Football hospitality can get a bad rap. Many are criticised for serving substandard food while the attendees enjoy plenty of drinks and hopefully a good match that their team wins.
But it’s unfair to level the accusation of poor food at all clubs. I have been to hospitality at a number of them over the years where what was served up was delicious.
I also believe that when one kitchen is maybe serving 300 plus three-course meals it can be difficult to get it right all the time.
And if I was listing them here it would probably be clubs in the lower leagues – and junior clubs – who have given me some of the most memorable footy scran days.
I have had meals at League Two clubs that have been out of this world and buffets at junior clubs that have featured the most incredible home-cooked delights.
I recently popped along to Tannadice Park to sample the hospitality offering at Dundee United.
Strangely the last time I had enjoyed it there was on the occasion of my 40th birthday and I found myself on Tannadice Street only three days before I was hitting my half-century so I was looking forward to an early celebration.
It would be safe to say that what was on offer off the park was much more palatable than what was served up on the pitch as United offered a pretty weak performance as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Motherwell.
Popping up with my friend, Ian, we were to enjoy our afternoon in The Chairman’s Club.
Dundee United hospitality
I must admit I was very excited to see what this entailed and I was not disappointed at all to discover we were to be seated in what was the former boardroom.
The day began at 12.30pm and having been warmly welcomed by the hospitality team, we were shown to our seats in the suite where the afternoon began with Champagne and canapes.
The canapes were the ideal way to whet the appetite for the delights that were to follow as Ian and myself devoured the salmon roulade, vegetable croquette, pork belly and Spanish omelette.
I am a huge fan of canapes and these did not disappoint, with the vegetable croquette a particular favourite of mine being very crispy and moreish.
While we were tucking into the canapes, the attentive servers were quickly on-hand to ask if we would like another drink.
Ian and I were extremely impressed by the servers who kept a keen eye on all the tables in the lounge, topping up any drinks and answering any questions about how the day would unfold.
There was an excellent selection of beers available, including Coors and Madri, a Spanish beer I had not tried before but have sampled again since as it was very palatable.
There was also red and white wine to accompany the meal and I opted for a glass of red. Ian is a big fan of his Guinness but sadly they didn’t have any. However, our amazing server located a couple of cans and he was a happy man.
The food
Moving on to the main event, we were to enjoy three courses of what looked absolutely scrumptious on the menu for the pre-match lunch – I was not to be disappointed.
To start, we were served slow-cooked pork belly with pear puree.
I love pork belly, so this was going to be an acid test for me as to how the other two courses may pan out. It was sublime.
The crispiness of the pork belly combined perfectly with the sweetness of the pear puree which was, I initially thought a little different as you would expect apple with pork. It balanced very well. Ian commented on how much he enjoyed the fat of the pork belly.
This was a perfect entrée.
Once again our glasses were charged before we were served the main event – beef blade wrapped in pancetta with dauphinoise potatoes and French pea sauce.
Now, I am a real sucker for any kind of beef, particularly a cut that requires slow cooking to bring out the maximum flavour. If you get it right, it’s an absolute joy, if it’s not quite right it can be chewy and a disappointment.
There were no such fears here. The beef was beautifully cooked and was flaking apart. The pancetta provided a lovely saltiness to the dish and I likened the French pea sauce to posh mushy peas. Joking apart, it was an excellent marriage and the only disappointment was when I finished it as I was left wanting more.
On to dessert and we were served a traditional apple tarte tatin with ice cream.
This was a great finish to the three courses. The apples were not overcooked so still had a little bit of bite to them, while the ice cream cooled down something that was incredibly hot.
The match
We enjoyed another drink and before we knew it it was time to watch the match.
You are provided with priority seats in the Eddie Thompson Stand and I must say these are some of the best in the house with a great view of the pitch. Sadly for us, the fare on it did not match up to the fare off the park.
At half-time, we headed back inside where there was a choice of tea or coffee, steak or vegetarian pies and a huge plate of cakes which, try as we might, Ian and I could not finish.
After the game, it was back inside where the complimentary bar continued until 6pm after which we headed home, very impressed with the day we had enjoyed.
United legends Maurice Malpas and Hamish McAlpine came over and had a chat about the game, as did players Charlie Mulgrew who was nursing an injury, and Kieran Freeman. They were happy to chat and give us the lowdown on what they thought had gone wrong and their hopes for the future.
The verdict
I cannot lie this was an outstanding day out and, for me, well worth the money.
The welcome, the service and the food were absolutely outstanding and I would recommend a visit as a great way to treat yourself, a loved one or a United fanatic to a great day out.
For me, the food was a real triumph, particularly when you consider that the kitchen is serving so many people in a short space of time.
I must impress just how good the service was. You are made to feel so special all day and it really does add to the occasion.
All that is needed now is for United to get it right on the pitch and they will be in a very good place indeed.
Information
Price: The price per person is dependent on the match category which are rated A-C and ranges from £135 plus VAT to £150 plus VAT.
You can book at: www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/hospitality
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