The Lower Place is the restaurant in the basement (obviously) of the Philharmonic Hall and therefore makes an ideal place to eat before or after performances. That said, it's more or less in the city centre so it's handy for any occasion.
The brightly coloured walls are adorned with bold modern paintings, but here and there you can't help noticing that it's a little shabby in places. A fresh coat of paint wouldn't go amiss.
Tables around the edges of the room are close together so if you want a bit of privacy (and the extra room) ask for a central table.
The food changes on a regular basis but is basically a modern fusion of global tastes and styles. Some traditional favourites have been given a modern twist - I had duck as a main course - the duck came beautifully pink in the centre and with a delicious fresh fruity sauce, with mild oriental flavours, but was accompanied by traditional vegetables. My partner had the "Seafood Plate" which came in a subtle pernod tinged sauce and contained the most succulent scallops as well as chunks of white fish, squid and a good helping of shellfish. The menu usually offers a couple each of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes for mains, and the same type of variety for starters.
The puddings are great but to really finish off your meal, I suggest the cheeseboard. A good mix of local cheese, a nice French soft cheese and a good chunk of blue cheese, served with little slices of speciality breads and crackers.
Service was friendly if a little stilted. At times we seemed to wait ages for minor requests even though the place didn't seem very busy.
This would be a great place to go with a group of people because there's sure to be something to please everyone.