CC Blooms, besides its main function as a host of scene club nights, is practically next door to the Playhouse and therefore ideally situated to serve a pre-show dinner menu to musical theatre enthusiasts. I'm aware that later in the evening it becomes an altogether different affair but since it also puts itself out there offering a pre-show dinner option we went for it. At \u00a38 for two courses, how could we refuse?\n\nAfter I'd surprised my brother by waving a ticket to the Lion King in his face - thereby placing myself strongly in the running for the Sister Of The Year award - we decided to hop along there early and toast my award nomination with dinner. And, friends, it grieves me to report a slight fault in the proceedings...\n\nThe seriously cheap dinner deal offered on the blackboard outside was what had tempted us in, and the carrot and coriander soup starter was, admittedly, decent enough, served in a sweet little pot with nice bread on the side. However, it all fell apart when the mains arrived. I had spinach and ricotta ravioli, which normally gets me very excited  - but alas, I found that it was little different from something I could have bought from Tesco and blasted to temperature in my own miniature domestic radiation chamber. The waiter appeared little more energised by the whole process than the poor old pasta did and I can't blame him as the place was almost completely dead. Those of you who read my reviews frequently will know to fling your hands up in dramatic sympathy when I say this: we didn't stick around for dessert. *sigh* Yes, that Sister award might be slipping through my fingers...\n\nI'm sure this place is mighty fine at its primary objective, but they've got a nice place and a great location and so they could be doing a lot more to make the most of opportunities earlier in the evening.\n\nClosing irrelevant-yet-interesting fact: it's named for Bette Midler's character in Beaches, Cecilia Carol Bloom. Did you ever know..?