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

Dine at the Turtle Restaurant, Honfleur

Before visiting Honfleur, Normandy, for the day I looked at a French website to see if there were any reviews of restaurants in the town. All I found, however, was a piece of advice that recommended avoiding the restaurants on the waterfront, which it described as 'tourist traps', and seeking out a restaurant in one of the side streets. My 'Rough Guide to France' was too heavy to take along, so I copied out the names and addresses of one or two restaurants that it listed. Unsurprisingly for a fishing port, they all seemed to specialise in seafood.

We spent about an hour and a half wandering around Honfleur and were amazed at the number of restaurants there are; you are certainly spoilt for choice, and if a bucket of mussels floats your boat you are in for a treat. We stopped and looked at one or two menus, including that of La Tortue (The Turtle) on the rue de l'Homme de Bois. It seemed particularly attractive, housed in one of the many old timber-frame buildings, and the set menu prices were also appealing since we weren't looking to spend a fortune. About half an hour later we hadn't seen anywhere that took our fancy more, but weren't sure if we could find our way back. As it happened, I recognised one or two shops in the same street and it wasn't long before we were having another look at the menu outside La Tortue, which is displayed in both French and English.

Lunch is normally served between noon and 2pm in France, and when we arrived at La Tortue at around 1pm the ground floor was already full. We were shown to the upstairs dining area and had the choice of any table. Soon after that a young couple arrived and a few minutes later a party of three. All of them were French speakers. There are actually two rooms upstairs and they can be booked for business lunches or dinners; the smaller one seats ten and the larger one twenty. We were seated in the larger of the two. I have mentioned that this was a timber-frame house, as are so many of the buildings in Honfleur which date from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. It was an original touch that the exposed beams in the restaurant had been painted red in the section where we were sitting, whilst in another area they retained the natural dark colour of the wood. A great deal of thought has obviously been put into the décor at La Tortue, with oriental artefacts and ornaments such as teapots complementing more modern western works of art. There were white linen tablecloths with square red napkins that matched the colour of the wooden beams.

At lunchtime there is a set menu at 19 Euros for three courses or 14 Euros for two courses (either a starter and main course or main course and dessert) followed by coffee. We decided to go for the 14 Euro option with main course and dessert. For the main course the choice was between pork fillet, hake in creamy cider sauce, poached salmon or a seasonal vegetarian option. (The vegetarian set menu is actually 17 Euros for three courses.) We both ordered the salmon. For dessert I chose 'coussinet de pomme sauce caramel', or apple in filo pastry with caramel sauce. My son deliberated between chocolate mousse and meringue with caramel sauce and custard, eventually picking the mousse. We had seen fruit juice mentioned on the menu and were very surprised to hear that there was no apple juice, as we had walked past goodness knows how many shops selling local apple juice and cider that morning. It didn't really matter, though, and we decided on pineapple juice instead. This was 4 Euros per glass.

Drinks arrived quickly, and the waiter said he would be back with a jug of water. A small basket containing four slices of baguette was also brought. It wasn't long at all before our main courses were served, this time by a different gentleman who I think was the restaurant owner. He was very quick to take our knives and forks away and return with fish knives and forks, a rarity these days. The salmon was served with a blend of olive oil and a creamy sauce, with a small portion of white rice and another of vegetables that consisted mainly of green beans, yellow peppers and thin strips of carrot – the colours had been very carefully considered. It was absolutely delicious. The salmon was very tender and cooked to perfection, and the sauce was one of the best I have ever tasted. I resisted the temptation to have any bread as I wanted to leave room for dessert.

Our plates were cleared and shortly afterwards the desserts were served. I was a little surprised to be given a spoon, fork and knife to eat mine with, but I did in fact need the knife to cut the filo pastry at the bottom. The caramel sauce was very rich, and a sprinkling of grated pistachio nuts made an interesting touch, both visually and in terms of flavour. At least the apple made me feel not too guilty about having a dessert that probably contained quite a few calories. The chocolate mousse was served as two thin slices, artistically overlapping each other. Heaven for the taste buds, we both agreed, and beautifully presented too.

Coffee was served in tiny, tall, slender cups along with a small wrapped plain chocolate, just the kind I like. I heard a lady at another table asking if she could have a tisane instead of coffee, and this did not pose a problem.

The toilets are upstairs which would of course not be suitable for disabled people. They are, however, very clean and more modern than you might expect in such an old building!

The service was excellent, extremely efficient, and I have no complaints at all about it. After we had been given the bill, which came to 36 Euros altogether, I went downstairs and gave the waiter 40 Euros. He seemed to be about to give me some change and looked a little surprised when I said there was no need for change but I would like to keep the receipt. I had read that service is included in restaurant bills in France, but it did not actually state this and I thought it best to leave the 4 Euros anyway considering how much we had enjoyed our lunch.

After I returned home I discovered that the restaurant has its own website, and had I visited it before my trip it would have encouraged me even more to have lunch at La Tortue. There is a brief video with a commentary in French and background music by Erik Satie, who was born just a stone's throw from the restaurant. The commentary tells you that the restaurant was named La Tortue after two people who, according to legend, fell in love on Turtle Island and vowed to open a restaurant in Honfleur. The owner of the restaurant appears in the video, explaining how quickly he made the decision to buy the house and open his restaurant there. He says that he wants his clientele to feel as though they are at home there and that he has decorated it in such a way as to promote this feeling. I think he has been very successful.

I was interested to see that the dessert I chose, the coussinet de pomme sauce caramel, is mentioned on the website as being one of the specialities. Savoury specialities are said to be sea bass fillet with tomato coulis, as well as foie gras pan fried in cider vinegar. There is also a mention of the fact that a menu specially for children is available. The website states that the restaurant is included in the Michelin Guide as well as the Guide du Routard.

I would definitely recommend a visit to this restaurant if you are in Honfleur; what I cannot vouch for of course is how busy it is in the evenings and whether or not a reservation is necessary for dinner. To anyone travelling to and from Le Havre, a stop in Honfleur is a delight if you have a little time on your hands, and lunch or dinner at La Tortue will enhance your visit. I sincerely hope I have the chance to go back one day.

La Tortue

36 rue de l'Homme de Bois

14600 Honfleur

France

Open every day from April through to September. Closed on Monday evenings and all day Tuesday from October until March.

http://www.restaurantlatortue.fr/

Tel. 02 31 81 24 60

Stylish Chinese Cuisine

I can't really explain why it took me more than two years to visit Tang's Chinese restaurant which is recommended by the Michelin Guide, especially as it is only about five minutes' walk from my home. Meeting my son and his partner early one Sunday evening, I suggested that it did look worth trying. We arrived at 6pm and found the restaurant to be completely empty. Two Chinese waitresses attended to us, and one showed us to a table on one side. The décor is typically Oriental, very elegant and stylish, with a pagoda-style bar. Our table was set with side plates, chop sticks with porcelain rests, and large linen napkins folded like a fan and arranged inside wine glasses. One tablecloth was set diagonally but was removed after the main course to reveal a second one underneath.

Menus were brought and we each ordered a glass of fruit juice – apple was £1.20 and pineapple £1.50. As a starter we confined ourselves to a basket of prawn crackers (£1.50) with sweet and sour sauce. While we were waiting, one of the waitresses came and unfolded the napkins, put them on our laps for us and then removed the wine glasses. The other waitress asked if we were happy using chop sticks and took them out of their paper bags when we said yes.

For the main course we agreed that if we each ordered something different we could have a taste of each other's dishes. Tang's offers Cantonese, Peking and Szechuan cuisine. I was eyeing up the duck mains when my son's partner announced he fancied the crispy roast duck with pineapple (£8.50). I then turned my attentions to chicken with cashew nuts (£6), but of course my son said he had decided on that. Having been twice thwarted, I thought I'd have a look at the vegetarian options. Mushrooms in oyster sauce sounded tempting, and as it was only £3.50 I felt I could splash out on the special fried rice with shrimps and roast pork as a more expensive accompaniment at £4. My son and his partner both ordered soft noodles with bean sprouts (£3.50).

At almost exactly 6.30pm two elderly ladies arrived and were seated at the front of the restaurant on the opposite side. Soon after two groups each of three arrived and were also seated on the other side. I expected the place to get busier still, but by the time we left no-one else had come. I would imagine the restaurant could get crowded on a Friday or Saturday, and there is a side section through an archway that could be used if necessary. As it was we were able to have a conversation without anyone else hearing what we were saying. There is in fact a reasonable space between one table and the next.

The first item of our main course to arrive was my special fried rice which came in a delightful earthenware pot whose lid had a partial blue glaze. The rest of the food was served on oval plates, and to eat from we were given small bowls on little plates. I was particularly pleased with the special fried rice which had a few vegetables as well as the prawns and roast duck. All of us felt that the food was of a very high standard. Nobody seemed very interested in my mushrooms in oyster sauce, but I certainly enjoyed them with the rice. I did try a little of the duck and the chicken so that I would know what I might like another time; both were delicious and very tender. The noodles were equally good, but not quite as special as the rice.

The waitresses didn't come to ask us if everything was all right with our food, but as soon as they spied an empty glass they asked if another drink was required. My son and his partner each ordered another fruit juice, but one was enough for me. When we had finished eating, one of the waitresses cleared away as much as she could in one go and then began strolling round the tables again. She soon realised that she hadn't finished clearing our table and came back to do so. I made the mistake of putting my serviette on the table; it was removed along with the tablecloth and I didn't get another!

We decided that we would have a look at the dessert menu. We had noticed that there was a minimum charge of £10 per person, and without the prawn crackers my total only came to £9 thus far so that seemed like a good excuse for a dessert. My son's partner went for his favourite lemon sorbet, which is served in a scooped-out lemon. I hadn't had lychees for years and decided on the toffee version which means the fruit is coated in caramelised sugar and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. My son had never tried lychees so he ordered the apple version of the same dessert. Both the toffee lychees and the toffee apple were £3.50. We were offered ice cream with them but we both declined; I don't know if there would have been an extra charge for this. When the desserts came my son and I swapped a toffee lychee for a piece of toffee apple. I cut the lychees open, but they were still so hot that I almost burnt my mouth with the first piece. We both agreed that the toffee apple was slightly the nicer of the two. The lemon sorbet was declared to be very refreshing.

Our total bill came to £49.50, to which we added a tip. We were able to pay by debit card (but cheques are not accepted). I would say that it was a reasonable price to pay for prawn crackers, main courses, desserts and drinks, but I would nevertheless quibble with the £10 minimum charge. A vegetarian who did not require a dessert could easily end up paying extra, unless they had several drinks.

Tang's does have an 'all you can eat' offer for £14 a head (£8.50 for under twelves), but I'm not sure if this is available on Fridays or Saturdays. I don't have a huge appetite so this kind of offer is not something I would be interested in. I noticed on their take-away menu that they now have a Thai section which I don't remember seeing on the restaurant menu, but I could be wrong about that. For those who are going with a group but don't like Oriental food there is a choice of omelettes and the take-away menu offers mini steaks with accompaniments.

Tang's is unfortunately not suitable for the disabled as there are about three steps up into the restaurant. The ladies is up a flight of red-carpeted stairs at the top of which you will suddenly see yourself in two full-length mirrors. The toilets are very pink and there is a high standard of cleanliness.

I would give Tang's full marks for food, service and stylish surroundings. I would, however, have to deduct marks because of the minimum charge and also the fact that the restaurant is not disabled friendly. I certainly recommend it as the best Chinese restaurant I have experienced in Southsea. There is a very reasonably priced one on Albert Road that badly needs a face lift; the one on Osborne Road is good as a take-away according to my son and his partner, but they never see anyone in the restaurant. Tang's is a place I am sure I will return to. Elm Grove may not be the obvious choice for restaurants, but it has one or two gems. (Rosie's Vineyard is the other). It is only a stone's throw from Palmerston Road shopping precinct and roughly three-quarters of a mile from the sea front. Worth the walk.

The full menu can be seen at www.tangs-southsea.co.uk

Open Tuesday – Sunday 6pm - 11pm

Tang's Chinese Cuisine

127 Elm Grove

Southsea

PO5 1LJ

Telephone 023 9282 2722 (Restaurant)

023 9287 6000 (Take-Away)