Bournemouth, Christchurch - that bit of the coast

[Sarah74]

I've recently started seeing a nice chap who lives in Bournemouth and we want to try and have a summer of eating! A shared passion really.

I did a search on here but the threads were fairly old so I was wondering whether anyone had any up-to-date thoughts?

I would like to try Pebble Beach at Barton-on-Sea for the seafood and I know that the Ship in Distress at Mudeford is rated by a few.

Thanks in advance oh wise ones.

Sarah

[beandork]

The Ship in Distress is good for seafood, definitely recommend it.

A short drive to Lymington will take you to the Stanwell Hotel, which has interesting food for very good prices plus a nice location. There is a fixed menu for sunday lunch which usually has some interesting choices and three courses for 17-19 quid. I've had stuff like baked mushrooms stuffed with ham mousse there, roast beef with enoki mushrooms, smoked duck...good stuff.

There's a place in Bournemouth Gardens, name is 'Beurre -'something. Good food, interesting menu, reasonable prices, can get busy.

There's a seafood restaurant on the beachfront to the right of Bournemouth Pier which does good seafood, although it's a little pricey. Sorry, I'm a bit rubbish with the names! - at least there's barely any restaurants down where this one is.

Isabella's in Parkstone is good, can cost a little but does pleasant french based cooking and has gorgeous little booths.

I don't recommend Jimmy's for the food but they do a dish which is sheer decadence - foie gras and chateubriand. It's served with potatoes sauteed in the leftover fat from the foie. If your hearts are up for it, drop the £30 for two and hook in. It is by far the most go-for-broke dish in Bournemouth.

[ravelda]

The Haven hotel in Sandbanks has recently had a refurb and was, the alast time I was there, serving out some good food, not fantastic, but ok mind you. Similar thing at Oscar's at the Royal Bath hotel. Cafe Shore in Sandbanks has also recently recruited a new chef so may be worth a visit - beatiful setting if nothing else. Ocean Palace was fantastic for chinese last time I went (about 6 years ago now). Amalfi is a lovely Italian Tratoria - nothing fancy but extremly well executed Italian food at incredibly reasonable prices - good wine list too! Amalfi is in the Wessex Hotel. Finally, very good fish and chips from Chez Fred, probably the best I have ever eaten.

[Sarah74]

Great - lots of options. Thanks so much.

[Sarah74]

Hi - just an update to say we tried the Ship in Distress at Mudeford but were really disappointed and wondered whether anyone had any thoughts?

The fish was good - I had monkfish and scallops which was really well cooked, sweet and just enough food to keep me happy. He had brill fillets with chinese vegetables (and samphire) and a green salad which again was really good.

The problem was the atmosphere, ambience, feel etc etc. It was like eating in an old people's home. Terrible canned music, terrible pink and cream decor, old fashioned (and not in a good way) service. We were really rushed through as well - arrived at 8pm out by 9pm!!!

We weren't drinking (school night and all that....) and the bill for two mains and two puddings (again - lovely) was £50 + £5 which isn't bad.

On a Tuesday night the place was half full with older couples and a family which I'm sure speaks volumes for the food. It is just such a shame that I felt like I was in a canteen. We won't be going back.

[malcolmwilliamson]

I was impressed by my simple two course lunch on Monday at this fish restaurant http://www.stormfish.co.uk/ in Poole. Very relaxed, friendly but efficient service.

The menu changes daily according to the catch by the co-owner and his mates.

The room is rustic with exposed brick walls, chunky old-school desk like wooden tables without cloths and with paper napkins.

Another positive sign was an almost full restaurant .

Most seemed to be going, along with me, for the steamed mussels starter and baked cod rarebit on cabbage leaves and mash main as a £10 for two courses restricted selection from the menu.

[Tim Hayward]

I don't suppose I ever expect much in the way of food awareness when I go back to my hometown and thus am seldom disappointed.

This trip was special though. I can now heartily recommend Cafe Riva at the top of the 'Undercliffe Lift'. (Yes, the supernumerary 'e' is intentional. It's such refained touches that elevate Bournemouth above Blackpool and Filey).

This splendid venue, with a view over the Solent, has recently passed from the Municipal Authorities into the hands of entrepreneurs and still boasts a crazy golf course plus a nine hole pitch-and-putt green. Sadly it has yet to manage in-house lavatories and survives on the adjoining Municipal facilities.

As with any truly exciting new restaurant though, flash premises are of far less importance than an innovative menu - and the Cafe Riva has innovation to spare.

The 'Tapas Menu' (pronounced, disconcertingly, by our waitress as 'tap-arse') kicks off with 'Polish-style Pierogy' (all spellings and punctuation proprietor's own) and continues with a selection of 'Bento boxes (please do NOT take boxes home with you)'.

Best of all the bento boxes are offered in a variety of flavours including meat, fish or cheese.

I don't know where you guys are going for tap-arse but if you're not getting pierogy and cheese bento, you're clearly missing out on something.

Never let it be said that the latest food fashions don't reach the Dorset Riviera. Far from it: they're all here and bang up-to-the-minute. But I kind of agree with the proprietor. Why restrict yourself to a single trend like some blinkered Metropolitan. In this case, more, is most definitely more.

(Foodies visiting from abroad should be careful not to mistake the Cafe Riva for the River Cafe. Though the pronunciation is similar and both boast waterside dining, the London operation offers much less variety, in a menu inspired solely by a small corner of Italy)