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.