Oh no White Star

Just a recap, no need to put the website up here again, we still use this place for a drink but that really is it for us, it seems to have a very loyal group of drinkers, and gets loud in the evening, I just want to say about the price of the drinks in here seem to have gone up a lot more than the other local places, although the girls that serve us are really friendly and always there with a smile, I have to say the guys that serve us have yet to smile, or even make the effort.

Bellini's

http://www.bellinisitalian.co.uk/home.php

Well I have to say, this really is one of our favorite places not only to eat but also just to pop in and have drink. We have eaten a few things on the menu from here, one that we share often is the antipasti we have ordered it a few times now, and is a good size for two as a starter, the shrimp cocktail was nice but nothing to write home about, the caesar salad was really good, very fresh and home made tasting. all the pastas are home made fresh, and at the price well worth a try, the meat balls are fantastic. i ordered the mussels once the white wine sauce was lovely, but nearly every mussel was gritty and I didnt think cleaned very well, although I ate most of them when I was asked about them i told our server about them she took away what was left and it was taken off our bill, I would order them again, as every thing we have had in here has been very good.

I have ordered the lamb about 4/5 times now, and every time it has been cooked perfect to my order, and the pork belly is wonderful one of the best i have had not to fatty and perfect crackling, the size of the cod when Richard ordered it was huge and well worth the money.

This place is almost like a hidden gem, although just off Oxford street, which is one of the best places to eat in Southampton, it is still finding its feet, and is not to busy, there are some really good offers here at the moment, like 1/2 price lunch of the regular menu, which means if two of you eat a pasta lunch here it is £11 for the two of you, it would cost more to make this food at home, along with the prices at the bar, it really is worth going in to here.

Grand Cafe has it right

http://www.grand-cafe.co.uk/home/

After some of the horrors that "Dockgate 4" served us, we were a bit worried about going in to the newly refurbished Grand cafe, well what can I say just to fact the bar has been moved was a huge improvement, the new seating and tables, we no longer have to sit at stupidly high stools like children we can sit in comfort, the whole restaurant area has a new look and it really is fantastic, although as always I'll find something I don't like, and in this case it's the water glasses that were set out on the dinner tables, i didnt think the blue bottom glasses don't seem to match anything.

On our first visit I had the pork belly crackling with scallops, i have to say tasted fantastic, although a bit more seasoning would have really helped, Richard started with the Hock terrine, which came with home made piccalilli, which was out of this world, sad to say tho, Richards starter came with cling film in it, but the waiter handled it so well, without any fuss, and on the bill his starter was taken off the bill.

As for my main meal, on the first visit I went for the milk feed rack of lamb, which really was cooked to perfection, the only thing I did not like here was the minted gravey, which I guess was my fault, I assumed that it was more a source, I was wrong its just Sunday roast gravy with mint, and i really don't like gravy, I would order this again,but without the gravy Richard went for the steak, blue, and again it was wonderful.

We did pop in one afternoon and ordered off the bistro menu, I have to say this was not a strong part for grand cafe, I had the mussels and a side order of chips the chips were ok but went cold very quickly, the mussels were very small, and had a very fishy smell and taste, I would not order of this menu again.

We have eaten here a few times since it opened, I ordered oysters to start with raspberry vinaigrette, I have to say super, I am well aware that not a lot has to be done with this, but came out looking really good and tasted just wonderful. Also another thing here as with all the bars and restaurants within this group there are some very good deals on.

Oh dear, The White Star, lost its shine?

http://www.whitestartavern.co.uk/home.php

Oh no i think it really has lost it's shine, have been here a few time now, and last night was just disappointing, our starters were ok on the 3 for £10, but as they had come from Uptons could not really say the white star did well with these, the oysters we had were not that good, as there were unprepared for us, and after asking for the shallot vinaigrette and not getting it and had to wait to get the waiter's eye, when it was not even busy, i don't think is very good, i ordered the ham egg and chips, while my partner ordered the burger and chips, both our chips were over cooked, and more like crisps, will still drink here but i think after last meal here that will be it.
I had heard it was going to be used on Ramsay's Best Restaurant, i don't know if this is true or if it even got on to the show, but after our last meal here it really shouldn't got on to the show.

Milan restaurant

http://www.themilanrestaurant.com/

Well we have been here 3 times now, and what a good place it is, the first time we went here with a few friends, altogether there was 5 of us,i started with a pint of Peroni, and some olives at the bar, then sat at the table and ordered the Seared scallops which were cook to perfection, three of us had the Sauteed King Prawns which again were cooked brilliantly and the last guy ordered the Misto pesce to which the waiter asked if it was for just him which it was, and when it came out we realized why he asked as it really is to share, which i have to say we did all share in the end, for main i had the Italian burger, which was on the special board, which came with Gorgonzola cheese which as someone not a fan of cheese i asked for it with out, which was not a problem for them, and i was able to have the burger cooked to order which was very rare, two others went for the Risotto of the day which came with lots of cheese mushrooms and truffles, which was so very creamy, and cooked so well not at all over cooked at all which happens in a lot of places, one of the guys went for the Spaghetti King prawns, again prawns were just right, i think the only bad comment here was the it could have come with a bit more chilli, the last guy had spaghetti meat balls which to be honest if they couldn't do this Italian staple then again there really is something wrong, after all our food we had a really good, espresso, and one of my favorites a nice shot of limoncello which was given to us for free.

The second time we went there was just the two of us for lunch, we started with the Misto pesce, after trying it the first time we couldn't resist, and again it was really good, for my main i went for the Calzone, which was huge, and so good, but i have to be honest, we were slightly hungover, so i couldn't manage the whole thing but the waitress was really good and offered to box it up for me to take home which i did, it really helped with the hangover later in the day, Richard had the spaghetti and sausage which was really nice and i have to say as always happens i had food envy, again we had the coffee, and limoncello, in fact we had 2 and again we were given them free,

The 3rd time we went here for for an evening meal last night, and both the waiters and waitresses remembered us, which was nice as we were given a very warm welcome, while we were there they had a 30th birthday party in, when i saw them all come in i did think it was going to be very annoying but i have to say, the restaurant is large enough that they were not really an issue, again we shared the Misto pesce this time there was no scallops so in there place we were offer mussels, whitebait and clams, how could we say no to that, all was fantastic, but i do think the squid should have a bit more flavor in the batter. After that we both went on to have the steak Diane, which was on the special board, we had our sauce on the side, as we both ordered our steak blue, and oh my god, was it good, i think it is now my favorite place to have a steak, again we went for our coffees, but this time i had a decaf espresso, which the waitress brought over i must say it looked a bit watery and with in minuets the waiter came over with a replacement without me asking which was good, again we ordered a limoncello which we paid for this time which we thought was a shame, but then the waiter came over with another one on him, we then ordered a bottle of wine, and sat at the bar, now i have to say we went on a Wednesday, and i have to say that there is a very busy bar next door, with which the restaurant shears the toilets, which i have to say is not something i enjoyed as by 10 pm i went to the loo, and the floor was covered with pee, from the guys in the bar, so a really, really good place to eat both for lunch and dinner, but i think for dinner i would get there early, so when the bar gets busy you don;t have to share the loo's .

Dock o' The Bay

http://www.dockothebay.co.uk/home

Now this is one of our many local places to visit, and we use it a lot, we are always made to feel very welcome, and have come to know the staff well, it has a good selection of larger and small but good wine selection.

Nearly every time we eat her, Richard love the red snapper, which isn't on a lot of menus in southampton, and i have to say i have yet to see him leave any, my main is a mix between, the steak which as you may have guessed i had blue, and again peppercorn sauce on the side, just fo pip my chips in to, and the mussels, and my god they are good the only thing is i always want more.

when you go here i just hope you are lucky enough to have Matt behind the bar, he really knows his stuff when it comes to making cocktails, not only the classics but can also make up a good one while your at the bar.

in the summer last,(2009) they offered to do bbqs on sundays weather permitting, and i really enjoyed this, as i was able to sit out on the deck in the sun someone doing my bbq with a cool pint or G+T many a Sunday could be spent on here, and for those of you that feel you need to work up your appetite be for you eat Southampton common is just up the road so on good days it really is a good way to spend the day.

Oxfords

http://www.oxfordsrestaurant.com/

This is one of a few restaurants that i went to and the first time and hated it, on this occasion, i ordered, the "Best 8oz aged fillet stake" and as always i went for blue, and well i have never seen a blue stake cooked so much, and at £22 i felt totally ripped off, and swore that i would never so back, well.

i felt that i owed Richard to go back as he had had a similar experience at the Oxford Brasserie and as i liked it there so much he agreed to go back with me, which we now both love, so i had to offer to do the same.

Now on the next visit i thought i would not order something to hard for them to do and go from there, to start with i went for the mussels and they were delicious something i have always enjoyed, the for my main i had the Oxfords prime hamburger, at which point i had Richard taking the piss out of me for ordering something so normal, out of all that they had to offer at which point the waitress joined in, in a very friendly way, i asked if i could have my burger cooked as rare as possible, and unlike The white star they were happy to do so, and yes i have to say it was good.

So, after that experience i was happy to go back, to start with i went for the seared scallops, and they were cooked perfictaiy the cauliflower puree was not to over powering, as it wouldn't be something i would not normally eat, and then the mussels again, the order was good, as always a smooth sauce and plenty of mussels.

On both occasions we had a bottle of the Prosecco, which i have to say is a really a good wine to drink, at just over £20 it really is a bargain, we have been in here just to have a bottle of it many times since, on our way to other places and after eating in other places. We also had a bottle of the Gavi di Gavi, again at both times, and again , a very good smooth wine almost water like.

The only think i dislike about this restaurant is that it can feel cold in here, when not busy it is a large, high room, and can sometimes be full of 'locals' which can be off putting when walking in, but the service and food here really is one to try.