Wykeham Life
Restaurant Reviews
The Willow Tree
14 Durngate Terrace
Winchester
SO23 8QX
01962 877255
www.winchesterwillow.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon – Sun midday until late
Food served: Midday to 3 pm; 6pm to approximately 10pm (but call first to check)
Vegetarian choice: Good
Prices: Starters from £4.95, mains from £9.50, puds £4.95
Children: Yes, if well behaved
Disabled access: Yes
Our verdict: Just what a pub should be, with an excellent choice of food ranging from good ol’ sandwiches and ploughman’s to finer fodder with a creative twist, freshly prepared and pleasantly served: great garden too, serving barbecued food.
“Smart, high-backed chairs, square wooden tables, modern lighting, pictures and books give an air of gravitas. Yes, it’s looking good so far…
“The Willow Tree makes a comfortable place to eat, the dining room still pubby enough with its patterned, swirly red carpet to push away all thought of jmp-on-the-bandwagon gastropubs. s we went back to pay at the bar, I was heartened by the homespun truth on the board: A day without wine is like a day without sunshine. Amen to that.”
La Place and Froggies Bar
9 Great Minster Street
Winchester SO23 9HA
Tel: 01962 864004
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‘The pudding was to die for! I like chocolate as much as the next girl; some days I could even take it or leave it. But the warm chocolate fondant pudding which was cooked to order was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted.’
Opening Hours: Mon to Wed, 11am – 11pm, Thurs to Sat, 11am – midnight, Sun, 11am – 3pm, evening seasonal, call to check.
Vegetarian choice: limited unless you like fish; one starter and one main and both cheese!
Prices: Starters £5-£6; Main courses £11-£18
Children: Welcome
Disabled access: Yes
Our verdict: A great place for a genuine French dining experience and worth a visit if only to try the chocolate fondant.
Reviewed: Issue 71
Published: October
d'Arry's Cart & Horses
London Road
Kings Worthy
Winchester
SO23 7QN
Tel: 01962 882360
www.darryswinchester.co.uk
"The Cart and Horses has become a gastropub; almost the whole space is given over to dining with just a small bar furnished with easy chairs. And with eating clearly high up on the agenda here, the extensive and interesting menu did not come as a surprise."
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun including seperate lunch menu.
Vegetarian Choice: Ok if you eat fish, otherwise limited.
Drinks: All wine from the Australian d'Arenberg vineyard priced between £13-£24.
Prices: Starters £3.45 - £8.45, Mains £8.95-£17.95
Children: Welcomed but not particularly catered for.
Disabled access: Yes.
Reviewed: Issue 70
Published: September.
El Sabio
60 Eastgate Street
Winchester
SO23 8DZ
Tel: 01962 820233 www.elsabio.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 8am to 5 pm, Sat-Mon: 5pm - till late, Tue-Sun: Lunch: 12 noon - 3, Dinner 5 pm till late.
Vegetarian choice: Good, there is plenty to choose from
Prices: tapas £4 to £5; paella approx £10, other mains £8 to £13
Children: Menu is described as being for the whole family but your children would need to have adventurous tastes.
Disabled access: Yes
Reviwed: Issue 69
Published: August
Coffee House
10 High Street
Bishop’s Waltham
Hampshire S032 1AA
Tel: 01489 896990
"This is the place to go for a good cappuccino, homemade cakes or a quick sandwich. If you want to watch the world go by there are tables on the pavement, alternatively there are tables and a sofa inside. Newspapers and magazines encourage you to take your time and there is a box of toys for little ones, as well as a kids’ tuck box on the menu".
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm, Sat 9am to 4pm, Sun 10am to 4pm
Vegetarian choice: Plenty
Children: Welcome
Disabled access: Accessible
Prices: £1.50 – £6.95Reviewed: Issue 68, Wykeham Life
Published: July 18
The Anvil
Symes Corner
Bank Street
Bishop’s Waltham
Tel: 01489 892969
"The Anvil is open from 9am until 5pm every day and covers morning coffee through to lunch through to tea trade, offering all-day breakfasts, sandwiches, omelettes, cakes and pastries. The range of hot lunches looked overly ambitious, spanning Italian pizzas and pasta, English traditionals such as steak and kidney pie, and even Thai curries".
Opening hours: Every day 9am to 5pm
Vegetarian and gluten-free choices: Plenty
Children: Welcome
Disabled access: Accessible
Prices: £1.50 – £7.50
Reviewed: Issue 68, Wykeham Life
Published: July 18
Brasserie Blanc
19-20 Jewry Street Winchester
SO23 8RZ
tel: 01962 810870
OUR VERDICT
Unfortunately we picked a day when the service had broken
down, hostage to the Brasserie’s own success, but our food was
exemplary, cheap as chips for a taster menu that offered enough variety
for most palates – but get there early.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri noon to 2.45pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm; Sat noon to 11pm; Sun noon to 10pm
Vegetarian choice: plenty of unusual dishes to satisfy even the fussiest veggie
Children: not a problem
Disabled access: accessible
Reviewed: Issue 67 Wykeham Life
Published: June 27
Hotel TerraVina
174 Woodlands Road
Woodlands
Netley Marsh
Southampton SO40 7GL
tel: 023 802 3784
You’d struggle to find an eatery more conducive to the enjoyment of wine, writes Jessica Lynch, although the food is a bit more hit and miss. Lovely touches in the restaurant, but the food didn’t fulfil its initial promise, although it was carefully crafted; with a few adjustments and some rounding out of flavours, the kitchen could do more than play second fiddle to the wine list.
Opening hours: Lunch midday to 2pm, dinner 7pm to 9pm
Vegetarian choice: Two starters and one main course available
Children: Welcome
Disabled access: Good
Reviewed: Issue 66 Wykeham Life
Published: June 6
The Bean Below
Twyford Post Office Stores
High Street,
Twyford. SO21 1NH
Tel: 01962 711353 or 01962 712168
Jessica Diplock worried that the Bean Below would find the transition from daytime café to evening restaurant impossible “The Little Room, probably the nicest loo in Hampshire. Not only does it have the best loo in the county, Bean Below also manages to be incredibly friendly and, by the way, produces excellent food"
Opening hours: Coffee shop: 8am – 4pm
Restaurant: 6pm-11pm Tuesday - Saturday
We visited: Wednesday evening.
Vegetarian choice: 3 starters, 2 mains
Prices: starters from £4.90, mains from £9.95.
Children: Welcome. No kids’ menu at dinner.
Service charge: not included
Disabled access: Yes
Reviewed: Issue 65 Wykeham Life
Published: May 08
dim t
8 –9 Jewry street
Winchester,
Hampshire, SO23 8RZ
tel: 01962 843000
Jessica Diplock and her parents sample a taste of the Orient at a recent addition to the city’s thriving restaurant scene. “The prawn dim sum were very pink, translucent and looked like baby mice”
One of a chain, this is the place to eat trademark Asian dishes of a reasonable quality and at a reasonable price in a comfortable and harmonious space.
Opening hours: 12 am to 11 pm seven days a week.
We visited: Wednesday lunchtime
Vegetarian choice: plenty of choice
Prices: starters from £3.10, dim sum from £2.50, mains £6.35 to £8.90, puddings from £2.55.
Children: welcome and in evidence.
Service charge: not included
Disabled access: yes
Reviewed: Issue 64 Wykeham Life
Published: 25 April
Caracoli
15 Broad Street
Alresford
tel: 01962 738730
www.caracoli.co.uk
Jessica Lynch visits an old favourite that has extended its eating hours to include dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. “The gnocchi were bought in but were excellent. The owners combine a commitment to local and New World producers”
Opening hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 12-2.30pm; Sunday brunch 10am-2pm; dinner Friday and Saturday only 7pm
Vegetarian choice: One dish per course
Children: Welcome
Disabled access: Yes
Reviewed: Issue 63 Wykeham Life
Rimjhim
1 City Road
Winchester
Hampshire
tel: 01962 868352
www.rimjhim.co.uk
OUR VERDICT: Nicola Cunningham ventures down to the City Road to see if the sister restaurant to a Colden Common favourite cuts the mustard
“A zigzag of tamarind sauce decorated the dish, which wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Fat Duck at Bray”
Excellent menu with wide range to please all tastes, Western or Indian, with dishes beautifully presented, served by pleasant staff who can smile now and again.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat, lunch 12noon-2.30pm, dinner 5.30-11pm. Sunday, lunch 12 noon-2.30pm, dinner 5.30-10.30pm
Vegetarian choice: Plenty of choice
Disabled access: Good
Reviewed: Issue 62 Wykeham Life
Published: 14 March
Reflections
9 Great Minster Street
Winchester
Hampshire
tel: 01962 864004
www.reflectionsbar-restaurant.com
OUR VERDICT: Whether you want a quick drink, tea and a cake or a full-blown meal, Reflections can do the lot, says Nicola Cunningham, and then there’s the unbeatable views of Winchester Cathedral, too.
“Full of lovely flavours and not over-Mastercheffed”
Covers all aspects of eating out, from wine bar to bistro to restaurant, so great as a meeting place any time of day or night but food can take time to arrive; great views of the cathedral.
Opening hours: Closed all day Mondays (except Bank Holidays); Tue-Fri: 11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm; Sat:10am-11pm; Sun: 10am-5pm
Vegetarian choice: plenty of choice
Children: welcome
Disabled access: yes
Reviewed: Issue 60 Wykeham Life
Published: Feb 1
The Black Rat
88 Chesil Street
Winchester
Hampshire
Tel: 01962 844465
www.theblackrat.co.uk
OUR VERDICT: Having tried for some time to book a table at this Winchester eaterie, converted from an old pub, Nicola Cunningham finally got there, but was it worth the wait?
Excellent menu with interesting combinations informally served in relaxed surroundings, even if you can overhear neighbours’ conversations
Opening hours: dinner Tue to Sun, orders taken 7-9.30pm; lunch Sat & Sun, orders taken midday to 2.30pm
Vegetarian choice: not huge
Children: accepted if well behaved
Disabled access: not easy
Reviewed: Issue 60 Wykeham Life
Published: Feb 1
The Pink Olive
Weyhill Road
Weyhill
Andover
SP11 0PP
Tel: 01264 772356
OUR VERDICT: Lunch at a new Indian restaurant contained a few surprises for Nicola Cunningham. Exciting interior design, delightful service and food that generally delivers great taste at reasonable prices – go at night!
“This was a samosa like what you’ve never seen before”
Opening hours: Mon–Sat midday to 2.30pm, 6pm-11pm; Sundays midday to 11pm
Vegetarian choice: plenty available
Children: welcome
Disabled access: easy
Reviewed: Issue 59 Wykeham Life
Published: January 11
