This restaurant features in our Discount Directory, where you can also find many other exclusive cardholder offers. If you don't have a LWL Discount Card, click here to find out more - and start saving! It’s exciting times for local company www.idealcollection.co.uk; they have recently opened 2 new venues. The White Horse in Otterbourne & this one in Winchester, No5 Bridge St. Our expectations were high as we are fans of their other venues The Bugle in Hamble, The White Star and Cantina Mexican, both in Southampton (& all 3 are in our Discount Directory). We were not disappointed. Obviously the first thing you notice on arrival is the décor; you enter to a very stylish bar area painted in lovely sludgy colours and with lots of exposed timber and substantial wooden tables. This theme carries on through to the restaurant with an open kitchen. We were sat right next to the kitchen; we love being able to see where all the action is. All the staff including James the manager were charming and helpful but we were very impressed when Chef Joe came from the kitchen to explain how he had cooked his 2 specials of the day. No wonder he has a passion for fish, he’s ex Rick Stein! The menu has lots of unusual items (check it out on their website) including several “Small Plates” and Charcuterie. They will satisfy anyone who enjoys the concept of grazing and sharing with a glass of wine or a coffee. There are also sandwiches, soups and salads for a lighter choice; we of course were going for the works! Our choices from the Small Plates selection, Rabbit Wellington grain mustard foam, Scallops cauliflower purée black pudding, Beetroot Carpaccio, Rosary goat’s cheese walnuts and as a half portion, one of Joe’s specials, Cornish Mussels, black bean, ginger, garlic, spring onions, coriander.The Braughton Buffalo Burger-Mozzarella, No5 Chips was the first mains choice, then Wild Mushroom Ragu soft saffron polenta sage butter and Beetroot Tarte Tatin, purple sprouting broccoli, aubergine & tarator. Have to say I am loving this fashion for beetroot, it seems to be on every menu and no, we didn’t know what tarator was either, we had to ask! It’s Bulgarian and is very similar to Greek tzatziki. The last choice was the other special of the day Lymington Day Boat Fish, hake with champ mash soy butter sauce. All the dishes were delicious, with original combinations of ingredients and flavours and well presented. We were all very satisfied but still managed to find space for a pudding tasting. Chocolate Tart, banana ice cream, sea salted caramel, the most delicious Apple & Hazelnut Crumble with cider brandy custard, Pannacotta, pear sorbet, cider hot toddy and Espresso Chocolate Pot with New Forest biscotti. We drank a bottle of Picpoil de Pinet, La Cote Flamenc £21 and finished with coffees. Before we left Richard the general manager proudly showed us some of the gorgeous boutique bedrooms, very inviting for a stay in Winchester and I almost forgot to mention that they have a large terrace. It will be wonderful for al fresco eating and there is also a private dining/meeting room that will seat 20. Considering they have only been open since December 2nd they were very busy, the clever folks of Winchester must be spreading the word and we’d like to do so as well… we highly recommend No 5! Cost ££££££ Please help to spread the word by telling any restaurants you visit that you tried them because you were recommended by LWL in Hampshire... Thank you! |
LWL Gold Award - Awarded December 2011 - Cost ££££££
