Engine Room needs to get up to speed, but service is great

Sophie Fagone Buscimese was left wanting more when she tried out The Engine Room, one of Derby's newest eateries, found behind the bus station in the city centre

- 

Sticky toffee pudding was disappointing Mac-and-cheese balls helped to fill hunger pangs before the main courses The Engine Room honours Derby's railway heritage

ONE of the newest additions to Derby's food scene promises "social, relaxed and upscale casual dining in an urban-style venue".

That all sounded quite fancy, and that was also the impression I was under when stepping into The Engine Room, which recently opened on Riverlights, just behind the bus station in the Morledge.

It is owned by Starboard Hotels, which launched the restaurant as phase one of its investment, which will also see the Holiday Inn expanded and rebranded as "voco Derby Riverlights".

The place honours Derby's railway heritage, and we were greeted with warmth and chatter.

The waiters were all welcoming, and we started off by grabbing a cocktail each - a Watermelon mojito for me (£9.95) and an old-fashioned (£10.50) for my partner, which arrived quickly and made for a great start to the evening.