If you’re from the East Midlands area and enjoy the luxuries of quality food and impeccable dining service whilst dabbling on the betting scene, then a visit to Leicester Racecourse is the perfect day out for you.
The famous Leicester Racecourse is situated on the border between Stoneygate and the quaint town of Oadby, a mere 5 miles south-east of the city centre. On arrival, my partner and I were directed through the Owners and Trainers entrance to the comfortable and stylish Nelson Suite Restaurant, which provides a wonderful panoramic view of the racecourse from floor to ceiling glass windows along the side of the building. There was a good buzz about the place, which made watching the races from the suite all that more exciting.
The cuisine served at Nelson Suite was equally as exquisite, boasting a three course Table D’Hote menu for £46 per person. The starters included; butternut squash soup with paprika cream, oak smoked salmon, wasabi, crisp baby gem salad with a sauce vierge, or a ham hock & pea terrine, peppered rocket, pear and fig salad with pea shoot essence. I personally tried the oak smoked salmon, which I would highly recommend.
The mains included; slow roast belly of pork, spring onion mash, black pudding and apple & chestnut mushrooms with a sage and cider reduction, or an option of pan fried corn fed chicken, roasted chateau potatoes with sea salt, smoked bacon lardons, buttered greens & port jus. For those that enjoy fish, the menu offered salmon coulibiac, dill sauce, crushed new potatoes, asparagus & confit plum tomato. Or for vegetarians, there was also the option of portobello mushroom filled with sauteed shallots, sweet potato, braised baby fennel & Roquefort cheese.
Lastly, onto my favourite part of the menu, the dessert, which certainly pandered to my sweet tooth with the passion fruit meringue tart with orange cream & chocolate spear. However, there was also a choice of Sticky Toffee Pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla pod ice cream, or a selection of cheese & biscuits for those with a more savoury preference. At the end of the meal, tea and coffee was served to enjoy throughout the day.
During the meal, we were offered the wine list which presented a selection of red, white and rosé wine and a variety of sparkling wine and champagne to compliment our meal. We chose a glass of La Marca Prosecco which we enjoyed throughout our meal. Made in Italy, the pale straw coloured prosecco boasted fruity flavours of apple and pineapple which complimented my passionfruit meringue dessert. The suite also had a cash bar, in which other beverages were readily available.
In between courses, we were able to go outside to get within just a few meters of the racecourse, gaining a clear view of the 1¾ mile oval circuit and the finish line which was directly in front of us. There were also betting stands outside of the suite which often had better rates than those inside, which my partner and I certainly made use of.
The “Members” enclosure, situated just outside the Nelson Suite is also a good size with a tiered stand on a slope which made for better viewing, and included an abundance of seating behind the standing area, which was all under cover, and provided a good view of the circuit. From here, the whole course is visible, but there is also a large screen in front of the stand so you can see the start of the race more clearly.
Even if you’re not much of a betting person, like myself, I would still recommend the racecourse, it was a fun and exciting experience, perhaps made even better by the fact that we won our first two races!
It is known that Leicester Racecourse is often referred to as one of the lesser racecourses, however, after my experience, I found that the course is well situated, serves quality cuisine, with a friendly atmosphere both from customers and staff alike: all this combined with my winnings made for a great racing experience which I would highly recommend.
For more information on Leicester Racecourse visit, leicester-racecourse.co.uk
