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Jackson and Sarah visit the Fox & Hounds

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This favoured thatched pub seats approximately 140 people, and caters for over 500 in the summer months when the extensive garden, with areas for the children to let off steam, get busy. The staff are friendly, and the chefs have an excellent reputation for producing fantastic food.

I visited the Fox & Hounds with Sarah one Monday lunchtime. The weather wasn’t in our favour – otherwise we would have chosen to sit outside in one of the well presented al fresco areas, instead we sat in the bar, which was quite busy.

Newly appointed manager, Paula Hewitt celebrates 20 years in the industry in July. Previously the manager of a restaurant in Cheltenham, she had wanted to manage the Fox & Hounds having visited and fallen in love with it some years ago.

“This has to be one of the most beautiful and pleasant pubs I’ve come across in a long time.” Paula enthused. “I’ve always dreamt about managing such a well respected and locally adored establishment, and now that I have that chance, I can’t wait to see the results in the New Year.”

The Fox & Hounds has a large menu, offering everything you’d expect to see on a decent pub’s menu. It has a good selection of steaks, including sirloin, rump and fillet – with an added choice of surf ‘n’ turf, or topped. Other classics include breaded wholetail scampi, grilled sea bass fillets, and chicken tikka masala.

For starters, I chose fishcakes. They were very different from those you’d buy from your local chippy, and consisted of a prawn biryani in pakora batter with minted yoghurt, Thai haddock in a pico crumb with red pepper and chilli sauce, and Mexican salmon in a nacho crumb with smokey tomato chutney. All were presented beautifully and tasted as good as they looked, if not better.

Sarah chose the classic prawn cocktail. Plenty of plump prawns served on a bed of lettuce with a fresh and juicy sauce, and brown poppy-seeded bread with butter. Comments from across the table included, “Very nice” and “Extremely filling.” A big thumbs up for our first dishes.

For her main, Sarah decided to order something I’d never seen or heard of before. It was a lentil shepherd’s pie with black eyed beans, swede and carrot, topped with cauliflower mash, served with seasonal vegetables, rustic bread and gravy. Quite the perfect dish for vegetarians as the gravy was vegetable based, rich in colour and tasty.

Mine arrived soon after. Ten points for those of you who can guess what I ordered! That’s right, how could I resist? I went for a beautiful 7oz topped fillet steak, with ‘Tickler’ Devon cheddar, grilled bacon and a smokey tomato chutney, served with chips, petit pois, watercress, mushroom and plum tomato. Overall, a good looking and satisfying dish, but when I ask for a rare steak, the vampire in me can be disappointed when it arrives medium rare. It was almost perfect, but had I complained, head chef Claude would have replaced it without question.

After all this delicious food, my waistline was trying to escape to freedom, so I didn’t have room for dessert. Instead, a latte concluded my lunch at the Fox & Hounds. Sarah, on the other hand, enjoyed a scruptious banoffee tart served with clotted icecream, toffee sauce and sliced banana. Had we not been dining out, she would have licked the plate. Thank goodness manners prevailed, and I did hear her say, “One of the best banoffee cakes I’ve tasted in a long time.”

We weren’t the only ones who enjoyed our meals. First timers Michael and Christine Bailey from Hedgend near Southampton decided to visit the Fox & Hounds. Christine said, “We had an excellent meal and will definitely be coming back.”

Our hostess Paula, who is worried about the knock-on effect of the roadworks and closure of Canford Bottom Roundabout, added, “I thought that the road works at Canford Bottom Roundabout would be a major problem for business, but footfall has been good, and we’ve had great feedback about our recent refurbishment.

“We would just like to remind people that we’re still here, and that business will stay open as usual during the scheduled 6-week road closures at Canford Bottom and surrounding roads. In fact, we will have a board on display showing all the up-to-date road closures and the best ways to avoid them – so don’t give us a wide berth, come in and take advantage of our deals and daily offers – we’re well worth the trip.”

© mags4dorset 2012

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Al Trullo – Cibo Fantastico!

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

By Kris Davy, with Janine Pulford

I hadn’t heard of Al Trullo before, but after sampling the cuisine, it’s going to be impossible to forget.

According to its owners, Ben and Emily Dragusha, the High Street restaurant takes its name from the distinctive cone shaped stone roofs unique to a town in southern Italy called Alberobella. There are photographs and paintings of the houses around the restaurant, bringing a little part of Italy into the heart of the dining area.

Ben and Emily have owned Al Trullo for seven years and the 42-seater trattoria style premises are the perfect place to visit if you’re after a freshly prepared Italian meal.

We were warmly greeted by Emily, who works in the front of house. Ben also came to say hello, and stayed to chat with Janine and I for a while. Originally from Kosovo, Ben has been a chef for 13 years and explained that almost everything cooked at Al Trullo is made fresh every day - including the bread, pizza dough and the pasta. The meat is provided by Billy Andrews in Verwood and the fish is purchased fresh from local suppliers.

We were served delicious complimentary freshly baked bread, olives and balsamic dressing whilst we looked at the menu, which offered an excellent variety of dishes.

For me - the starter had to be the Cozze Marinara (mussels), which came in an onion, garlic and white wine sauce, with cream and tomato, served with fresh rocket and a slice of lemon – and what a dish it was. The mussels were a decent size, and the dish looked and tasted exquisite. A drizzle of lemon juice on top enhanced the flavours, and I was thoroughly impressed with the presentation and the taste.

For Janine – it was the home-made fish/shellfish soup from the specials board. This too looked stunning, and released wonderful aromas. It was served with fresh rocket and a slice of lemon, which when removed revealed a king prawn with shell on, generous pieces of squid, prawns, mussels in shells and a queen scallop. Janine said, “It’s a meal in itself and quite possibly the best soup I have ever had in my life – what a fusion of flavours.”

We savoured the starters. The fact that Ben cooks from the heart was already apparent and it became even more so when the mains arrived.

Tagliatelle Gambereti was my choice and it consisted of king prawns, chilli, onion, garlic, tomato and basil sauce – wow! Fantastico! The flavours were rich and I could taste every ingredient – it was Italian food at its very best.

Janine narrowed her choices down, but in the end she couldn’t decide between the Risotto di Mare (with mixed seafood including shellfish, and tomato and basil sauce) and Fusilli Arabiata (with chilli, garlic, onion, olives, sun dried tomato and basil sauce). Emily kindly offered to serve two smaller portions: one of each. Problem solved – or so we thought until the two plates arrived. Janine was astonished to receive two main portions with an apology from Ben that he couldn’t provide less. The flavours were immense. The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked. Generous amounts of sun dried tomatoes were used and the risotto, in Janine’s opinion was, “Unforgettable.”

Ben also insisted that we tried a glass of chilled Colle Vento (Pinot Grigio). It complemented the food beautifully, cleansing the palette with its crisp flavour. He certainly knows his wines and it is well worth asking for a recommendation if you are undecided.

To say Ben is passionate about food is an understatement. He has a gift that he loves sharing with those who eat in his restaurant and his priority, he says, is to keep all his customers happy. He is also versatile, and will cook anything for you and it doesn’t necessarily have to be Italian. He says, “If you see a meal you like the look of, whether it’s from the television, a recipe book, or something you’ve heard of, just tell me the ingredients, and I will cook it for you – I’m always up for a challenge.”

Al Trullo introduced happy hour seven years ago, which has proved very popular. It’s an early bird deal which runs every evening between 5.30pm-6.30pm where anything on the pizza or pasta section of the menu is just £6. This same offer also applies at lunchtime. “We have had people come in every week for seven years because they love our food so much. This makes us very proud,” says Ben.

A 3-course Extravaganza Evening runs every Wednesday with a set price of £13.95 or £19.95, depending on the choice of main course.

My first visit to Al Trullo was a truly gastronomic experience and will certainly stay in my mind for a very long time and Janine is already set to take her mother, who is part Italian, there for lunch.

What more can I say? Well done Al Trullo - ten out of ten!

© mags4dorset 2011

Traditional pub excellent value

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Steeped in history, the Old Thatch on Wimborne Road West in Ferndown has always been a popular place for an afternoon beverage, a traditional meal out, business meetings and parties. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s in the perfect location.

But during the recession, the Thatch, like many other outlets, saw a decline in the number of customers, and got lost along the way. But it’s now finding its identity again and it’s all thanks to the new owners, Mark and Helen Lindsell. 

Previously, the couple have excelled in the leisure/entertainment industry, so they know which ingredients are needed to create the perfect atmosphere. With big plans in the pipeline, it’s not a matter of if, but when the work will be completed – and it’s coming along nicely.

On the inside, redecoration is taking place to soften the décor and give the pub a cosy, welcoming feel. The ladies’ restrooms have recently been refurbished and work will soon start on the gents’ restroom. The exterior of this charming pub has also been opened up to make it more visible from the road and create a friendly feel all round.

Plans also include a newly thatched roof and exterior lighting to the front of the pub and in the large car park. These will be taking place this autumn. Refurbishment of the garden is also going ahead which will make this a perfect place to spend your sunny days and warmer evenings.

Sarah and I were recently invited to the Old Thatch to meet the new owners and sample the food - and we were pleasantly surprised with what we saw.

Mark and Helen greeted us in the bar area and then showed us around the pub, which seats around 120 people. There are some fascinating stories about the Old Thatch which date as far back as the early 1700s and include a friendly ghost called Mary, and a fabulous carved door rescued from the Uddens Mansion, which must be seen to be appreciated.

There’s a good menu as well as a specials board, which changes weekly, and a comprehensive wine list. To begin with, I was easily persuaded by potato skins filled with cheddar cheese, bacon and cream (with a vegetarian option available). It was delicious and rather than melted cheese, the chef went the extra mile to make a flavoursome cheese sauce. 

Sarah decided to go for the caesar salad which consisted of cos lettuce, caesar dressing, croutons and bacon, topped with shaved Italian cheese. This too looked very appealing, and she opted for anchovies rather than chicken. Her comments were very positive and included, “Lovely tangy sauce, crunchy croutons, and salty anchovies – an out of the ordinary mixture.”

After a short wait in the sunshine, our lovely waitress, Emily, presented us with our main meals. For me, it was a chance to re-visit memory lane and I chose something I hadn’t had in around ten years – cottage pie, served with peas and chips or new potatoes. Helen wasn’t joking when she said they were large portions and I could hardly believe my eyes when this mammoth plate of food arrived. I’ve been known to eat rather large portions in the past so I couldn’t see this being a problem. But traditional home-cooked food is surprisingly filling. The cottage pie was well presented and tasted scrumptious; the chips - although a little overdone for me, complemented the pie nicely.

Sarah chose one of the dishes that came off of the specials board, which was spicy fishballs on a bed of egg noodles with a fiery sauce. The fish balls were nicely spiced and although they looked like dumplings, they were actually very light in texture.

Both meals were homely and the portions large – so expect traditional, full flavoured pub grub, prepared and cooked on the premises, just how it should be. Fresh produce is sourced locally and dishes cooked to order by Said, Mark and Ben, the team of chefs who each major in creating their own specials.

The generous portions at the Old Thatch defeated us in the end, and there was no room for dessert or even a cup of coffee. 

The Old Thatch is excellent value for money, particularly with deals like ‘Any main course for £6.95; add a starter or dessert for just £2; or enjoy 2 main meals for £10’. Whether a party booking, a business meeting or friends catching up over a meal, the Old Thatch has a calm atmosphere and is large enough to offer privacy and cosy corners.  In the winter there is an open fire making it a warm retreat on a cold winters night. Christmas menus are now available – so pop in and pick up your copy.

Dogs are welcome - a jar of dog biscuits is kept on the bar and bowls of water are always available. Family dining is welcomed and Milo, the pub dog, is a great hit with gentle children.

Also, at approximately 9.30pm weekly, regular acts to take you through the festive season will perform at the Old Thatch, so if you’re looking for an enjoyable evening look no further.

© mags4dorset 2011

Tantalise your senses at Tiien

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Situated in an enviable West Cliff location in Bournemouth, Tiien forms part of the Marriot Hotel building and seats ninety diners. Added to which there is alfresco dining on the sunny patio in the good weather.

Tiien (meaning candle) not only captures the flavours of the Orient, but offers a cultural experience too. Natural materials and furnishings from Thailand are evident throughout, from the sumptuous reception area to the sweeping bar and lounge, party rooms and open plan dining area. The staff are friendly and attentive and further enhance the ambience with their authentic dress.

When Tiien was opened six months’ ago, it was blessed by Pra Arejarn Utai, a Bhuddist monk from Thailand, whose blessing promised to bring luck to the restaurant and its diners.

Already, Tiien has made a name for itself and the bookings are flowing in. It is the third of Medi Vahdati’s successful establishments, the others being the nearby Indian Ocean and the Indian Lounge.

Although Indian, it is Medi’s passion and love of Thai food that is the inspiration behind the new venture. Along with his Thai partner, Noy, they have created a polished restaurant.

On arrival we were greeted warmly by Medi and may and shown to our table.

We needed time to study the menu and absorb the variety of dishes and did this whilst enjoying our drinks: Chang - Thai beer, a lemonade, and pineapple juice. There was also Kingfisher beer on tap, which is worth knowing. After some deliberation, we were ready to order and with one of our party having recently returned from a trip to Thailand, we felt we’d made informed choices.

Tord Man Khao Phod – deep fried sweet corn cake served with cucumber salsa; Satay Gai – skewers of tender barbecue chicken served with peanut sauce; Tord Man Pla – Thai fish cake with spice and cucumber salsa.

Succulent satays with meltingly gorgeous peanut sauce were praised by Louis. The Thai fish cakes provoked, “Exactly as I remembered them. A very fragrant flavour,” from Ben our intrepid explorer. But it was the corn cakes that received the highest accolade. Once I’d let it slip that they were, “Amazing,” I watched bemused as they were surreptitiously removed from my plate by Ben and Louis who not only had a taste, but came back for more.

The main courses followed: Gaeng Massaman – authentic ground peanut curry with potatoes and onions flavoured with tamarind juice; Phad Priew Wan – stir-fried pineapples, tomatoes, cucumber and mixed peppers in sweet and sour sauce; and one from the specials menu Gaeng Ped – red duck curry. Accompaniments were steamed Thai jasmine rice, steamed coconut rice and sticky rice.

My peanut curry with vegetables and tofu imparted its flavours exquisitely and blended well with the coconut rice. The stir fry was much enjoyed by Louis, especially with sticky rice, which soaked up the sauce, “To make a pleasant taste and texture,” he said and the red duck curry provoked: “This is lovely. Words cannot describe what was going on in my mouth, especially at the end,” from Ben. It seems the red curry, which gets its name from the red chillies that are ground into it, got hotter the deeper into the dish Ben went.

When we’d finished, hot towels arrived – a nice touch after a satisfying meal.

The food is no more expensive than dining out in an Indian restaurant, but the dishes have a fresh, fragrant and exciting taste.

Could Thai be the new Indian? We wondered. Perhaps after you have visited Tiien, you could be the judge of that.

With party bookings welcome and a Christmas menu available, call Tien now on 01202 299412 or book online at www.tiienthairestaurant.co.uk

By Janine Pulford © 2011

Venice

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Walking into Venice was like coming home. You see I am part Italian and this busy restaurant reminded me of the trattorias in Italy. The friendly welcome, the lively buzz, the unfussy menus and the large open kitchen full of delightful aromas. Efficient air con does remove those from restaurants these days, but in Verwood’s Venice you can see the chefs Gramoz and Titi at work skilfully using fresh herbs and organic ingredients to produce the best Italian food in town.

We got there early as we’d heard the restaurant gets busy. At least thirty people were eating and it was hard to tear our eyes off the pizzas that came from the kitchen one after another. They looked stunning.

Owned by Turi, the restaurant, which seats around seventy people, has a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for casual or party dining.

Turi said, “All the meat and vegetables are organic and fresh. We offer a varied menu and a specials board.”

A quick count revealed 17 starters and over 40 mains on the menu with three dishes on the specials board.

My graphic design director, Ben and I were invited to eat. I indulged in Insalada Caprese – sliced tomato and mozzarella salad, to start. Each flavour was delicate and separate. The freshness was unparalleled and I felt the organic nature of the food must have been the reason for this. The tomato was wildly fruity and luscious and the fresh basil leaves were joyful to see as well as eat. The house wine, a red Sicilian Gaio was full bodied with a slight tang and it seemed to have been warmed, which was a nice touch. It complemented the food beautifully.

Ben meanwhile ate his way through Bruschetta – toasted bread with finely chopped fresh tomatoes and basil. It was a huge plateful, “Simple but effective,” he said, and we swapped a bit here and there in between our praise for the starters. He refreshed himself with a bottle of Peroni (Italian lager).

For a main course, I chose Fussili Arabiata – with chilli, garlic, onion, olives, sun dried tomato and basil sauce. Again, the wine paid tribute to the food. Ben went ‘a la carte’ and asked for Anatra – a pan fried breast of duck, but it was sold out. This does happen occasionally as the food is ordered fresh every day and Turi apologised adding, “When it is gone, it is gone.” There are no back up frozen portions, hence the beautiful flavours. Instead Ben chose Pollo Diavolo – chicken breast with onions, peppers, chillies and tomato basil sauce. The wait wasn’t long and we couldn’t fault the food. The sun dried tomatoes in my pasta were gorgeous. It was packed with flavours and utterly delicious. We still eyed the pizzas enviously, but our choices were perfect for us on the night.

For dessert? Amaretto Crème Brulee – beautiful and creamy, and a traditional Tiramisu with homemade ice-cream and drizzled with a chocolate sauce. This dessert was light and could have flown away. Gorgeous.

The atmosphere was bubbly and the waiters were helpful and happy.

Word soon gets round when a restaurant as good as this one opens, so you must book on Friday and Saturday nights, otherwise take your chance, but definitely put it at the top of your list to visit if you enjoy good Italian food. To book call 01202 814158.

And don’t take it from me. On the night, Sue and Carl from Woodlands were among the diners. “We have really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere,” they enthused. They said they would be back and Ben and I will be too, for one of those fabulous pizzas. Ciao!

By Janine Pulford © 2011

Jackson and Sarah relax, unwind and enjoy - The Fish Inn.....

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Setting
Situated on the edge of Ringwood is the ‘Jewel of the Avon’ - the Fish Inn. This traditional thatched pub has a reputation for delicious home-cooked food. It has a sunny garden that adjoins the River Avon, which provides a pleasant backdrop for a relaxing time with family and friends.

Tasteful refurbishment
The Fish Inn has just undergone a major refurbishment.
Sarah and I were invited to check out the ‘new look’ and sample the food. On entering the inn, we were struck with the warmth and friendliness of the staff and the surroundings.
The newly decorated interior has lifted the pub and combines a traditional atmosphere with a contemporary image.
The cream and beige colour scheme works well with exposed beams and a mixture of wooden floors and carpeted areas. There have been a few internal changes, which have opened up areas for socialising as well as providing more seating. Manager and head chef Mike Nash said he was really pleased with the look.
Some of the main differences from the old ‘Fish’ are the huge mirrors that give a terrific feeling of space, the increased number of comfortable sofas near the fire and the bar stools and tables in the ‘little’ room.

Scrumptious starters
After talking to Mike, who is a perfect host, we studied the extensive menu. We were spoilt for choice and wavered from one thing to another before finally deciding.
To start with I ordered Brie Wedges with Cranberry Sauce and Sarah went for Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Filo Parcels from the specials board.
I’d never had deep-fried Brie before. It was deliciously soft and the breadcrumbs were light and crunchy - one of the most ‘more-ish’ starters I’ve ever eaten. On the other side of the table, Sarah gave the filo parcels a big thumbs up and we did a wedge and parcel exchange. When the salmon hit my taste buds, I had to agree with Sarah that her starter was melt-in-the-mouth-a-licious.

Mouthwatering mains and bistro portions
When the mains arrived, you should have seen the smile on my face.
I wanted to try something different and had ordered fishcakes. Described on the menu as ‘slightly spicy oriental style prawn fishcakes,’ served with fresh vegetables, chips, spring onion, sweet chilli sauce and a wedge of lemon – and it did exactly what it said on the label! They tasted like authentic Eastern cuisine and I thoroughly enjoyed them.
Sarah went for the Three Bean Chilli served with rice, tortilla chips and garlic bread.
Something else new at The Fish is a smaller, bistro portion. If you’re not feeling as hungry as your companion, (ie me!) there is a smaller option on most main meals. Sarah chose the bistro size, which was ample for her. She found the chilli very hot, which she liked, and an observant staff member brought her a glass of water.

Sweet sensations
It was a shame, but neither of us had space for a sweet. With choices including Bread & Butter Pudding, Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake and New York Cheesecake, we would have loved to indulge, but had to draw the line somewhere.

Custom from far and wide
After the meal we spoke to Joy Willett from West End and her mother, Julia Ledger from Southampton. They were visiting the Fish Inn for the first time and both enthused over their light bites (whitebait, and scrambled egg with bacon) and said they would definitely be visiting again.

Impressed
Sarah and I were impressed with the food and hospitality we received. The Fish Inn is child friendly and has disabled facilities including a new disabled access to the back door.

Real ales and fresh coffee
The bar provides some very popular ales such as HSB and St Austell Tribute, and of course the traditional Ringwood Ales: Fortyniner and Best Bitter. And there is also fresh bean to cup coffee.

Functions and dietary requirements – no problem
With seating for around a hundred diners, functions can be accommodated and the kitchen caters for vegetarians and people with coeliac dietary requirements.

Whether you’re wanting a sociable drink, or a sit down meal in warm, comfortable and friendly surroundings, you can’t go wrong by visiting the Fish Inn. It is popular, so be prepared for a busy atmosphere, especially at weekends.

Visit www.thefishinn.net for information about the pub, where you can also see menu, wine list and directions on how to get there.

© mags4dorset 2011