Challenging sound environments

I'm monitoring a client recording session this afternoon in a very challenging sound environment... A lunch banquet keynote. Rather than struggle with the sound isolation, I've decided to embrace it... It might be an interesting "sound seeing" experience for listeners to hear the klinking cutlery with a full bodied sounding speaker rather than a tinny muffled sound. We shall see what emerges in post-production!

Has anyone else recorded these types of events? Directional mice seem to be a good answer, but I'm interested in hearing other experiences too.