Cilantro at The Millennium Madejski

It is not often that we are asked to write about a restaurant that is in fact closed. However, in this case there are exceptional reasons that make it perfectly understandable. Cilantro is the fine dining arm of the Madejski Hotel, a vital part of the Reading Stadium complex, where sport, commerce, retail therapy and quality accommodation meet in happy union, making this a place where an 'away weekend' can be a brilliant experience.

Such has been the success here that refurbishment of the gourmet fine dining restaurant has become necessary and it is expected that work will be completed in September 08. Meanwhile it remains possible to eat comfortably at Le Café, the brasserie part of the hotel, and all the other activities at this home of Reading Football Club and London Irish Rugby Club continue unabated.

With the exception of match days in the linked Stadium there is ample parking, with easy access from junction 11 of M4, and the compensation is you can lock into a great buffet service on those days - if you can park! The way round that is to stay the night and enjoy the best of all possible worlds, including the added temptation of Happy Hour at the main bar.

Guest rooms are luxurious without being overpowering and every modern facility that you could wish for is installed, including hard wire high speed internet access, pay movies and satellite TV. Rooms are light and airy, with a sense of space and purposeful simplicity.

To give you some idea of what to expect when Cilantro is once again in full swing let me introduce you to some of the items that were part of the menu until work started. On an à la carte menu could be found home cured gravadlax with native oyster and seaweed relish, a saffron risotto, or roast pumpkin soup with hazelnut crème fraiche, a delightful creamy and beautifully flavoured dish.

An osso buco cassoulet, with slow cooked Lincolnshire pork at its base made an inviting main dish, accompanied by baby chicory and girolles, or roast best end of lamb with pan fried sweetbreads, leeks and shallot and port jus went down well with more robust diners.

Other main courses could have included Scotch Aberdeen rump steak, post roast monkfish, wild sea bass or caramelised shallot tartin. For 2 there would have been a choice between chateaubriand or Dover sole, grilled or meuniere, for many a difficult decision to make.

To complete the desserts might have involved a Malibu and coconut soufflé, a sharp lemon semi Freddo, or a dark chocolate Marquise.

A fully fledged wine list will, I imagine, be carried forward to Cilantro Revived, so it is fair to share that - not only fair but no end of a pleasure since it contains carefully selected bins from right across the spectrum, at prices which do not ruin the occasion.

To keep you up to date on progress and re-opening a quick click on their Website will reveal all.