Dorchester – New Forest – Winchester recommendations

[Kim Shook]

Our trip to England that I’ve posted about is finally SET! We have all of our transportation and accommodations and now I need to know where to eat. I have done lots of searching here and have gotten some good information, but our trip has gotten pretty specific by now and so I thought I’d post those questions. I am going to put a few different posts in with the same 1st paragraph to explain, but if I’ve made a mistake in doing that I’m sure that someone will tell me!

We are going to be doing a lot of rambling – and will have a car (except in London), so we’d prefer places that are more casual (we’ll likely be wearing jeans or khakis/chinos – I don’t know what you all call them – tan trousers), that don’t need reservations. We’d love information on anything that we shouldn’t miss including pubs, pub meals, afternoon tea, fish and chips, etc. - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thank you all so much for your help!

We’ll be leaving Dorchester in the morning and driving through the New Forest to Winchester. We’ll be staying at the Lainston House that night. We’ll only have dinner that night and then breakfast and lunch the next day before we have to drive back to Heathrow to return the car by 5:30pm. Does anyone know anything about the restaurant at Lainston House? Since we may getting into Winchester fairly late, it might be good for us to have dinner there that night, if it is worth a visit.

[Harters]

If lunchtime co-incides with the New Forest, the Masters Builders House at Bucklers Hard will get you very decent pub lunch with a cracking view if the weather is fine.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/133748-bournemouth-salisbury/page__p__1749660__hl__bucklers__fromsearch__1#entry1749660

[Kim Shook]

If lunchtime co-incides with the New Forest, the Masters Builders House at Bucklers Hard will get you very decent pub lunch with a cracking view if the weather is fine.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/133748-bournemouth-salisbury/page__p__1749660__hl__bucklers__fromsearch__1#entry1749660

It looks and sounds great. Since we are leaving Dorchester that morning and planning to spend a lot of the day wandering the Forest, I think it will be perfect. Thanks so much, John!

[Carlovski]

Kim, I've not eaten at Lainston House (been to a Wedding there - it's a lovely hotel), but I've heard good things. I know they are quite hot on local sourcing of ingredients, which always adds a bit of interest when you are somewhere new.

The other place you might want to try is the Black Rat, recently awarded a Michelin star if you care about such things! If you do I recommend you go for a drink before/afterwards in the Black Boy pub around the corner (Same owner) - best pub in Winchester. You should also try and pop into the Wykeham Arms for a uniquely winchester experience. Food is good too, although I have heard reports of a decline in quality. You will probably have to ask for directions - it's a bit tricky to find!

[mr_meanor]

I've heard good things about the Black Rat but have never been. I would recomend The Chesil Rectory which is nearby. Before or after a meal at either, go for a walk along the river (on the city side) starting beside the bridge and near the roundabout with King Alfreds Statue on it - follow the river side path until you reach Jane Austins house and then head towards the Cathedral. Definately pop into the Wykeham for a pint, but I don't think the food is that special!

Edited April 8, 2011 by mr_meanor (log)

[Kim Shook]

Thanks so much! So maybe dinner at The Chesil Rectory and drinks at Wyckeham and/or the Black Boy?

[mr_meanor]

Both the Black Boy and the Wykeham have a lot of character and are worth a visit, you are also quite close to the Cathedral and the old part of town which is lovely to explore.

I would recomend a tour of the cathedral, especially the crypt with the "Sound II" sculpture by Anthony Gormley.

(Posted with implicit permission of the University of Winchester, as indicated here.)

There are several reasonable places to eat lunch around the Cathedral, especially if the weather is nice. I was a student in Winchester, so my priorities were slightly different while I lived there, but it is a lovely city!

[Kim Shook]

Oh, the cathedral is definite! Really the main reason that we are going to Winchester. We will be going to the cathedral Tuesday morning (the 24th) - are there any good places nearby for breakfast?

[mr_meanor]

Sorry, I was a student - I never even came close to breakfast in the city!

[Carlovski]

It's a little walk away, but you could try The Corner House for breakfast (or whenever you fancy!)

[Pam Brunning]

Went to Lainston House for lunch a few years ago, a lovely place but not overly impressed with food but things change.

Thought this a good place to post about Verveine in Milford on Sea I took a party of members last week it was very good. This is the report I have just written.

When Stacey Crouch and David Wykes bought Monks the fishmongers, in Milford on Sea, three years ago small village shops all over the UK were closing weekly. They were very unsure if they had done the right thing. The shop was on the decline and in the major supermarket chains wet fish counters were becoming more prolific. Both Stacey and David had a firm grounding in the hotel and restaurant trade and were determined to turn the business around by opening a fish market restaurant. After a long struggle with the local authorities their dream came true on 12th February 2010 and today there is a another gem, hidden behind the fish shop, a tastefully decorated bright modern restaurant - Verveine (verbena) Fishmarket Restaurant.

We arrived at 11.30 to be greeted by coffee and a slice of lemon cake. We were given a talk about the fish and shown how to recognise the individual varieties.

Stacey had ordered several large specimen fish to add a wow factor to the display. We all then filled our shopping bags up before moving through to the restaurant for a glass of Prosecco and Canapés.

David, who has trained in Michelin star restaurants throughout France and the UK takes modern concepts and combines them with classic combinations of flavours to create a clean and innovative taste using the finest ingredients. He put together an eclectic menu to satisfy the meat lovers as well as the fish enthusiasts amongst us.

I had ordered the terrine of local venison with wild mushroom pickled vegetables and coffee jelly but when I saw the other starter of home-smoked organic Scottish salmon, aged parmesan custard and confit tomatoes it looked so good I was allowed to change my mind at the last minute. The dish arrived under a glass dome and when the lid was raised a waft of smoke escaped, (see photo).

Very spectacular and the flavours lived up to the presentation. It was superb. I am told that the venison was also spectacular with all the individual flavours complimenting the terrine beautifully.

My main course of slow cooked local duck with pan fried tiger prawns, textures of parsnip and marjoram jus was another hit. There were interesting reactions to the dish, some were eating the meat and fish separately while others, myself included, rose to the challenge and mixed duck and prawns with the sauces in the same mouthful - I must say it worked very well.

The other main course of roast fillet of Pollock with herb parpedelle, baby spinach, trompette and chive jus looked good. The fillet was thick with large juicy flakes perfectly cooked and the flavours went well. The only complaint, one member had to ask for more sauce and some thought it was under seasoned.

Desserts were a ‘Verveine’ Tiramisu, a Madagascan vanilla brulee with pistachio ice cream and passion fruit Madeleines. My tiramisu was delicious, served as it often is these days ‘deconstructed’ but with all the right flavours.

The brulee was also pronounced superb.

Good coffee was accompanied by an interesting selection of petit fours. Chocolate macaroons, salted chocolate fudge and intriguingly a truffle flavoured lightly with morels which amazingly worked very well.

A delicious basket of artisan breads was served throughout the meal.

We tasted each others wines. A good Viognier was on offer, a Pinot Grigio went well with the smoked salmon and a Beaujolais Villages was just the right weight for the duck dish.

If you are ever in the area Verveine is well worth a visit but go soon because when they become well known it will be a job to get a table

Great value for us at £34 each including service and Prosecco (excluding lunch wines).