Ryde Tandoori Restaurant - Isle of Wight

After negotiating countless stone steps at Carisbrooke Castle one Saturday afternoon, we had worked up a good appetite and had just enough time for a bite to eat in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Having gone for Italian on the previous occasion, I agreed that Indian would be worth a try and we headed for the Ryde Tandoori restaurant on Union Street. As soon as we went in I admired an over-sized Arabesque coffee pot in one corner and a delicate floral display in another. A large photo of a Bengal tiger on one wall seemed quite unusual and more striking than the Bengal landscape on the opposite wall.

We were seated at a table for two in a front corner of the restaurant. Although it was a small table, we did at least have room on the floor in the corner for our belongings. I noticed that all the other tables already had mango chutney, lime pickle and chopped raw onion ready and waiting on them, but ours didn't. Each table also had a pink carnation in a small vase, and ours had unfortunately seen better days. The waiter handed us a menu each and handed us our linen napkins to put on our laps straight away. We ordered a fruit juice each and started to have a look at the menu.

When our drinks were served, the waiter asked if we would like any poppadoms so we ordered three. As it was approaching 6.30pm and we had to catch the last hovercraft back to Southsea at 7.45pm, we asked if we could also order our main dishes then. I'd had a quick look at the specials, but then I'd noticed tandoori trout (£7.95) on the menu. I love trout and had never seen it on an Indian menu before, so I looked no further and decided that it would be my choice. My son had previously tried and very much enjoyed the moglai chicken (£8.45) amongst the specials, and he picked this again. We also order a portion of pilau rice (£2.15) and a vegetable stuffed paratha (£2.45), deciding that we would share everything between us.

Having finished our poppadoms, I hoped the main course would soon be served so that we wouldn't have to rush too much. A few minutes after we had arrived, a couple came in with their two grandchildren. It was obvious that they were regulars from the way they were greeted and chatted to after they had sat down. I was rather peeved that they were served before us, especially as we had been so quick in placing our order. We wondered if it was because tandoori trout takes longer to cook, so perhaps I should give them the benefit of the doubt.

It was nearing 7pm by the time the heater was brought to our table and the waiter brought the food on a trolley. The chutney and pickle had been left on the table, and there was just enough room for everything else. The whole trout was served alongside a salad consisting of two slices of cucumber, two tomato quarters and some finely sliced iceberg lettuce with red cabbage. A slice of lemon was also added. The fish looked gorgeous; I cut it down the middle and passed the tail end to my son. I started of with some rice alongside the trout, which tasted as good as it looked having been cooked to perfection. After a while I tried the moglai chicken, which comes in a creamy almond sauce with pieces of mango. It wouldn't be the right choice for someone who likes hot, spicy curries, but we both enjoyed the fruitiness and the smoothness of the sauce. The chicken was very tender, but nothing could quite compete with the trout for me. I realised that I was neglecting the paratha so had a few pieces of it as I finished off the moglai chicken.

When the waiter came to clear the dishes, we asked if we could have the bill straight away as we were in a hurry. There was no time for dessert – perhaps one day we'll go back on the ferry instead of the hovercraft so that we can have more time to linger. Orange segments and hot towels were brought first, followed by the bill with After Eight mints. The total was £26.90 which we paid by card, leaving a tip in cash.

My son told me that on the previous occasion he had been there, the Ryde Tandoori had been full, although it had been later in the evening. This time, there were plenty of customers coming in to collect takeaway orders, but not many eating in. It's hardly fair to judge, however, as England were playing in the World Cup that evening. I did feel that the tables were a little close together and there wouldn't be much privacy if all of them were occupied.

In terms of food I would say this was one of the best meals I have had in any Indian restaurant. The service was polite, but our waiter did seem a little lacking in confidence. I liked the restaurant itself; it is small with stylish furnishings and décor. Indian music is played at a fairly low volume that does not intrude on conversation.

Not everyone would enjoy the main dishes that we chose, but for those who like spicy Indian food the usual curries are on the menu. I noticed that one of the children who was with her grandparents was having chicken and chips, so there are options for members of a group who don't go for oriental food. 

The toilets were perfectly clean, but there were one or two tiles coming away from the wall in one corner. Paper towels were provided rather than a hand drier.

I would definitely recommend the Ryde Tandoori on the basis of food, but I would prefer to go early before it gets too busy. If I lived locally I can imagine I might use the takeaway service rather than eating in. I should mention that the staff were very friendly and welcoming towards the children who were there. The restaurant is just five minutes' walk from Ryde Esplanade, and therefore ideally located for anyone travelling to the Isle of Wight by ferry or hovercraft.

The Ryde Tandoori is open for lunch but closes between 2.30pm and 6pm, seven days a week.

Ryde Tandoori Restaurant

45 Union Street

Ryde

Isle of Wight

PO33 2LF

Tel. 01983 563165

Wagamama, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

Having visited Wagamama in Bristol a couple of times, I was enthusiastic about going to the branch that opened in Gunwharf Quays at the end of March. It took me a few weeks to get round to doing so, but I eventually did on a Sunday afternoon in early June. Wagamama is located on the upper level of the waterfront, above Zizzi's and sandwiched between La Tasca and the Slug and Lettuce. The weather was fine and warm enough to sit outside where there is a view of Gunwharf Marina and the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour.

We chose a table that was partly in the sun; there are large black parasols to give shade on the hottest days. The tables have wooden slats and a matching bench either side – there is no back rest, but surprisingly I find this a comfortable way to sit. I did find the bench a little heavy to move back so that I could actually get in, but once there I was fine. Before leaving I went inside the restaurant to the ladies; I was surprised to find several tables on either side with seats that had quite high backrests. Everyone was sitting at the tables that had those seats. They might be pleasantly surprised to find that the benches are more comfortable than they look.

A waitress had to attend to a couple who arrived seconds before us, but she then brought our menus. There was a small printed specials menu which I think is always the same; the crab cakes and kedgeree on this were no longer available. I might well have chosen the kedgeree as I love smoked haddock. The waitress put paper serviettes and a pair of chopsticks each beside a container that held soya sauce, chilli oil and packets of sugar.

It wasn't long before the waitress came to take our drinks order. We both decided on apple and lime juice – my son order a large one (£4.05) but I decided the regular size (£3) would be enough. The drinks at Wagamama are rather pricey, but they are not just juice from concentrate out of a carton. They have a layer of real fruit pulp at the top, and you can tell that they have a lot more goodness in them than run-of-the-mill fruit juice. The tables have a panel down the centre that the waitress writes the numbers of items as you order them with an erasable marker. My son could see the impressions of some numbers that had previously been rubbed off, and said to the waitress that it would tell you what the most popular dishes were! 

We continued to study our menus and decided to order some yasai gyoza (£4.90): five steamed, grilled vegetable dumplings, served with a sweet ginger soy dipping sauce. These were from the side order section, and our idea was to share them. 

Main dishes are priced between £6.45 and £10.45. They are divided into several sections, the majority of which feature noodles: big bowls of noodles in soup, noodles in a coconut based soup, noodles cooked on a hot, flat griddle or noodles in a spicy sauce. There are thick udon noodles as well as thinner ramen noodles. If noodles really aren't your thing, you can choose a rice-based dish or one of three salads. There are quite a few dishes that are suitable for vegetarians, but surprisingly few fish options. Unlike most Indian restaurants, Wagamama offers no western dishes such as steak and chips or omelette, so stay away if you have no desire for Japanese food.

One of my sons was with me and decided to order Miso ramen (£8.45) from the big bowls of noodles in soup section. This consists of 'noodles in a chicken and pork spiced miso soup topped with stir-fried chicken, carrot, leeks, garlic and bean sprouts, garnished with wakame, menma (pickled bamboo shoots), mixed sesame seeds and chilli oil' (quoted from Wagamama's menu). I had in the past few months tried udon noodles both at Wagamama Bristol and Sakura in Southsea, as well as salmon teriyaki at Yo! Sushi. I wanted to try something slightly different this time, so I chose  chicken tama rice (£7.65), grilled chicken breast stir-fried with courgettes, mushrooms, red onions and spring onions in an oyster, garlic and wine sauce, served on sticky white rice.

We then sat and waited, knowing that at Wagamama individual dishes are served as soon as they are ready, and that our main courses might not be served at the same time. So we waited, and we waited. Half an hour passed, which I know is not unheard of, but it is unusual for Wagamama. Fortunately we were not in a hurry and there were some mildly interesting events going on to commemorate D-Day down below on the waterfront.

Eventually the waitress came to apologise, explaining that not one but all the computers had crashed. Apparently it is impossible to prepare and serve food when the computer system is not functioning – that's progress for you in our technological age. I suppose we were lucky to have got our drinks just in time. The waitress assured us that the problem had just been fixed and that food was just beginning to be served again. Sure enough, I saw plenty of it arriving a couple of tables away, and then our yasai gyoza was brought on a stylish curved rectangular white dish. There were five of them, and I decided two would be plenty for me. They were nicely crisp on the bottom and softer on top. The vegetable stuffing was slightly crunchy without seeming undercooked and very tasty. I did enjoy them, but didn't find it very easy to hold on to them with the chopsticks and so didn't really take advantage of the dipping sauce.

It wasn't long before my chicken tama rice arrived, along with a spoon and fork in case I preferred them to the chopsticks. The chicken and vegetables sat on top of a dome of sticky rice, with a sauce the consistency of a clear soup around it. I did of course need the spoon for the sauce which was delicious, although I couldn't honestly detect much of a taste of garlic. The chicken was quite thinly sliced and very tender. The pieces of courgette were rather chunky but well cooked, and there were plenty of slices of red onions and spring onions, again perfectly cooked. The mushrooms were sliced into quite small pieces. I ate all the chicken and vegetables, but the rice proved too much for me and there was so much sauce that I left a little of that as well. Perhaps I shouldn't have had the dumplings, but they were more interesting than the rice.

My son's miso ramen was served soon after I had started eating, and it certainly was a big bowl. I was fascinated by the wooden ladle that came with it – you obviously use that for the soup but have chopsticks for the noodles, meat and vegetables. It was apparently quite spicy but definitely a good choice. Once again, though, it was such a large serving that my son couldn't finish it.

We were both far too full to even consider dessert and had waited longer than expected for our food to be served, so we asked for the bill. It came to £28.05, not including a tip – quite reasonable considering the price of the drinks.

The toilets were very clean and well appointed; the restaurant had of course only been open for just over two months, so I hope the high standard of cleanliness will be maintained.

I am no expert on Japanese food, but I would say that the dishes at Wagamama seem quite similar to those at Sakura, Southsea's traditional Japanese restaurant. The most striking differences are the lack of sushi at Wagamama and, as I mentioned, the limited number of fish-based dishes. If you are in Gunwharf Wagamama makes a change from the ubiquitous Italian chain restaurants and is in an ideal location if you enjoy looking out over the sea. I was happy with the polite and friendly service, although I think we could have been told a little sooner about the reason for the delay in serving our food. Presumably this is not a problem that occurs frequently. Wagamama may not be the favourite for families, although they do have a special children's menu for those who enjoy  Japanese food. I loved the food and hope I will have many an occasion to go back.

Opening hours:

Monday – Saturday 12 noon – 11pm

Sunday – 12 noon – 10pm 

Wagamama

North Promenade

Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3TR

The restaurant is located on the upper floor at the waterfront; disabled access via the lift next to Vue cinema

Tel. 023 9286 1128

www.wagamama.com

Royal Oak, Havant

The Royal Oak pub in Langstone, near Havant, is located in a row of three terraced cottages that date from the sixteenth century. It has been a pub for more than three hundred years, and some of the original beams and fireplaces still remain. It is situated at the north-eastern end of Langstone Harbour, with Hayling Island just to the south. There is a fine view looking towards Thorney Island and Chichester Harbour, with Langstone Mill just a few yards away. You can see swans, ducks and perhaps white egrets by the shore and on the mill pond nearby. It is a beautiful spot.

We arrived at about 6.45pm one Sunday evening in May, having walked from Havant railway station along the Hayling Billy trail – the old railway line that once ran from Havant to Hayling Island. The weather was warm but rather windy, so having had plenty of fresh air we decided to sit inside rather than at the picnic tables in the garden. There was a choice of several tables, but by the time we left the place was almost full.

It is rather dark inside the Royal Oak, but that adds to the atmosphere. In some places there is open brickwork which I prefered to the rather dull beige paint in other areas. The ceiling has dark wooden panels alongside the older beams, and the tables and chairs are similarly in dark wood. The chairs and long seats by the walls do have padded cushions, so they are comfortable. There were two of us but we were able to have a table for four – thankfully, as my son had his tripod and camera bag with him as usual.

Menus are provided on the table alongside a wine list, pepper and salt mills, a pot of oil, cutlery and serviettes. We didn't order starters, but they range from seasonal soup of the day with thick-cut bread and Somerset butter (£2.95) through tempura battered king prawns (£4.65) to oven-baked garlic and herb sharing bread topped with red chard and olives (£5.05).

Main dishes are divided into five sections, starting with steaks. You can choose from sirloin, rump or rib-eye with or without toppings, and prices range from £10.95 to £13.95; they are all served with chips and various other accompaniments. The Classics section includes British beef and Ruddles ale pie with chips or mash, vegetables and gravy (£8.15), hand-battered cod and chips with tartare sauce and petits pois or mushy peas (£7.45) or Kadai chicken curry with lemon and parsley basmati wild rice and poppadoms (£9.25). There are three kinds of Gourmet Burger priced between £6.95 and £9.25. The Chef's Selection has slow-cooked New Zealand lamb shank with pea mash and minted gravy (£9.95) as well as a classic paella of chicken, chorizo and seafood (£9.45). There are three main course salads, for example Loch Fyne smoked Scottish salmon and king prawn (£8.45). More mains were listed on the specials board, but the Sunday roast had been crossed off and we weren't tempted by any of the others.

The only vegetarian main dishes are peppered mushroom suet pudding (£9.45), Wensleydale grape, Tiptree honey and mint salad (£6.95), Red Leicester and spinach burger (£6.95) or butternut squash, spinach, lentil and spicy coconut curry (£7.95).

Side orders include carrots in chive butter (£2.29), dressed side salad (£2.09) and garlic ciabatta(£2.09). There is a notice at the bar where you order the food saying that if you are not asked if you would like any sides, the pub will offer you some free of charge. My son was asked when he ordered our food, so we didn't get any. That was probably just as well, as I don't think we could have eaten any more!

My son had a few weeks earlier enjoyed the fish and chips at the Royal Oak and decided to try something different. After considering the Tandoori chicken breast salad (£8.25), he eventually chose the paella. I was tempted by the traditional beef lasagne (£6.95) but decided to go for something more original. From the Chef's Selection I picked the farm-assured 'smothered' chicken breast with grilled bacon, goat's cheese and tomato Provencal sauce, topped with watercress and served with chips and a salad garnish (£8.65). We each ordered a fruit juice, and our bill came to £22.

It was around fifteen to twenty minutes before a waitress brought our food. We were asked if we wanted any sauces, so I asked for some tomato ketchup to go with my chips. My chicken came in an oval dish on a large plate, next to the chips and salad. The salad consisted of a few rather tired looking lettuce leaves and one very small cherry tomato, cut in half. It made me feel glad that I hadn't ordered a main course salad. The chicken was topped with a generous amount of watercress which I moved on top of the salad so that I could see what was underneath. There were two good-sized pieces of chicken which were very tender; one was topped with bacon, the other with goat's cheese. The Provencal sauce was very rich. My only criticism of the cooked food is that it had just started to burn around the edges of the dish, and one end of the bacon was rather burned. I actually quite like my food like this, but I'm sure there are people who would not have been happy with it. The chips were good and chunky – too many for me to finish, but I expect a lot of people would be able to polish them all off. My son was quite satisfied with his paella, and we both felt full by the time we had finished eating.

We considered going for a walk along the shore and coming back for dessert, but in the end neither of us felt we wanted any more to eat. The Puddings, as the menu calls them, range from Cornish clotted cream ice-cream with chocolate sauce (£3.75) through sticky dark chocolate and walnut brownie (£4.45) to a trio of classic hot puddings served with custard or double cream (£5.25) which you could perhaps share. There is also a cheese platter (£3.95), and lemon meringue pie featured on the specials board that day. Beside the bar was a small board showing various types of coffee that are available, but it was too late in the day for me to sample one.

I found the ladies' toilets to be very clean, pleasantly decorated and well appointed. While drying your hands you could even look out of the window at the view across the harbour if you wanted to!

While we were eating the waitress came over to ask if everything was all right. She came to remove our plates not long after we had finished, asking again if the food had been satisfactory and whether we wanted to order any desserts. At one point the owner/manager was clearing the next table but one from ours and chatting very amicably with a couple seated at the neighbouring table; I got the feeling they were regular customers.

The strong points of the Royal Oak are its location and atmosphere. I have no complaints about the service. The food was good, but I can imagine that if this pub was situated in the middle of Portsmouth, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to visit it. As it is, it is the perfect place to combine with a walk that includes a wooded path, a field with horses, and a picturesque shoreline. The Royal Oak offers curry and a pint on Wednesday evenings for £6.95 which would attract me if I lived nearer. There were quite a few children on the evening we were there, and the garden in particular would be an ideal place for families in fine weather. If you like the sound of the location, I would definitely recommend a visit.

The Royal Oak

19 Langstone High Street

Havant

Hampshire

PO9 1RY

Tel. 023 9248 3125

www.royaloak-havant.com

Yo Sushi - Gunwharf Quays

Restaurant chains seemed to have realised that Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth is the place to be, and hot on the heels of Wagamama came Yo! Sushi at the end of April. Situated opposite Marks and Spencer and next door to Cotton Traders, Yo! Sushi doesn't have the advantage of views from the waterfront, but it makes up for this in other ways.

Having visited Wagamama in Bristol as well as Sakura in Southsea, I wasn't totally unfamiliar with Japanese food, but I was quite unprepared for the conveyor belt experience. I also wasn't sure I would be comfortable sitting on a high chair with a low backrest at a counter, but here I was wrong. The back rest gave good support, and there was at least enough room under the counter for bags. The English waitress who had welcomed us brought menus and asked if we had visited Yo! Sushi before. When we said we hadn't, she explained we could help ourselves to the sushi and desserts that were going round on the double conveyor belt in front of us but that we could call her if we wanted to order hot food. She showed us in the menu that all dishes are priced according to a colour code: they are served on small plates or little shallow bowls with a coloured rim. They go from pale green rims at £1.70 through orange rims at £3.30 up to grey rims at £5 with a couple of others in between. When you finish your meal, the waitress counts how many plates you have of each colour and gives you a slip with details of your drinks as well to take to the till.

The waitress showed us that on the counter there were taps for both fizzy and still water; you can drink as much water as you like for £1. You can also order limitless Japanese green tea for £1.25. My son decided to stick with water, but I ordered a Frobisher's orange juice for £2.30. Yo! Sushi does also offer several wines, sake, Japanese beer, and one or two other soft drinks.

Also on the counter in front of us were a large supply of wooden chopsticks, some wooden teaspoons, glasses for water, a bottle of soya sauce, a pot of wasabi, a container of very thinly sliced fresh ginger, and some very small white dishes for the ginger. The waitress had also shown us that there was a help button you could press to call her. When you do this, the nearest vertical plastic tube, several of which are placed at intervals along the counter, turns from blue to red. Much more fun than having to catch someone's eye!

The waitress left us and we started to look at our menus, which are square booklets with sushi at one end and everything else at the other. There are illustrations of all the items, circled in the appropriate colour so that you can check the price code. I soon decided that I would try the salmon teriyaki, and started to watch the two rows of food passing by on the conveyor belts. They are all covered in transparent plastic domes. I tried to work out what some of the dishes were, but by the time I'd found them on my menu they had gone past! I wondered where the salmon teriyaki was, having already forgotten that hot food had to be ordered from the waitress. My facial expression must have been one of utter confusion, as my son asked me if I wanted to leave. I didn't, but I did feel rather flummoxed. The waitress came back so I ordered my salmon teriyaki and my son asked for a chicken katsu curry. He had already chosen a dish of assorted fish maki (filled rice rolls wrapped in seaweed) from the belt; there were six very small ones, two each of salmon, tuna and prawn with chives. I realised that I was going to have to pick something, but much as I love fish I cannot bring myself to try raw fish. I decided to play safe and grabbed a plate of tamago nigiri – two pieces of rice topped with sweet omelette. The omelette is bound to the rice with a thin strip of seaweed. It was very bland, but I didn't mind this as I had it with some gorgeous fresh ginger and soya sauce. If you aren't keen on ginger, though, stay away – it is a very strong flavour. I passed on the wasabi, which is very spicy.

My son had by that time enthusiastically taken some spicy chicken with grated Asian radish, assorted sprouts and green beans. He also chose a plate of two vegetable futomaki – rice rolls wrapped in seaweed and filled with cucumber, pickled radish, tamago (omelette), carrot and avocado. I tried a tiny piece of the chicken but didn't like the soft consistency, so I agreed to have one of the futomaki rolls. Although I don't normally like either cucumber or radish, I actually enjoyed this. The only problem was actually eating it; I couldn't cut it with the chopsticks so I picked the whole thing up and tried to bite a piece off. Let's just say I'm glad there were no cameras around at that point.

Our hot food was handed to us by a member of the kitchen staff, who work in a central area and are therefore in full view of the customers all the time. The teriyaki salmon was grilled and consisted of three small but quite thick slices, garnished with ginger, cress and a slice of lemon. It was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious; I can't say I've had better salmon anywhere. My son was impressed by his chicken katsu curry, which is fried chicken on rice with a mild curry sauce and Japanese pickles.

I decided not to overdo the savoury food as the desserts chugging along in front of me were just too tempting. The fresh fruit salad, with slices of pineapple and melon as well as green and purple grapes and a strawberry, looked enticing and healthy, but we decided to try something new with a Japanese slant. My son reached for a plate of mochi – glutinous rice cakes with sweet fillings which are described in the menu as nutritious. I had no hesitation in going for the chocolate mochi, which have a dark chocolate ganache filling and are dusted with cocoa powder. There were two of each, mostly cut in half, so we decided to share them. The ordinary ones were pleasant enough and reminded me a little of marshmallows. The chocolate mochi were absolutely gorgeous, especially the cocoa powder, which had a strong but irresistible flavour. We ate the mochi with chopsticks, except for one that was whole which I cut with a spoon.

When you are ready for the bill, all you have to do is ring the bell and the waitress appears quite promptly. She counted our dishes and gave us a slip of paper with numbers against the colours of the plates, as well as details of the orange juice and water. When we checked, however, it looked as though she hadn't included our desserts, perhaps because the plates were still in front of us rather than stacked in the pile. The waitress came back and adjusted the numbers. Her mistake had been in our favour, but it would always be worth checking in case you are being overcharged.

The bill came to just over £28 to which we added a tip. We paid by card at the till, beside which is a takeaway counter. There were various boxes of sushi available here for around £7 or £8, but it was not fully stocked.

The ladies' toilet was very clean and well appointed. I should perhaps emphasise that the restaurant had only been open for just over forty-eight hours, so I hope the standards of cleanliness will be maintained.

When I went along to the toilets at the back of Yo! Sushi, I noticed that there were a couple of tables with comfortable sofas either side which are presumably intended for larger groups of people. There were a few children around that day, but I didn't see any babies or any sign of high chairs. The restaurant is accessible by wheelchairs.

I have no idea how close the food at Yo! Sushi comes to authentic Japanese food, but I can only say how much I enjoyed it. After my initial confusion, I felt that it was a refreshing change from the usual restaurant experience. Next time I go I will have much more of an idea of what the dishes travelling before me are and what has to be ordered separately. If you have a liking for Oriental food and enjoy variety, I would definitely recommend a visit.

Opening hours

Monday – Saturday: 12 noon until 11pm

Sunday: 12 noon until 10.30pm

Yo! Sushi

79 Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3TZ

Tel. 023 9280 8110

www.yosushi.com

Spice Village, Emsworth

Considering Emsworth is such a small town, it has a surprisingly good choice of restaurants. A couple of them are right out of my price range, but the Spice Village, an Indian restaurant right in the centre of town, offers very good Oriental cuisine that is affordable as well.

Spice Village took over one of Emsworth's pubs a few years ago, and it is surprisingly spacious – larger than any Indian restaurant I've been in Southsea, for example. We arrived at about 6.15pm one Sunday evening, and things were still very quiet. I suggested we take a small table as there were only two of us, but the waiter encouraged us to sit at a table for four as my son had a tripod and camera bag and I had a couple of bags as well. The tripod went on the floor, safely behind the table, but we were asked to put everything else on the two spare chairs. Menus were brought and the waiter hovered a while until we each asked for a fruit juice.

Spice Village is very stylish, but if you are not keen on pink you might find it's a little overdone. Almost everything, from the walls to the tablecloths to the lighting, is in shades of pink. It is very comfortable, but it did occur to me that many of the tables are very close together so there wouldn't be much privacy at busy times. The waiters, thankfully, do not wear pink; they are smartly dressed in purple shirts and black trousers.

Taking a look at the menu, starters include onion bhaji (£2.50), mulligatawny soup (£2.95), king prawn butterfly (£4.75) and even prawn cocktail (£2.95). We decided just to order three plain papadoms (60p each) which were served with the usual mango chutney, raita and raw onion finely chopped with a few slices of cucumber and tomato.

Looking at main dishes, which are divided into several sections, I was tempted among the fish dishes by ayre delight (£10.50), having once enjoyed it at the Spice Merchants in Southsea. Passanda is another favourite of mine, and this was listed under the chef's recommendations in a chicken or lamb version (£5.95). The meat and chicken dishes offer the usual varieties such as korma, madras, bhuna, rogan and korai, and most are priced under £6. Biriani dishes range from mushroom or vegetable (£5.95) to king prawn (£9.95). Then come 'some modern favourite regional dishes' which include shahi duck (£9.50) and Himalayan chicken or lamb (£8.50). There are just four Persian dishes, such as meat, chicken or prawn dansak (£6.75) and king prawn patia (£9.50). The seafood section actually consists only of prawn curries of various kinds. A good variety of tandoori cuisine offers, for example, duck korai (£8.50) or lamb tikka massala (£6.95). Spice Village balti specials are served with nan bread and include balti jhinga massala with king prawns (£9.50). There is a special section for vegetarian curries such as dupiaza, jalfrazi and balti, all £5.50. For those who aren't fans of Indian cuisine, the choice is between sirloin steak (£8.95), fried chicken (£6.95) and chicken, prawn or mushroom omelette (£6.95).

There is a good choice of vegetable side dishes such as Bombay potato (£3.20), keema aloo (£3.10) or dhall tarka (£3.20). Various types of nan bread include coriander and cheese nan (£2.25), and the bread section also offers paratha and chapati. If you find plain rice (£1.95) boring, there are four other kinds to choose from, such as special fried rice with peas and egg (£3.10).

I eventually decided on tandoori chicken served with salad (£6.50), and my son chose Goan chicken (£8.50), a 'fairly hot' dish of marinated chicken cooked with garlic, ginger, coriander, Goan red chilli, coconut and cumin. We also ordered a portion of plain rice and a paratha stuffed with vegetables (£2.50), both to share between us. When I asked for the tandoori chicken, the waiter was at great pains to explain that it was dry, in other words served without sauce. I assured him that I was aware of this, but it sounded as though they must have had some complaints or misunderstandings in the past by customers expecting lashings of curry sauce with everything.

Our order was taken while we were enjoying our papadoms, and we didn't have to wait too long for the main dishes to arrive. My tandoori half chicken came on a large plate with finely chopped lettuce, one slice each of tomato and cucumber, a wedge of lemon and some lime pickle. A small bowl of raita was also served, but I'm not keen on it and left it as it was. The Goan chicken and vegetable paratha were both placed on a hotplate, with the bowl of rice on the table. The tandoori chicken was topped with finely sliced vegetables – mostly onion; the chicken was well cooked and very tender. I had a helping of rice alongside the salad, and almost forgot about the paratha. Eventually I had a few pieces of it but, delicious as it was, I just couldn't manage to finish my share. My son certainly enjoyed the Goan chicken; he had been to an excellent Indian restaurant on the Isle of Wight the previous weekend which had impressed him slightly more, but we both agreed that the food at Spice Village was as good as any we have had in Portsmouth or Southsea.

We asked for a glass of water each but were far too full to even think about having dessert. Hoping to get down to Emsworth beach before sunset, we asked for the bill. It came to just over £27, to which we added a tip. Payments by card are accepted.

The service was polite, attentive and efficient; all but one of the waiters had heavy accents, but we managed to understand them fairly easily. I think I do have to mention, however, that when my son went to wash his hands one of the waiters walked over and eyed up his camera (complete with extra lens) that was sitting on a chair. He then started chatting to one of his colleagues, and I heard the word 'camera' mentioned more than once. After we'd finished eating my son got out his iphone; in a twinkling there was the same waiter, peering over his shoulder. We concluded he must be a gadget freak, but I think it was bit of an odd way to behave.

The ladies' toilet was very clean and extremely pink, of course, right down to the toilet tissue. I forgot to ask my son whether the pinkness extended into the gents as well!

Spice Village offers a takeaway service and accepts telephone orders. There is an area by the bar with comfortable chairs where customers can wait for their takeaways. I remember visiting Spice Village three or four years ago when we lived near Havant and they were very obliging over calling a taxi for us. We were able to wait in that same area by the bar.

If you are visiting Emsworth or passing through, Spice Village is the place to go for Indian cuisine. I believe it gets busy on Friday and Saturday evenings, so a reservation would probably be necessary unless you arrive at around 6pm. It's not far at all from Havant, and both Portsmouth and Chichester are no great distance from Emsworth. We combined our visit with a walk along the shore of Thorney Island, which is just a few minutes' walk away, and an evening stroll by the beach in Emsworth. It's a refreshing change from the city.

Opening hours

Sunday – Thursday: 12 noon until 2.30pm and 5.30pm until 11.30pm

Friday and Saturday: 12 noon until 2.30pm and 5.30pm until midnight

Spice Village

47 High Street

Emsworth

Hampshire

PO10 7AL

There is a car park at the rear of the restaurant. The Coastliner 700 bus from Brighton to Portsmouth stops just a few yards from Spice Village.

Tel. 01243 379222 or 01243 389333

www.spice-village.co.uk

Feed Caffe, Portsmouth

Feed is a tiny cafe situated under the railway on a stretch of road between two entrances to Gunwharf Quays. I wouldn't have given it a second look had I not found out that it was owned by the same company as the Olivo restaurant in Ryde, Isle of Wight, that had impressed me so much. It had to be worth trying.

My first visit to Feed was at 1pm on a weekday during school holidays, and the place was encouragingly busy. I sat down at the only vacant small table, noticing that the wooden tables and chairs were reminiscent of those at Olivo. A waitress brought me a menu, simply printed on an A4 sheet of white paper, along with a separate sheet for the day's specials. Sausage casserole had, she told me, run out, which was a shame as the sausages at Feed come from Buckwells, Southsea's best butcher. I ordered an orange juice (£1.55) and started to look at the menu.

Feed offers a surprisingly good choice of food whether you want breakfast, a sandwich, a hearty cooked meal or afternoon tea. Breakfasts range from toast and toppers (£3.50) to full English (£5.95) or the Mighty Meaty Feed Breakfast (£7.50) for those with a huge desire for protein. There are three varieties of omelette with which you could have chips and salad or toast and beans (or even toast and chips). Extras can be ordered, for example black pudding (£1.50), baguette (£1.20) or mushrooms (80p).

If burgers are your thing, there are five different choices including a spicy Mexican bean burger (£5.95) and a lamb and mint burger in a toasted ciabatta (£6.95); all are served with chips, coleslaw and mayonnaise. Jacket spuds come with a small salad garnish, homemade coleslaw and butter. Most fillings are £4.75, but the prawn Marie Rose as well as the sausage and bean toppings cost a pound or so more.

Baguettes, sandwiches and wraps are served with coleslaw and diced potato. They range from bacon (£3.50) to prawn Marie Rose (£4.95). The only vegetarian choice is Cheddar cheese and onion (£3.95). If you don't think one of these will satisfy your appetite, you could go for the Feed club sandwich (£7.25), a toasted one with chicken, ham, cheese, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, mustard and mayonnaise, served with coleslaw and diced potato.

For children there is a Little Fillers Menu. The price of £3.95 includes a drink, and the choices of food are full English breakfast, classic burger, sausage with chips and beans, ham or cheese sandwich with diced potatoes, or two slices of toast with either bacon, eggs or beans.

I considered ordering from the special menu where I liked the sound of the chicken and mushroom tortelloni more than the spicy chicken fajita, but in the end I decided on a veggie breakfast (£5.95). With two veggie sausages, an egg, fried diced potatoes, mushrooms, griddled tomato and toast, this sounded very filling. I only had to wait a few minutes until this was served. It was well presented and looked appetising; my only reservations were that brown or wholemeal toast had not been offered, and no alternative was given to a fried egg. Given the choice, I would have had wholemeal toast and scrambled egg. Portions were generous except for the tomato. The diced potatoes were very small and beautifully crisp, and the button mushrooms had also been sliced into small pieces. The veggie sausages were cooked to perfection. Everything was hot and tasted very good. Had I not had a long walk that morning I might have struggled to finish the veggie breakfast.

Feed do a selection of homemade cakes that sit tantalisingly in the window, but there was no way I could have found room for a slice that day. It will be a good excuse to go back one afternoon and decided whether to be vaguely healthy and go for carrot cake or indulge in coffee and walnut. I also resisted the temptation to try Feed's coffee. As well as espressos, lattes and cappuccinos, they serve hot chocolate with cream and mallows, Earl Grey tea, and a variety of Twining's flavoured teas.

Feed is actually situated in one of a number of arches underneath the railway line. Because of this, it has a curved ceiling and walls, as though you were in a short tunnel. The walls are exposed brickwork, and I realise that some people may be put off that this is a very small and not very stylish eatery. Others, however, will appreciate the originality of the setting and prefer Feed to the chain restaurants and the crowds of Gunwharf Quays.

My bill came to £7.50 to which I added a tip. Several young waitresses were on hand at Feed, and they were welcoming, friendly and efficient, just as they had been at Olivo in Ryde. I was alone yet did not feel uncomfortable in any way.

There is just one unisex toilet at Feed with a rather strange folding door that closes with a hook. Other than black grouting between the tiles, it was clean; turning the tap on and off, however, was almost beyond me as there wasn't anything much to get hold of! I had to tell one of the waitresses that I hadn't been able to turn it off properly and she kindly said she would see to it.

This is obviously a much smaller and simpler place than Olivo Restaurant in Ryde, but it nevertheless had a similar feel to it. The food was very good, and the place does seem popular despite the competition from Gunwharf Quays. I believe Feed is open until about 7.30pm, and it is in an ideal location for anyone visiting Portsmouth Historic Dockyard or for those who want to get away from the crowds at the shops. It may not have the views of the eateries at the waterfront, but it offers good food and a welcoming atmosphere that is genuinely refreshing.

Feed Caffe

Arch No. 7

The Hard

Portsmouth

PO1 4DT

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre

Havant Arts Centre and Museum have recently combined to form The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre in this small Hampshire town. Situated on East Street, the centre is easily recognisable because of the curvaceous pieces of sculpture by Ben Barrell that stand in the courtyard.

The box office is to the right of the main entrance, and ahead is the light and spacious Sadler Gallery where temporary exhibitions by local artists are held. There are tables and chairs so that you can sit and enjoy the works of art while sampling the fare of the Spring Cafe. The cafe is open from 9.30am until 3pm every day except Sunday; lunch is served between 11.30am and 2.30pm. Everything except the savoury tart with a large salad is under £5. The cafe does also serve cooked meals before evening shows at the centre, but you need to book by noon the day before the show.

I arrived just before 11am on a Tuesday and was surprised at how busy the cafe was. A large group of people, mainly senior citizens, had gathered to set off on an hour's walk, so when they left at 11 o'clock the place was much quieter. I ordered a cappuccino (all coffee is fair trade) and a slice of low-fat carrot cake and settled myself at a table near the bar from where I still had a good view of some of the works of art on show. Just to my left was a small area beyond the Sadler Gallery dedicated to a coastal heritage display focusing on the local harbours of Langstone and Chichester. Young children will enjoy the colourful feelie boxes here as well as the sea anemones in two tanks on the opposite wall.

Within the gallery area are several glass cabinets of jewellery, ceramics and textiles that are for sale. These would make beautiful and original gifts, so the centre is an excellent place to come for Christmas shopping or birthday presents. The art in the Sadler Gallery is sometimes for sale but prices can of course be high. The 'Affordable Art Gallery' exhibits works of art that are at more modest prices. At the time of writing there is a series of black-and-white photographs of Hayling Island by Stuart Burnes that were selling at £40 each.

Between the Sadler Gallery and the coastal heritage display are two showcases for private collections of local people. At the time of my visit they were inhabited by Isabel Baron's charming teddy bears that date back fifty years. Any local person can apply to put a collection on show at the centre.

Leaving the galleries and cafe area behind, I went through to the museum which houses a permanent collection. The local theme of the centre is continued here, and I was fascinated to find the works of a clock formerly at St Faith's Church in Havant ticking away. Railway enthusiasts will be interested by the showcase that remembers the days when there was a train service from Havant to Hayling Island known as the Hayling Billy line. You can enter a small room that has been set up as a 1950's kitchen in the Leigh Park housing estate that is part of Havant. There is no refrigerator here, just a pantry, and washing was done in a top-loading boiler.

At the far end of the museum is a research room, but this was cordoned off at the time of my visit. It obviously had a good supply of box files on the shelf. It has two computers with Internet access for research as well as a collection of local maps.

Walking back through the museum area I finally visited the Oyster Gift Shop which, like the makers' cabinets in the galleries, sells jewellery, ceramics and textiles by local artists. I bought some beautiful greetings cards there and would consider making a special journey in the autumn for Christmas shopping.

The Spring Centre does of course have a theatre for dance, music, comedy, film and theatrical productions, including shows specially for children. On Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th April 2010, for example, there is a jazz weekend, and towards the end of April the Bench Theatre will be putting on eight performances of Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible'. On the afternoon of 15th May there will be a musical adaptation of David McKee's 'Elmer the Elephant'. The theatre has easy access for wheelchairs and there is a disabled toilet as well as baby-changing facilities. Tickets can be booked at the box office in person, by telephone or online via the Spring's website.

A number of classes are run at the centre for the local community, including drawing, yoga, music and various types of dancing. There are also several classes in theatre and dance especially for young people; most of these last one hour and are held between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays. Children's workshops are usually organized during school holidays as well.

Details of all the activities are available on the centre's website at www.thespring.co.uk , where you can download the Spring's latest brochure.

The Spring is just a few minutes' walk from Havant railway station, and the 700 bus service from either Portsmouth or Brighton stops right outside the centre. It is a vibrant place that is definitely worth a visit by anyone interested in the arts or local history. If you live in the area make a point of going to see an exhibition or a show, or even just dropping in for a drink and finding out what's coming up in the next few weeks. I certainly enjoyed the time I spent there, and it was worth making the journey from Southsea.

The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre

56 East Street

Havant

Hampshire

PO9 1BS

Box Office 023 9247 2700

www.thespring.co.uk

Olivo Restaurant, Ryde

There are quite a few restaurants on Ryde's Union Street, but not all are serving food at 5.30pm. My son and I couldn't risk missing the last hovercraft of the day back to Southsea and we noticed that Olivo was open and seemed to have an interesting menu.

The area at the front of the restaurant has some low coffee tables and dark brown leather sofas for those just having a drink and a light bite. There are also some dining tables, but we were led through this area and seated at a small table just beside the bar. To the back was a further dining area at a slightly lower level.

When we were seated we were each given a standard menu as well as one to share showing the day's specials; as it was Sunday these included roast lamb. Olivo, however, is primarily a Mediterranean restaurant and has an excellent choice of pasta, risotto and pizza. Prices range from £7.95 for lasagne or moussaka to £11.95 for risotto Valencia (chicken, chorizo and mixed seafood with saffron rice, garlic and chili). There are fourteen varieties of pizza: a margherita is £7.25, but if you prefer a pizza without cheese you might go for an Adriatica with prawns, tomatoes, garlic, chili and fresh spinach at £9.50. Olivo also offers grills and main courses such as chicken tagine, falafel, duck, lamb, beef, venison, pork or locally caught fish. Prices in this section range from £10.95 to £14.95. We both ordered pasta, my son going for spinach and ricotta tortelloni whilst I was intrigued enough to choose the spaghetti eglefino with smoked haddock, broccoli, fresh tomatoes and a white wine sauce. I usually avoid spaghetti as I am not an expert at twirling it round a fork, but I had never come across this particular dish before and I love smoked haddock.

Olivo does also have a good selection of starters and tapas; as well as individual dishes there is a tapas tower for two consisting of meatballs, chicken wings, chorizo and pepper, patatas bravas, houmus and fried spicy calamari for £24.50. Side dishes are around £2.50 to £3.95 and include salads, vegetables and various potato dishes. Salad main meals are priced between £9 and £10 and are served with freshly baked dough balls. We contented ourselves, however, with a main course and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice each.

We waited around fifteen minutes before our food was served. The waitress asked if we would like any fresh black pepper, and I said I would. I had wondered whether the broccoli and tomato would go together as it seemed like a strange combination, but it worked. I loved the smoked haddock, which I hadn't had with pasta before, and the white wine sauce was delicious without being too rich. I often can't finish a pasta dish in a restaurant, but this was so good that I left an empty plate. My son was equally impressed with his tortelloni which was served with tomato and some fresh salad leaves on top.

Neither of us had room for dessert but we had half an hour to spare so my son ordered a hot chocolate and I asked for a decaffeinated capuccino. I never have great expectations of decaffeinated coffee, but the one I had at Olivo was perfect. It had a full flavour without being overly strong. My son said his hot chocolate was extremely good too – he was offered cream with it but declined.

Apart from the food and the coffee, I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the décor at Olivo. Tables and chairs are of a light wood which is also used in the roof alongside panels of glass. The walls are part open brickwork and part painted in a light cream colour. In two places a huge roll of brown paper was fixed high up on the wall, and the end was pulled down so that a list of cocktails could be written out. There are large candles on each table, and one or two floral displays add colour to the restaurant. When we arrived Spanish music was playing which switched to Nitin Sawhney later on.

I was so impressed with the restaurant that I asked one of the waitresses if it existed only on the Isle of Wight. She told us that there had been a branch in Newport (Isle of Wight) for about four years and that the one in Ryde was just coming up to its first birthday. She also said that there is an Olivo restaurant in London, but that it is much more upmarket than the ones on the Isle of Wight. When I said that it was a shame there was no Olivo in Portsmouth, she told us that the company has a cafe called Feed in the Gunwharf Quays area, so I shall definitely be tracking that down.

Our bill came to just over £28 to which we added a tip. The service had been faultless as it was polite, welcoming and extremely efficient.

The main toilets are down a few steps but there is a disabled toilet on the same level as the main dining area. There were two ladies' toilets that were self contained with handbasins, and a vase of fresh flowers added a beautiful touch.

The restaurant is open from 8am and the full menu is served from midday. On weekdays during term time Olivo offers an 'After School Family Feast' from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. The price is £10 for adults and £6 for children under the age of sixteen. There are five choices of main course, most of which come with a bowl of salad and some with garlic bread as well. Included is a soft drink for children and a glass of house wine for adults. I haven't heard of this idea before and wonder if it will catch on in other places.

I have to say that this is one of the best Italian meals I've ever had, and I enjoyed the whole experience of dining at Olivo. I have no reservations in recommending the restaurant, and only wish there were more branches on the mainland. It caters for those just wanting a sandwich or a pastry and a hot drink as well as those wanting a three-course meal. Young children are obviously made to feel welcome here, and high chairs are available. If you are in Ryde, I would definitely suggest finding the time to visit Olivo.

Olivo

32-33 Union Street

Ryde

Isle of Wight

PO33 2LE

Tel. 01983 611118

www.olivorestaurant.com

Piccolino Restaurant, Bristol

Piccolino is an Italian restaurant on Broad Weir in Bristol's Cabot Circus shopping area. We arrived there about 5pm one Saturday afternoon, which was certainly a quiet time. There were five of us, and while final preparations were made to our table our coats were taken and all put together on one hanger. We were given an identifying plastic disc for their retrieval.

Our table was a round one by a floor-to-ceiling window; there were several tables just outside on the pavement but they weren't being used as there had been several heavy showers of rain during the day. The tables are black with a marble effect and are laid in a functional and stylish way with linen napkins, but there are no floral decorations. Chairs are comfortable with green padded seats and backrests. At the back of the restaurant the food is prepared in an open kitchen; unfortunately I was sitting with my back to it so I missed out on the preparation. There is a further dining area upstairs as well as a private function room.

Menus for starters, main courses and wine are presented on a single laminated A3 size sheet. Various choices of bread are priced between £3.50 and £4.50. Antipasti, or starters, range from olives at £3.35 to carpaccio at £8.85; there are a couple of vegetarian choices as well as mussels and squid. We all agreed that we would forego starters and content ourselves with a main course.

A waitress soon came to take our drinks order. I ordered a pineapple juice that actually tasted more like mixed tropical juice, but it was pleasant enough. The other four decided to share a bottle of wine and chose the Sicilian Grecanico Roccamora for £14.25. This was a dry white wine which everyone approved of.

Main courses start with either mozzarella or Caesar salad. The Al Forno (oven-baked) section includes fish, chicken, duck and pasta dishes ranging in price from £9 to £17.55. Chargrill and pan choices start with a burger for £9 and go all the way up to skewered king prawns, scallops and swordfish for £16.25. Two steaks are offered: a 10-oz rib-eye at £17.75 or an 8-oz fillet steak at £20.50. Two of our party chose from the pizza section. One went for the rustica (£10) which has roast Mediterranean vegetables and goat's cheese with rocket, basil pesto and parmesan toppings. The other chose pollo parmigiano (£10): chargrilled chicken, buffalo mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, torn basil and shaved parmesan are the toppings. Another two ordered fresh pasta, which is made with organic durum wheat and free-range eggs. The choices were fusilli with smoked salmon, peas, asparagus, spinach leaves and lemon and herb mascarpone (£11) and penne all'arrabiata with spicy sausage, roasted red peppers and tomato sauce (£9.50). I picked a zucca risotto with roast pumpkin, Italian smoked bacon and gorgonzola cheese (£10). My son had originally asked for a salsiccia risotto with Italian sausage, braised fennel and tarragon (£10), but the waitress apologised that this was no longer available as they had been extremely busy at lunch time. Side dishes of various vegetables, chips, mash, salad and so on are priced between £3.10 and £3.50. We didn't feel the need to order any of these.

While we were waiting for our food serrated knives were brought for those having pizza, and all the extra cutlery was removed as we had not ordered starters. It was about fifteen minutes before our main courses were served. Freshly grated parmesan was offered, but my younger son was the only one who decided to have some on his penne pasta. This had plenty of tomato sauce, but the spicy sausage seemed quite hard to spot amongst the pasta. The pizzas were large with thin bases; toppings looked very generous. My risotto came with two small, crisp rashers of bacon crossed on top. It didn't look like the most exciting dish, but it certainly wasn't lacking on flavour. I love the bite of gorgonzola cheese, and the pumpkin was a more subtle flavour that complemented this well. The rice was cooked to a firm consistency that is perfect for a risotto. The male members of the group polished off every bit of their pizzas and pasta, but my younger son's girlfriend and I were both beaten before reaching the end of our pasta and risotto dishes. We all agreed that the food was excellent.

Desserts are rather on the pricey side, but I can't comment on the quality as we did not sample them. Ice creams and sorbets are all £5.15. Other choices include tiramisu, panna cotta, fig and pear tart or chocolate fudge pudding; the most expensive one is vanilla cheesecake with citrus blueberries at £6.45. You could share six chocolate truffles for £3.35 as a cheaper alternative if you didn't have room for a full dessert.

There is a disabled toilet on the ground floor, but the main toilets are on the upper floor. The ladies was very clean and well appointed. Hand cream was supplied alongside the liquid soap dispensers.

Our bill came to just over £72, to which we added a tip. A service charge of ten per cent is added automatically for groups of six or more people. The service was very good – polite and efficient – although nobody came to ask if everything was to our satisfaction while we were eating.

Piccolino is certainly superior to the usual Italian chain restaurants, but also of course more expensive. Its location is a very central one, and we walked there from the harbourside in about fifteen minutes. There is no shortage of restaurants to choose from in the Cabot Circus area, but if you like good Italian food Piccolino is definitely worth a visit.

Opening hours are from 11.30am until 11.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 11.30am until 10.30pm on Sunday.

Broad Weir

Cabot Circus

Bristol

BS1 3BZ

Tel. 0117 929 3255

www.piccolinorestaurants.co.uk

Bollywood Indian Restaurant

Osborne Road in Southsea is known locally as Restaurant Row, yet I have only been to two or three of these eateries. Early one Saturday evening my son and I wandered along, looking at various menus. He insisted I make the final decision, and I picked Bollywood. Its exterior isn't at all appealing, but the menu looked interesting and a review from the local paper in the window showed that it was deemed worthy of four stars for food.

We went in and found that apart from one group of half a dozen or so people, the restaurant was empty. We were shown to a table for four further back, as there didn't seem to be any tables for two. I appreciated the fact that the young waiter didn't hand me the menu until I had taken off my coat and sat down.

While we were studying the menu, the waiter came to ask if we would like any poppadoms. We ordered three as well as a fruit juice each. The poppadoms were served with generous portions of onions, minted yoghurt, mango chutney and another kind of chutney that I was unable to identify. The fruit juice came without ice, but I personally prefer it that way.

Bollywood's menu is an extensive one offering the usual varieties of curry such as dansak, korma, korai, biriani, rogan josh, jalfrezi, vindaloo and so on. There are several fish curries, but other than prawn the type of fish is not specified. Several vegetarian options are available. For just under £11 you can have a starter (choice of two), any main dish other than king prawns, a side dish and rice. Bangladeshi dishes are listed on a separate page. For those who aren't keen on curry but are perhaps part of a group who are, there are steaks and omelettes to choose from. I enquired as to what exactly the Bollywood special biriani consisted of, but the mixture of lamb, chicken and prawn with omelette sounded like a strange combination. I decided on duck dansak, which is served with pilau rice. My son was sufficiently intrigued to order the chicken makhonwala dish – the meat is cut into long strips and marinated before being cooked with spices. It is served in a sauce with fresh cream and nuts, topped with tomato. We decided that we would share my pilau rice and also ordered a peshwari naan bread to share.

After we had finished our poppadoms, a hot plate was brought for the dansak and makhonwala, which were served in white oval porcelain dishes. The makhonwala certainly looked unusual and appetising. I tried a little of the sauce with some naan bread; it was delicious and quite mild. My son was definitely impressed by his choice. My dansak was a very good, medium hot sauce, but one or two pieces of the duck were less than tender. Other than that I enjoyed it. The pilau rice and peshwari naan were both more than satisfactory.

The waiting staff did not hurry to clear our plates after we had finished. We decided against dessert and asked for the bill. It came to £24.50 to which we added a tip as the service had been polite and efficient. The waiters were all very young and looked as though they hadn't been cutting back on rice and naan bread.

Bollywood is comfortable but not particularly stylish. There is no shortage of cinema posters alongside one or two modest works of art, but the décor on the whole seems a little tired and uninspiring. Bollywood music is of course playing non-stop, thankfully not so loud as to interfere with conversation.

Before leaving I visited the ladies which is on the ground floor. Again, it was not sumptuously decorated but clean enough and well supplied with soap, paper towels and toilet tissue. It might just about be accessible by someone in a wheelchair, but the corridors are quite narrow.

When we left, one of the waiters held the door open for us as he thanked us and said goodbye. It's not a foregone conclusion that that will happen.

Apart from one or two pieces of duck being rather tough, we felt that the food at Bollywood was excellent. There are three Indian restaurants on Osborne Road, the other two being Spice Merchants and the Jewel in the Crown. I have yet to visit the Jewel in the Crown, but my son was adamant that Bollywood's cuisine is superior. He felt, however, that Spice Merchants is the best of the three as it scores highly for both cuisine and stylish surroundings. Service is very good at both restaurants.

When we left at around 7.30pm Bollywood was empty, but the night was still young. I wouldn't recommend the duck, but the makhonwala is an unusual dish to find on a menu and I would be very tempted to try it one day. If you like good Indian food at reasonable prices and can't get enough of Bollywood music, this is a restaurant worth visiting. It is just a stone's throw from Southsea common and Palmerston Road shopping precinct. You might be lucky enough to find a parking spot on Osborne Road itself.

36 Osborne Road

Southsea

PO5 3LT

Tel. 023 9275 4888

The Brasserie No. 8 Kings Road

I had long wanted to visit the Brasserie No. 8 King's Road in Southsea, having been fascinated by the sight of the huge chandeliers inside this Grade II listed building that had formerly housed a bank. The opportunity finally came one Saturday evening in early March. I hadn't celebrated my birthday in January because of the snow and a sprained wrist, and my sister-in-law had her birthday coming up the following week, so we decided a family dinner was in order.

On the previous Monday I rang Brasserie No. 8 to reserve a table for five at 7.30pm on the Saturday. We were advised to arrive promptly as they had thirty guests coming at 8pm and wanted to be able to take our order before that. I was the last of the family to arrive and I was escorted to the upper level by the gentleman who checked my reservation. The upper level is actually like a balcony from which you can look down on the ground floor and also admire the two chandeliers that are quite stunning. As you enter the restaurant there is a bar to the left and two beautiful floral arrangements, one of which I still had a good view of from upstairs. At the far end stands a grand piano, and I understand there is often entertainment on a Friday evening.

We had a table at the end of the balcony and were lucky that the smaller table next to us remained unoccupied throughout the evening. The tables have a marble effect and there is a reddish-purple runner along the middle that matches the colour of the walls. Cutlery is stylishly tucked into a fold in the linen napkins, and red candles are held in tall, slender glass candlesticks. As I was the last to arrive, menus had already been brought to our table. The waitress soon came to ask if we would like olives, bread and tapenade while we studied the menu, and she brought three servings of these(£2.75 each). My brother was in a hurry for a gin and tonic (£4.10 altogether) but I decided to stick with orange juice (£1.50). My sister-in-law, my son and his partner ordered a bottle of Australian Shiraz to share (£14.75).

I didn't want to spoil my appetite with the olives and bread, but my sister-in-law persuaded me to try the tapenade, which was pureed red peppers with slices of garlic. It was certainly very good. We decided not to order from the full starter menu which included beetroot and goat's cheese tart with mixed leaves and hazelnut dressing (£5.95) or pan-fried scallops with black pudding and raisin caper gribiche (£7.95). Out of a total of seven choices, three were vegetarian.

We began to look at the main courses, of which there were again just seven. My son and I both chose corn fed guinea fowl chorizo and pistachio ballentine served with sweet potato dauphinoise (£16.95) after listening to the waitress's description of the dish. My sister-in-law order the grilled fillet of beef with creamed wild mushrooms, sweet potato fondant and madeira sauce (£18.95) with a side order of creamed leaf spinach (£2.95). My brother and my son's partner both decided on duck breast accompanied by braised cabbage, prune and apple compote and Calvados sauce (£18.95) with a side order of creamed potatoes (£2.95). Lamb and brill were also on the menu, but there was only one vegetarian option – spiced feta samosas with roasted vegetables (£13.95).

It wasn't too long a wait before the main courses were served. The guinea fowl chorizo was beautifully presented, with two thick diagonal slices standing on end on a bed of spinach alongside a square of sweet potato dauphinoise. The meat was very tender and the pistachio filling added an interesting texture and flavour. I'm not usually a great fan of sweet potato, but I loved it in the dauphinoise form. The dish was finished off with a sauce which I think may have been madeira.

The beef and duck were equally well appreciated, and when we had finished the waitress commented on how clean our plates were. Such food is far too good to waste.

We sometimes find that restaurants serve the main course promptly and then tend to forget that their customers perhaps can't wait hours before ordering desserts. At No. 8, however, the waitress brought dessert menus not long after we had finished the main course. All desserts, including cheese, are £5.95. My sister-in-law and I both picked the pineapple tarte tatin with cardamon yoghurt ice-cream. My brother and my son both ordered cherry bakewell tart with kirsch and almond ice-cream. My son's partner decided he still had room for steamed chocolate fudge pudding with blood orange jelly and white chocolate ice-cream. Vanilla panacotta is also on the menu. At this point my brother also ordered a Budweiser (£3).

The tarte tatin was not the most impressive one to look at, but it was not lacking in taste or appetising smell. The pastry base was sweet and the pineapple fruity of course, but the cardamon ice cream had a fragrance and was not sugary. A perfect balance of flavours. The cherry bakewell tart looked amazing, served with a crescent-shaped wafer that curled up in the air from under the ice cream. My son's partner found the chocolate pudding very filling, but he did enjoy it. The jelly came in a slender glass with the ice-cream resting on top.

No. 8 offers a range of coffees and teas as well as hot chocolate, but none of us felt the need to order a hot drink.

Our bill came to £160.95 to which a 12.5% service charge of £20.12 was added, making a total of £181.07. Friday and Saturday evenings are the most expensive times to dine at No. 8, as there is no set menu offers on either of those evenings.

Brasserie No. 8 may seem to be in a slightly isolated location, but it is in fact in walking distance of Southsea's Palmerston Road shopping precinct, Southsea common, Gunwharf Quays and Portsmouth and Southsea station. It is barely two minutes from Portsmouth City Museum and the university is very close at hand. We all live in walking distance of the restaurant, so I can't give information about parking. Bus services 1 and 40 run along Kings Road, while the 5 and the 23 stop close by.

The restaurant is open every day for lunch from 12 noon until 3pm (Sundays until 5pm). It is open in the evenings every day except Sunday from 6.30pm until 9.30pm. (The bar closes at midnight.) A two-course set menu is available at lunchtime for £9.50 per head. Otherwise prices for lunch main courses range from £5.95 for a classic club sandwich to £12.95 for grilled sirloin steak. For Sunday lunch there is a different menu including three choices of roast as well as sea bass or pumpkin risotto cakes. From Monday to Thursday you can 'dine with wine' from a set menu in the evening; two courses are £17.95 a head, whereas three courses are £21.95.

There is a ramp over the two steps up to the front door and toilets are situated on the ground floor, so disabled access is not a problem.

Although some people would be unhappy about the addition of the service charge to the bill and others not satisfied by the limited vegetarian options, I feel I have to award five stars to Brasserie No. 8. The five of us all agreed that it was definitely the best culinary experience we have had in either Portsmouth or Southsea. We also felt that the setting itself and the design of the interior were unique and very special. The service was hard to fault, and other than one sticky menu cover the standard of cleanliness was extremely high. I hope I will be able to return to No. 8 King's Road, although I would be happy to go for the set menu on a weekday evening or for lunch. I heartily recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Southsea or Gunwharf Quays as an alternative to local chain restaurants.

The Brasserie 8 Kings Road

Southsea

PO5 3AH

Tel. 023 9285 1698

email: info@brasserie8kingsroad.co.uk

www.brasserie8kingsroad.co.uk