Spinnaker Tower Cafe-Bar

Every so often I meet an old schoolfriend for lunch at Gunwharf Quays. As she is allergic to both wheat and dairy products, we have usually gone to Cafe Giardino for jacket potatoes. Sadly, Giardino has turned into the Italian Kitchen offering pizzas, pasta and salads, all under £5. Pizza and pasta are of course no good for my friend, and on a cold December day a salad was not too appealing. Arriving early, I wandered around studying menus and discovered that the Spinnaker-Tower Cafe-Bar was the only eatery offering jacket potatoes.

The Tower Cafe is situated at the base of the Spinnaker Tower, and if you visit the tower you will come out into it following your descent in the lift. You can, however, enter the cafe-bar without visiting the tower itself. It is almost hexagonal in shape with floor-to-ceiling glass around the half that faces the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. It is very close to the water's edge and the views are excellent, although the day of our visit the weather was unfortunately grey and damp. In fine weather you can sit outside, but obviously nobody was doing so on that particular day. There are several entrances in the glass-fronted section; I walked around looking for a menu but ended up peering through the glass and reading what was written on the boards above the bar.

We arrived just after 12.30pm and noticed that there were quite a few empty tables but sadly none by the windows. We didn't have to wait long to be served at the bar. The board simply said that jacket potatoes were priced from £3.15 and on enquiring we were told that the toppings available were cheese, beans, tuna mayonnaise or prawns. Both of us chose tuna. I ordered a regular cappucino and my friend asked for tea with soya milk. I wasn't given an itemised receipt, but the total bill came to £13.45. Our drinks were served in mugs on a tray, the milk in a separate small jug, and the jacket potatoes were brought to us when they were ready.

The tables are all round and most have four chairs although the ones by the windows just have three. You could squeeze an extra chair in if you needed, possibly even two if you have young children with you. After we had been there a while every table was taken (it was post-Christmas sale time) and it became difficult for people to squeeze through the narrow spaces between chairs at adjoining tables. I was once asked if I could move in a little and didn't find this easy as the chairs are quite deep.

We didn't have to wait long for our food to be served. It came on oval plates with a small bowl of salad next to the potato. The salad consisted of a cherry tomato cut in half, a thick slice of cucumber cut in half and some rocket leaves – not a huge serving, but at least the rocket made a change from lettuce. There was also a sachet of Heinz Salad Cream as well as little packets of salt and pepper. The potatoes were a good size, well cooked and nice and hot; the tuna was a generous serving. I can't say my cappucino was the best I've ever tasted, but it wasn't bad. I should perhaps mention that the top was sprinkled with chocolate without my being asked if I wanted any, so you would have to specify no chocolate if you prefer an unadulterated taste to your coffee. After about an hour we decided we wanted to stay and chat a bit longer, so my friend ordered another mug of tea and I had an espresso which I did enjoy.

Even if you are not in search of the humble jacket potato which seems to have become such a rarity, the Tower Cafe-Bar is not a bad place to rest your weary legs while visiting Gunwharf Quays. You can choose from sandwiches, paninis or baguettes, salads, or soup with bread. There is a special offer of a sandwich with any regular drink for £3.99. For £2.99 children can have a sandwich, mini cheddars, yoghurt, raisins and pure fruit juice – quite a healthy lunch. Frosted milkshakes are available in a variety of flavours, and being a bar, the place is of course fully licensed. You could just have a drink and a cake, and I noticed a freezer full of Ben and Jerry's ice cream on our way out.

There are unisex toilets on the premises which are kept reasonably clean. They are on the same level as the cafe.

The service at the Tower Cafe-Bar was polite and efficient, and I noticed that the waiting staff regularly did the rounds of the tables to clear away any trays that had been finished with. We stayed about two hours altogether, and although it was crowded we were not made to feel that we had outstayed our welcome.

I would certainly recommend the Spinnaker Tower Cafe-Bar as a good choice for a light lunch or a snack. Part of its appeal does lie in the view it affords of the entrance to the harbour, which I appreciated even on a grey, wintery day. I would also think it is a healthier choice for families than a fast-food restaurant, while still offering reasonable prices. It is open every day except Christmas Day from 10am until 6pm.

Seasons Greetings

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas

Lemon Sole

Although on a quest to savour the delights of as many of the restaurants and cafes of my home town as possible, I have to admit that those mentioned in the Michelin Guide are usually beyond my budget. One of these is the renowned fish restaurant, Lemon Sole, on High Street, Old Portsmouth, so I was intrigued to find that they were advertising a special offer in the autumn edition of the Southsea Directory. This consisted of either lunch for £5 (£10 for Sunday roast) or dinner for £10, as long as your reservation was between 5.30pm and 7pm. A glass of wine was included.

A friend of mine, a non-red-meat-eater, was eager to take advantage of this offer and suggested we book for dinner on a weekday evening. I rang up about five days in advance and asked to reserve a table for two at 6.15pm on 9th December. I had to disappoint the man I spoke to by telling him that my name was not Elizabeth Arden as he thought he had heard me say, but he was nevertheless very friendly. I mentioned the special offer I had seen, and he told me that for December there was a slightly different one entitled A Taste of Christmas: the restaurant was offering either two courses for £10 or three for £15. This sounded equally enticing, even though there was no mention of the glass of wine this time.

On the day we arrived bang on time, having been lucky to find a parking space on High Street itself. The restaurant appeared to be empty and we were offered a table for two next to the large bay window in which sits a large model of a fish alongside a heron and a twisted branch of a tree. My chair was decidedly rickety, but I didn't want to get off to a bad start by complaining. The dark brown wood of the chairs did not by any stretch of imagination match the light wood of the tables either; I think some money does need to be spent on new chairs. Artificial lilies, unusual turquoise drinking glasses and a couple of Christmas crackers adorned our table. The serviettes were artistically folded linen ones.

The waiter brought us the special set menus and explained that when we were ready, we should come through to the back of the restaurant to choose our fish from the counter. We ordered a glass of red wine each and were surprised when the waiter returned with a bottle and a half of white wine. We managed to stop him before he began pouring, and he apologised and soon returned with a bottle of red. It was certainly very palatable. Studying the menu, there were some interesting starters such as devilled white bait, sardines with spicy barbecue sauce or goat's cheese tart with salad, but in the end my friend decided on the prawn cocktail to remind her of her childhood and I went for the soup of the day, stilton and broccoli.

Moving on to the main course, the salmon with lemon and rosemary sounded very tempting, but I often have salmon when I eat out and thought I should try something different. There were one or two alternatives such as duck for those who are not great fans of fish, and there is always a vegetarian option. Our attention was caught, however, by a fillet of fish called pangasius which neither of us had heard of. The waiter was not able to tell us more than that it was a white fish. We liked the sound of its accompanying ratatouille, salsa and balsamic dressing and decided we should take the opportunity to sample it. Off we went to find the fish counter and were quite amazed at how big the restaurant turned out to be. I'm afraid I wasn't impressed by the shabby carpet, though. Whilst most clients are able to choose exactly which fish or fillet they would like, it turned out that our pangasius was for some reason not on display. We ordered our starters and mains and returned to our table.

Whilst waiting, to the accompaniment of the likes of Coldplay and Travis, we had a look at a leaflet giving details of the restaurant's Christmas menu. There were two party menus, one at £20 and one at £30, as well as a Christmas Day menu at £45. In each case there was a good choice of starters, whereas the main courses included turkey with all the trimmings and a vegetarian option alongside several fish dishes. The Christmas Day menu included a glass of champagne on arrival as well as a sorbet between the starter and the main course. The choice of desserts on each menu was very similar to the one we were presented with.

It wasn't long before our starters were served. My soup came in an oval dish with a chunk of crusty bread and was topped with a swirl of cream. It was extremely hot but of a very smooth consistency and absolutely delicious. My friend enjoyed her prawn cocktail and reminisced about the times her mother used to make it.

By this time two other women had arrived and were seated in a corner of the front area of the restaurant. All the other people, mostly men, made a beeline for the rear of the restaurant, so things remained quiet in the area where we were. The waitress came with two plates announcing 'Lemon sole,' and we protested that we had ordered pangasius. She assured us that she had said the wrong thing and that it was in fact our order. Our half fillets of what was, presumably, pangasius came on oval plates with dressing, a wedge of lemon, and potatoes. My friend had ordered saute potatoes but I had for some reason stuck with the new potatoes that are served unless you request an alternative. They seemed a little boring, and I was glad of the ratatouille dressing to liven them up. The fish itself was good, quite a plain white fish really, certainly nothing exotic as its name suggests. Had I known, I might have chosen salmon instead, but no complaints.

As we were eligible for the special offer, we decided to make room for dessert as well. The apple and blackberry crumble with either custard or icecream was initially considered, but I thought it might be a little too filling. Crème brulee and homemade tiramisu were other serious contenders, but in the end we both felt that fresh fruit sherry trifle was making an unusual appearance on a menu and should not be ignored. It was (like the prawn cocktail) another reason for nostalgic recollection of how we ourselves or our mothers used to make trifle with differing amounts of sherry. Served in wineglasses, it proved to be the right choice for us both, and the sherry was there at the bottom, soaking the sponge, in no uncertain terms.

We decided to leave it there and wander down to a pub for a drink, so we asked for the bill. The restaurant automatically adds on a ten per cent service charge, so our total for the two of us for three courses and a glass of wine (and a cracker, of course) was £44. If you don't reserve, however, or if you go for dinner after 7pm, you can expect to pay around £18-£19 for a main course, which is obvously a lot more than we were charged. I would say that I enjoyed the soup and the trifle more than my main course, and aside from the special offer I think I would prefer to go to Rosie's Vineyard in Southsea. I was somewhat put off by the state of the chairs and the carpet at Lemon Sole, and the atmosphere was slightly lacking. No sign of fish knives and forks, which seem to have become a thing of the past.

I should mention that the toilets are upstairs, which would of course be a problem for disabled customers. You do, on the approach to the stairs, get a good chance to have a look at the kitchen.

In the basement is Annie Croft's Wine Cellar where food is also served. It is reached by a set of stone steps and apparently still has the original eighteenth-century stone floor. Alongside it is a well, which we could just make from our table by the front window of Lemon Sole: a sign clearly states 'Do not enter' – they must be afraid that inebriated clients might end up at the bottom of the well. My friend ventured down the steps as we were leaving and seemed to think Annie Croft's might be worth visiting on another occasion. The two establishments appear to be under the same management.

I would recommend Lemon Sole to anyone who loves fish and would like to be able to choose from the counter. If you are dining early or having lunch, there always seems to be a special offer provide you make a reservation. For anyone visiting Gunwharf Quays who wants to get away from the crowds, Lemon Sole is just a few minutes' walk away down St George's Road, turning right into High Street. (This is not a High Street filled with shops, I should point out.) I don't however, feel in a great hurry to go back. The food was very good, but I was expecting something a little more from a restaurant mentioned in the Michelin Guide. I definitely think a facelift is in order, particularly for the carpet and chairs. If I am able to afford it in the future, there are one or two other local restaurants in a similar price range that I would prefer to try out. Meanwhile, I shall content myself with Rosie's Vineyard which, interestingly enough, is the only Portsmouth/Southsea restaurant that features in Harden's Restaurant Guide.

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant

123 High Street

Old Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO1 2HW

Tel. 023 9281 1303

www.lemonsole.co.uk

Brasserie Blanc, Gunwharf Quays

We had wanted to sample the delights of Brasserie Blanc in Gunwharf Quays one evening in October, but without a reservation we would have had to wait about an hour for a table. Late one Saturday afternoon in December, I rang to see if I could book a table for three for 3pm the following day, and luckily this was possible. As soon as we arrived on the Sunday, we were greeted by a receptionist who checked our reservation and led us past a beautiful Christmas tree to a table not far from a window from which there was a view of the canalside and the Spinnaker Tower.

Menus were distributed before we had even sat down. I was glad to find that plenty of coat hooks were provided.

Linen tablecloths are used but they are covered with white paper cloths set diagonally. Napkins are large linen ones. As well as the usual cruet, there is a bottle of oil on each table. We had wooden chairs with comfortable leather backs and seats, but I noticed that some tables had all wooden ones. We loved the colourful paintings, all depicting food, which contrasted well with the black and white photographs, some of Raymond Blanc teaching a younger chef, which hang above the counter. Behind the counter the kitchen area is clearly visible. We remarked on how clean everything was.

A Christmas menu, £25 for three courses, was available on the day of our visit but we hadn't come for anything quite so special and decided to order a la carte. An extensive drinks menu was handed to us but all we wanted was a glass of fruit juice each of a different flavour – orange, pineapple and apple (£2.10) which was served with ice. We were also brought a jug of tap water, with separate glasses of course. Starters range in price from £5.45 to £6.95 and in variety from Mediterranean fish soup through Burgundian snails in garlic herb butter to Maman Blanc's miscellany of salads. We decided just to share one of the aperitifs, however, which consisted of garlic mayonnaise, harissa olives, balsamic vinegar and slices of French bread served with butter (£2.75). This is intended for one person, but as our serving of bread was replenished it was more than enough and did not spoil our appetites. The garlic mayonnaise in particular was gorgeous, and the waitress commented herself on how much she liked it.

The main courses on the lunch menu start at £8.75 for Swiss chard and cep mushroom lasagne and rise to £17.00 for Roast Barbary duck breast with blackberry sauce and Dauphinoise potatoes. There is also a selection of grills priced between £15.00 and £26.50. The waitress came along with a blackboard indicating the day's special, roast beef, roast potatoes and a selection of vegetables for £14.50. The fact that the beef was medium rare made us decline this option. My son's partner decided on Loch Fyne mussels in white wine and cream served with chips (£13.00). My son and I both considered the lasagne as well as Raymond's smoked River Avon salmon and trout fish cake (£11.00) but eventually both ordered Beef Stroganoff with pilaf rice (£10.25). I don't usually go for red meat but felt that this could be a good occasion to do so for a change. Side salads and vegetables can be ordered, mostly for £2.75, but our waitress thought the mussels and chips would be fine on their own and I certainly thought my main dish would be filling.

Soon after we had ordered the waitress brought a finger bowl for the mussels along with a soup spoon, as she explained that a lot of people like to drink the sauce of the mussels like soup after they have finished eating. It was a while before the food was served, as you would expect, but not overly long. The mussels came in their cooking pot with chips in a small side dish. The stroganoff was served in deep round plates, each with a mould of garnished rice in the centre. Our immediate reaction was that the sauce tasted wonderful and was of a perfect consistency but that the beef was not as tender as we had thought it might be. Slices of mushroom were plentiful alongside the beef. The mussels were highly appreciated as were the chips, and yes, my son's partner enjoyed the sauce so much that he did use that soup spoon. The waitress was passing as he did, and she chirruped 'I knew you would!'

My son had no hesitation in saying he wanted to see the dessert menu, so we were each brought one on a small card. The waitress mentioned that there was also a chocolate tart with coffee crème anglaise for a mere £3.50 – the coffee-chocolate combination and the modest price meant my mind was immediately made up. My son decided on apple and blackberry crumble (£5.20) but his partner wanted something light so he picked the selection of ice creams (£5.50). Four scoops of ice cream are served, and he chose coffee, chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut. Strawberry and vanilla were also offered.

We were all delighted with our desserts when they arrived. My chocolate tart was rich in flavour without being too sweet or sickly, and the coffee crème added interest to the taste. The ice cream was drizzled with two kinds of coulis and sandwiched between two irregular-shaped wafers. The crumble was topped with a scoop of ice cream and looked delicious – something I would definitely try another time.

My son and his partner decided to order tea and coffee as they were going to the cinema and still had a little time to kill. I would like to try the coffee there, but I was feeling very full and it was a little late in the day for caffeine so I contented myself with my glass of water. The coffee was declared to be very good, so that's a perfect excuse for me to go back.

Our bill came to £60.55 to which we added a tip. I could remember that the last time the three of us had been to Rosie's Vineyard in Southsea we had paid the same amount there. Whilst the food at Rosie's is always very good, the service is not up to the standard of the Brasserie Blanc. The previous Sunday my son and I had waited half an hour at Rosie's just to place an order. The furnishings and décor at Brasserie Blanc are also superior to Rosie's. I should emphasise that the prices on the dinner menu are higher than those on the lunch menu at Brasserie Blanc. It is also worth mentioning, however, that some dishes are available in smaller portions and at lower prices for children.

I visited the ladies upstairs and found it to be extremely clean. Two bottles of liquid soap were provided: it was a French brand called 'Le Cuisinier' and was intended for cooks, to remove lingering odours. Two bottles, but three washbasins – had somebody pocketed a third bottle? I was amused to find 'The Fox and the Grapes', one of Lafontaine's fables, written out in French as I climbed the stairs, and I lingered to read it. When I got to the top of the stairs, there was the English translation. On returning to our table, I realised that another of the fables was written along the top of one wall, again translated on the adjacent wall. A lovely touch.

Just by the entrance are some shelves displaying French foods such as jars of conserves and packets of biscuits, any of which can be purchased. There are also one or two books by Raymond Blanc. If you arrive early or have to wait for a table, there is an area where you can sit and have a drink by the bar.

The only criticism I would make from my first visit to Brasserie Blanc would be that the beef was not as tender as I had expected it to be. Other than that, I cannot find fault at all with the menu, the food, the service or the ambiance. The dinner menu is a little out of my price range, but I am sure we will return to Brasserie Blanc every now and again for lunch. It stands head and shoulders above almost all the other restaurants in Gunwharf Quays at the present time. Raymond Blanc's wish was to create a relaxing atmosphere in which to enjoy good food similar to that cooked by his mother, and he has surely succeeded here.

Brasserie Blanc

Canalside

Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3FA

Tel. 023 9289 1320

www.brasserieblanc.com

The Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth

Originally situated in a small side street of Southsea, the Aspex Gallery was able to move to grander surroundings in December 2006. It is now housed on the ground floor of the imposing Vulcan Building in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. Gunwharf Quays is a shopping complex that also has a cinema, bowling alley, various eateries on the waterfront, and a hotel; it attracts crowds of visitors from surrounding areas such as the Isle of Wight, Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island, Petersfield and Havant as well as the inhabitants of Portsmouth itself and Southsea. Such a location is a prestigious one.

The gallery, however, is not particularly easy to find. Once in Gunwharf, head to your left in an easterly direction and look out for the Loch Fynne Restaurant, also in part of the Vulcan Building. Follow the path between Loch Fynne and Cafe Rouge, and then turn right into the Vulcan's courtyard; you should then see the Aspex Gallery on the left.

I visited the gallery just after five o'clock one Saturday afternoon and was dismayed to find that I was the only visitor, although a young couple did come in while I was there. The gallery closes at 6pm, and it may be that it had been busier earlier in the day, or that it attracts more visitors on weekdays, with weekenders being more interested in shopping or the movies.

The gallery comprises an exhibition area, an educational area, a glass-fronted room offering resources for local artists, a coffee shop, and a shop selling jewellery, crafts, art magazines, ceramics, artists' prints and greetings cards. Aspex presents exhibitions of the work of contemporary artists from both Portsmouth and the international scene. At the time of my visit, the biennial 'Emergency' exhibition was showing; it is open to artists the world over, and one of the chosen few is later given the opportunity of a solo exhibition. There was certainly a diverse range of media on show, from the figurative but bordering-on-abstract canvases of Paul Becker through the quasi-erotic prints of Benjamin Senior to the impressive group of totem-like wood sculptures of Cathy Ward and Eric Wright. I did, however, feel that perhaps a slightly greater number of artists could have been given an opportunity to showcase their work here, as several of the artists were exhibiting more than one piece.

But Aspex is more than just a gallery. It is part of the 'arc' or Artists' Resource Centre network that extends across south-east England, providing support for practising artists in the local area. This support can take the form of one-to-one surgeries, use of the computers and journals in Aspex's resource centre, discussion groups with fellow artists, or presentations on methods of practice or current opportunities for artists. Such networking and support could be of crucial importance to artists in the early stages of their career, especially for example when they have recently graduated and find themselves on their own, trying to make their way without the support and facilities of an educational establishment.

Children of school age can also participate here in holiday and Saturday clubs. Schools and colleges are able to plan group visits, and talks and tours are organized from time to time for both specialists in the field and those who wish to find out more about contemporary art. It is even possible to hire the gallery for events such as cocktail parties or product launches.

If you are looking for a quiet place in Gunwharf Quays to enjoy lunch or coffee away from the crowds, the Aspex coffee shop would be ideal. Kids' Art Lunch Boxes with organic drinks and activity sheets are available there. It also from time to time hosts film screenings and performances.

The Aspex Gallery is situated on the ground floor and is accessible to disabled visitors; guide dogs are welcome. Aspex allows breast feeding, and baby-changing facilities are available in the toilet by the Education Studio.

Opening hours from Tuesday to Friday are from 11am until 6pm, and on Sunday from noon until 5pm. The gallery is closed on Monday.

If you are travelling by rail, alight at Portsmouth Harbour Station; Gunwharf Quays is just five minutes' walk from here. By road, take the M27 and then the M275 into Portsmouth; Gunwharf Quays Car Park is clearly signposted along the way.

Information on forthcoming exhibitions and events is available at the website: www.aspex.org.uk .

Aspex

The Vulcan Building

Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3BF

The Greenhouse Kitchen Vegetarian Cafe

Walking home along Marmion Road, Southsea, one day in the spring I was dismayed to find that Coco's Cafe had closed down. It was one of my favourite places to go for coffee, a smoothie or lunch whilst shopping, and always made a pleasant change from Costa. I stopped, however, and read the notice in the window advertising the fact that the Greenhouse Kitchen Vegetarian Cafe would be opening on the premises on 24th May. It sounded promising.

We made our first visit to the Greenhouse Kitchen at the end of May, around eleven o'clock one Saturday morning. The first good sign was that an alternative front door was being used, which took you straight in by the counter. Coco's had always used the door on the corner, which meant you had to fight your way past the tables, whilst those seated near the door would suffer from a cold draught in winter every time customers entered or left.

The two hungry young men that were with me were disappointed to see that sandwiches came under the lunch section on the blackboard and were not served until noon. However, there was an array of them wrapped in paper bags on full display, and the waitress said that the time restriction for lunch had in fact been set because people were demanding soup for their elevenses. She didn't mind at all serving sandwiches during the morning. They both ordered egg mayonnaise sandwiches, one on white bread and one on brown, along with smoothies. I wanted to sample the coffee, as that is what I often judge such a place by, so I ordered a cappuccino along with a homemade golden syrup and oat muffin. I enjoyed both the coffee and the muffin, and the egg sandwiches were pronounced to be the best ever.

I decided not to write a review until I had sampled the lunches at the cafe. Several weeks passed before I did. This time it was at around noon, again on a Saturday, and the ground-floor room was almost full. We were told that there was plenty of room upstairs, but as a group of people were about to vacate their table we decided to take it over. The downstairs tables are easily big enough for two people and just big enough for three. There are one or two tables with relaxing armchairs for those who are just having a drink, but most have upright chairs similar to those at Cafe Rouge.

It was a bit of a squeeze as we stood at the counter deciding what to order, as several elderly ladies who couldn't hurry were leaving and the door is right in front of the counter. That didn't matter, however, as we weren't in a hurry, but space by the counter is a little restricted. The day's lunch specials were each priced at £4.75. I was torn between vegetable crumble and lentil loaf with salad, eventually choosing the crumble. My son and his partner both decided on sweet potato curry with nachos. This time I thought I would try the smoothies; a company called easyjuice supplies frozen packs of prepared fruit which you can see in the freezer alongside the ice cream, and the smoothies are then made on demand from these packs. The one I chose was named Energy Burst and was a combination of raspberries, blueberries and oranges. Smoothies are £2.50 each, whilst fruit juices are £2.20.

Having placed our order and paid, we took our seat by the window. The drinks were soon brought over and the waitress apologised for the fact that the previous customers' cups and glasses had not yet been cleared away. The staff at the cafe are extremely polite and friendly, it must be said. I took a sip of my smoothie and immediately said that it was probably the best I'd ever had. I've always found blueberries a little lacking in taste, but I sometimes buy Waitrose's raspberry and orange juice – the combination of these two fruits is almost as perfect as a taste can be for me. There were a lot of tiny seeds in the smoothie that might bother some people, but I didn't let their inclusion put me off.

The food followed very quickly. The curries were served in a soup bowl with nachos on an oval plate underneath. My vegetable crumble certainly looked good. It was mainly cauliflower and broccoli with a topping of chopped nuts and breadcrumbs. Everything had a definite home-made feel to it. We all enjoyed our lunch – for me, the texture of the crumble was just as important as the taste and was made almost perfect by the addition of the nuts. The curry was spicy with good flavours rather than being overly hot.

Although not a vegetarian, I would personally chose the Greenhouse Kitchen as one of the best places to have a simple lunch in Southsea, and definitely the best place for smoothies or home-made snacks. There were young children there when we visited, and high chairs are available. One disadvantage is that the toilets are up a steep flight of stairs, but there are public conveniences two or three minutes' walk away adjacent to Waitrose supermarket.

All of the ingredients used at the Greenhouse Kitchen have been approved by the Vegetarian Society. Wine, lager and ales are served, although I have not sampled any of these. All the food and drink served is available for take-away, except for the alcoholic drinks. I haven't yet tried the ice creams, but they look and sound delicious. On a hot day you could sit and have one at an outside table.

Free WiFi broadband is available on the premises, but my son had his Blackberry with him and found that it would only be suitable for visiting public sites as other customers would be able to view your internet activity on their laptops or other devices if they felt inclined to do so.

Two rooms upstairs are available for private functions.

The Greenhouse Kitchen is closed on Monday. Opening hours are from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

The Greenhouse Kitchen Vegetarian Cafe

59 Marmion Road

Southsea

PO5 2AX

Tel. 023 9281 5511