South Street Kitchen

South Street Kitchen in Gillingham (Dorset) has had plenty of reviews in the short time it has been open in the former rugby club. Probably most notable one in the Guardian in February 2015. We have visited few times ourselves and have always had great time and fabulous food.

We had a rare opportunity to have lunch last Friday to finish another busy week before collecting the children from school. Usual discussion followed where should we go? I went through usual favourites and then thought about trying South Street Kitchen for lunch.

I must say it's evening type of restaurant for me. Only because of it's dark interior and lack of windows. It feels rather strange eating at lunch time and then walking out into the daylight again like that feeling of coming out of dark cinema in the day time. Although it looked a bit cloudy I thought we could sit in the garden.

 

There are plenty of tables outside, a couple of tables also under cover where we did end up moving once it started drizzling. It was quiet for Friday lunch time, there were only few other people in.

South Street Kitchen menu is simple and yet it's hard to choose from many favourites. I tried Veg & Cheese Empanada's and my husband chose Philly Sub.

Service was okay, our food arrived before we were given cutlery so we had to wait for those while the food sat on the table. My empanada's were delicious and husband's sub very filling. We had just coffees after the meal. It was quiet and relaxing Friday lunch and I think on a sunny day the garden probably fills up quickly as it's quiet and completely enclosed.

Vobster Inn

My husband asked me today if I was still writing anything in this blog. I had to admit that the blog had been neglected for quite some time. We have found quite few favourite pubs and restaurants around here now and we tend to keep going back to the same ones. Some of which I have not written anything about here, but now that I'm back I shall correct that!

Today we tried somewhere completely new to us. We went to Vobster Inn with friends of ours who regularly go there.

Vobster Inn is in a tiny village in Somerset but sat nav had no trouble finding it for us. It was quiet when we got there lunch time today (we had made a booking as it was 8 of us) and there were good choices on the menu. It got busier as the lunch time went on. We shared some starters and for mains adults chose roast beef, veal and I had pea and mint risotto with cauliflower.

The roast came with lovely vegetables that were plenty. My risotto was tasty. Children's meals were good too. We shared desserts as no one could manage whole desserts after all the tasty food we had had. Chocolate brownie sundae was clearly the favourite on the menu as we ordered three of those. I felt that the food was fairly priced and about the average what we are used to paying for Sunday lunch for four of us around here.

The pub is certainly set in a beautiful village. We climped up a little hill right next to the pub and found signs for walking routes - maybe next time we will plan to arrive earlier for a walk and then have some food at Vobster Inn!

The Lamb at Hindon

We have been out and about trying new places and have been returning to some of our favourites already mentioned in this blog. We have been very busy and I have forgotten to update this blog. But here's one new place now:

Me & my husband had couple of days off so we wanted to try a new pub for lunch while the children were at school. As the weather was quite bad I didn't want to venture out too far and we came to choose the Lamb at Hindon which had been on our list for quite some time anyway. My reason for choosing the Lamb at Hindon was their pictures of open fires on their website as I wanted somewhere cosy on that rainy day.

Early February midweek and the pub was pretty empty when we got there at lunch time - and the table right by the huge open fire was free! Attentive & friendly service followed and this is what we had:

That burger may have been the largest I have seen served in any pub before! Lovely pub, definitely going back, although I forgot to check if they have children's menu.

The Kings Arms

As we told the children this morning about going out for food today, daughter enquired why so many pubs are called Kings Arms?

We had lovely Sunday lunch at The Kings Arms in Charlton Horethorne, Somerset. It had been on my list for quite while as it had been recommended to us, but with so many places to choose around here we only made it there today.

They were very busy but that did not affect the lovely attentive service we received. Children were catered for although our daughter chose her meal from the main menu anyway.

As it was very busy I did not want to take my phone out to take any photos. Both myself and my husband ordered chicken with hashbrowns, butternut squash in pancetta & marsala sauce. It did reserve to be photographed as the presentation had been given a lot of attention too. It was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. Children both enjoyed their meals but both had large portions and left some (mostly happens with our two, sometimes I wish children's portions were a bit smaller).

However as children do, they suddenly had room for desserts and they chose some locally produced ice creams. I chose to have coffee which came with petit fours. There was just no room for a dessert after the lovely meal I had had.

The pub was very spacious and decor was contemporary with lots of art work on the walls for sale. They have spacious outdoor space too with plenty of tables - I can imagine it been lovely on a summers evening to sit out for food & drinks. However, on a cold November Sunday it was cosy to sit in. Definitely a pub to return to. Fabulous food and brilliant service!

Kings Arms

We have now visited Kings Arms in East Stour twice, just a bit slow with my blog updates at the moment. Sorry.

First time it was just me & my husband meeting up there for lunch on a Friday. Kings Arms was purely chosen by its location on the A30 as we were coming from different directions to meet up somewhere. It was busy when we got there but we found a table and after seeing the menu my husband was very pleased with the hint of Scottishness in it!

I guess the picture tells enough. We both had plenty to eat for weekday lunch! Service was excellent and we said we would definitely return there with the family.

We chose to return there when my parents were visiting us few weeks ago. Knowing how busy the pub was on a Friday we booked a table for Sunday lunch as it was 6 of us. I had heard other people say lots of good about the carvery at the Kings Arms so I must say I didn't even have a good look at the menu. My husband was slightly disappointed with a different menu on Sunday - he had been looking forward to choosing some more Scottishness. 3 of us chose the carvery and rest chose food from the menu.

We had to wait for quite a long time for the food. I assume this was because some of us had chosen food of the menu? The carvery was lovely and there was plenty to choose from. I would choose to go there again on a Sunday (but only if everyone agreed to have the carvery due to the long wait otherwise). Both children chose food of the children's menu. Their portions were pretty much adult size which is obviously going to result in food waste and the portion just looking massive for the child trying to eat it. Children's desserts were equally large sundaes.

To conclude I think our first visit was lovely and had set our expectations high and due to this we were slightly disappointed on the second visit. Still, service was excellent on both visits and it appears to be very friendly country pub that I would think we will be returning to (at least for those weekday dates!).

The Beckford Arms

When it's one of those days you think you are catching up with friends over a coffee but end up having full lunch... We'll it was me few days ago and we ended up in The Beckford Arms. Mainly because it has been on my list probably even before we moved here, there had been newspaper reviews about them and it must be mentioned in all the Good Pub Guide type of books.

So coffee with friends turned into lunch and what a great lunch it was! It was a Tuesday and the place was pretty much full, I never thought booking was needed mid-week out of holiday season but how wrong was I! Luckily there very few tables free when we got there early.

It was hard to choose from the menu and rather than trying something different I went for my "safe option" of a burger. And I was not disappointed, that definitely was one of the best burgers I have had! Two of my friends chose chicken ceasar salad and they were very happy with their choices too. We had one child with us (not mine) and she chose fish & chips. As my friend's daughter asked for ice cream for a dessert we were all tempted to have a look at the dessert menu. Again it was hard choice - I could have chosen all options!

 

 

Now I can't wait to return to The Beckford Arms and take my husband & children there for a meal, but I know to book it to avoid disappointment. What a fabulous place and extra bonus goes to the absolutely fabulous waitress who served us! It could have not been a better lunch out. 

I still haven't decided if we have found our new favourite pub - or maybe this will be our Wiltshire favourite and Dorset one can be a separate one?

Pythouse Kitchen Garden Shop & Cafe

What a lovely setting Pythouse Kitchen Garden cafe is. We have only stopped there for a coffee & cake but I thought I would include a little entry here because we are definitely returning there on another sunny morning / day. Gorgeous surrounds and lovely service - just what we are looking for!