffered numerous mishaps. Or rather my customers did - the most notable was dropping a knife in the lap of Ian Tough, half of the comedy duo the Krankies, and a teapot with boiling hot water sliding off a tray at Pizza Hut as I went to place it on the table.
Bread rolls, either white or brown, are served by the white-gloved hand of the waitress, who like the other waiting staff, is dressed smartly in black with a grey apron. The roll is warm and, smothered in butter, it's a good start.
I suspect the Thai chicken and peanut salad might come with fresh coriander. Those of you who know me well, will be well acquainted with my hatred of this pungent herb. I'm not being fussy - it's actually genetic. For ten per cent of the population it has a vile soapy taste.
The waitress, a first year student, goes off to check with the kitchen. She says it can be served without the garnish - but then a few minutes later she returns to say actually it's part of the marinade, so that's a no-go.
My second choice is the smoked salmon mousse, and even though it's my starter my default, I'm not disappointed. The presentation has the wow factor, looking like something served at any of Nottingham's fine dining restaurants by professional chefs.
The mousse is smooth and rich, perched on top of refreshing ribbons of cucumber and dill, and a slice of toasted sourdough. I would definitely order that again.
If you think the portions are small you'd be wrong. My main is a large fillet of sea bream on a decent-sized pile of mash, flavoured with lemon and rapeseed oil. The white fish is beautifully cooked and the skin has a good crisp to it. The asparagus - a good sign that they're using seasonal produce - has the perfect texture, not too hard and not mushy.
Cheffy touches complete it - a delicate squid ink tuile and swirls of tangy tomato emulsion. If this was presented to MasterChef judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace, I'm sure they'd be raving about the flavours and cooking skills.
One course is £9 and two cost £11.95 so to get the best value for money it's worth going for three. That's my excuse anyway for having dessert. I'm torn as the chocolate and amaretto cheesecake with sour cherry sounds very enticing but I'm a sucker for a custard tart so that wins.
The pastry chef deserves a gold star as it is so delicate and crisp, while the custardy filling is smooth and creamy. A rhubarb compote, topped off with rhubarb crisps, give it a pleasing touch of tartness.
I'm still in wonderment that this comes to £13.95, which must barely cover the cost of the ingredients. The price has gone up just £1 in the last two years and as we know food prices and energy bills have rocketed since coronavirus>Covid, so that's quite something.
It's one bill that shocks you in a good way. I've been to restaurants where the taste of the food and level of service by pros hasn't matched this. I'm told that demand for the 100 or so places on next year's hospitality course is quadruple what they can accommodate which is good news for the future of the industry, especially when so many businesses are crying out for chefs and and front of house staff.
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