Sakura Japanese Restaurant, Southsea

Portsmouth and Southsea waited a long time for the first Japanese restaurant to appear on the scene; rumour had it that Wagamama would finally be opening a branch in Gunwharf Quays, but suddenly, towards the end of 2009, the independent Sakura found a gap amongst the eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants of Southsea's Albert Road.

Even though Sakura is only a few minutes' walk from where I live, it took us until one Saturday afternoon in late January to decide to go and have a late lunch there. It looked tiny from the outside and perhaps not very impressive, but we had a look at the menu in the window and felt it sounded interesting so in we went, through the double doors. It was just before 2pm and I was surprised how busy the place was. What turned out to be a party of people celebrating a birthday filled a large part of the left-hand side, whilst smaller groups were seated at individual tables in the partitioned area down the right-hand side. We asked for a table for three, and a waitress led us up a couple of steps to a small area at the back in front of the bar, where there were just two tables. I was glad that it was a little quieter there. One long seat upholstered in red ran along the wall and my son and his partner sat there. I found the chairs on the opposite side to be very comfortable. The other table in this area was vacant when we arrived, but a gentleman on his own came and sat there after a while.

The table was empty except for a bottle of soya sauce when we sat down, but a waitress soon brought place mats, red paper napkins, chop sticks and menus for us. The place mats were laminated and showed the selection of sushi on offer as well as advertising Asahi beer. The menu pages were also laminated. Our drinks order was soon taken; we weren't quite in the mood for sake that day so we order two pineapple juices and an orange juice (£1.50 each). Then we studied the menu. Although I love Japanese food I haven't yet persuaded myself to try raw fish, so that eliminated a fair number of choices for me. My son's partner and I both felt the lure of the yaki udon dishes, which are thick noodles made from wheat flour, wok-fried and served with oyster sauce, green peppers, beansprouts, carrot, onion and Chinese leaves. Red ginger and fried garlic are added before serving as a garnish. My son's partner chose the yaki udon with chicken (£6.80) while I went for the seafood yaki udon with scallop, squid, mussels, shrimps and fish cake (£7.20).

Unlike me, my son is a big fan of sushi but locally has had to content himself with the offerings of Marks and Spencer and the Co-op. Not exactly the real thing. Raw fish is acceptable to him, so he ordered salmon rolls (£3.30) alongside tamago nigiri (egg sushi, £1.80) and oshinko maki (rolls with yellow pickles, £3.00). You could of course order one type of sushi as a starter rather than several as a main meal: there were six each of the salmon and pickle rolls and two of the egg rolls, which were bigger.

I can't list the whole menu here, but there are also rice-based dishes and yaki soba dishes, which are based on noodles thinner than the udon variety. Salads are priced between £3.50 and £5.20. There are thirty-six choices of side dishes, ranging from miso soup (£1.60) to grilled eel with teriyaki sauce (£7.20). Set meals go from £10.80 up to £14.30; most of them are fish based but there is one with stir fried beef in sauce, calamari, vegetable rolls, miso soup, rice, salad and pickles.

Soon after we had ordered, a waitress brought a small rectangular ceramic dish which she said went with the sushi: you pour soya sauce into it and then dip the rolls in the sauce. The sushi was brought not long after that. It is served with wasabi (very spicy) and ginger. My son put a little wasabi on top of a roll and dipped it in the sauce before tasting it. He immediately said it was wonderful – worlds away from the supermarket offerings he has had to make do with.

A few minutes later the yaki udon dishes arrived. The servings were very generous and came on slightly irregularly shaped plates that had an old-fashioned look with their floral decorations. The food definitely had more of a home-made feel about it than similar dishes served in Wagamama. I loved the variety of flavours in my seafood yaki udon; there were thin slices of fish cake, tiny prawns, a couple of whole mussels and some pieces of squid that took some finding among the bean sprouts, green peppers and Chinese leaves. I particularly loved the fresh taste of the ginger that came through all the other flavours. I should perhaps mention that no cutlery is offered as an alternative to chopsticks and eating udon noodles with chopsticks is an art I have yet to master fully, but somehow I managed. It was, however, such a large serving that I couldn't quite finish it. The chicken yaki udon was definitely approved of, so no complaints from any of us.

My son and his partner finished eating before I did and their plates were cleared away very quickly. They were asked if they would like to order more drinks, which they did. When I finally laid down my chopsticks it was a while until the waitress came to take my plate, so at least we weren't made to feel that we had to leave immediately. In actual fact by about three o'clock the place was very quiet, but when we came to pay our bill we found that a twenty per cent discount is given up until 2pm. Since the receipt showed our order time as 2.07pm, it was very generous of Sakura to have given us the discount. It does, however, explain why things had quietened down by the time we left.

We didn't have room for dessert after our huge main courses, but there isn't really a great deal of choice in that area. Other than mango fritters in syrup, there are just several types of ice cream (including green tea flavour), some at £3.50 and some at £4.00.

Our bill came to £29.70 for three main meals and five glasses of fruit juice, but after the discount we only had to pay £23.80 – just under £8.00 a head. We calculated the tip on the full amount as we had loved the food and felt the service was also excellent. The waitresses, in their kimono-style tops over trousers, were polite, friendly and very efficient.

I particularly appreciated sitting near the bar at the back and enjoying the typically Japanese décor with lanterns, cherry blossom, plump ceramic cats and and a row of Geisha girl figurines dancing along a high shelf. In the main area there is a series of Japanese masks along the wall. One amusing touch was a pair of tiny curtains adorning the door of the ladies' toilet. (Spotlessly clean, I have to say, just lacking in paper towels.) The only surprising thing was that western music was played throughout the hour we were there. The atmosphere is very relaxed: at one point I looked round our partition into the main area and noticed a little girl standing on a seat and poking chopsticks into her mother's hair! Nobody seemed to mind.

We were given a very friendly goodbye as we left along with 'See you next time,' to which I replied 'I'm sure you will!' We've waited a long time, but now it's just a hop, skip and a jump down the road to a delightful and inexpensive restaurant. If you are in the area, Sakura is slightly north of the King's Theatre on the opposite side of the road. It would be ideal for a pre-theatre dinner, unless of course you can go for lunch and take advantage of the discount. Wagamama may well be opening in Gunwharf Quays, but it will take something special to dissuade me from returning to Sakura when I feel in the mood for some Japanese cuisine.

Sakura also have a takeaway service.

Opening hours:

Monday to Thursday 12 noon – 2.30pm and 5.30pm – 11pm

Friday and Saturday 12 noon – 11.30pm

Sunday 12 noon – 10.30pm

Sakura Restaurant/Takeaway

9 Albert Road

Southsea

PO5 2SE

Tel. 023 9275 1103 / 023 9275 6277

D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery

Southsea's D-Day Museum is dedicated to the events leading to the invasion of Normandy by the Allied Forces on 6th June 1944 and the invasion itself. The museum is appropriately situated close to the sea front, next to the somewhat older Southsea Castle. Opposite the museum stands a statue of Lord Montgomery, and just outside are two examples of tanks used during World War II, a statue of a dejected soldier, and a 3.7 inch anti-aircraft gun.

Entrance to the museum is through automatic sliding glass doors; just inside is the reception desk where tickets are sold. I visited in January 2010, at which time local residents were granted free admission on production of a library card. I presume this was to encourage visitors during the low season, although we did in fact notice a fair number of people buying tickets that Saturday afternoon.

Turning left, you enter a circular hall where the impressive Overlord Embroidery is displayed. An audio guide to the embroidery is available in either English, French or German, or you can content yourself with the information written beneath each panel in the same three languages. The embroidery was designed by Sandra Lawrence and was made at the Royal College of Needlework, taking twenty people five years to complete. Each panel measures 2.4 by 0.9 metres, and the entire creation is even longer than the Bayeux Tapestry. It is a combination of applique and embroidery in which actual materials from uniforms of the armed forces have been used. The embroidery tells the story of Operation Overlord, covering a period from 1940 through to 1944. It is a unique representation of the battles, the bombing, the meetings of the leaders of the Allied Forces, the landings on the Normandy beaches. Aircraft, ships, soldiers and the occasional civilian (even a woman with curlers and a hair net) feature in this wonderful piece of artwork that in itself warrants a visit to the museum.

In the centre of the Overlord Embroidery hall is a small theatre where a thirteen-minute film centring on World War II and including archive footage is shown at intervals. Beside the door a clock shows how long it will be until the next showing, and announcements are made shortly before the film is to be shown too. Personally I enjoyed the fact that the embroidery area was quiet while the film was being shown and it was a delight to be able to walk around and have an unobstructed view of each panel.

On leaving the Overlord Embroidery gallery, you can then enter the area of the museum devoted to Britain at War. Photographs, maps, posters and explanatory information are admirably displayed alongside showcases with items ranging from uniforms, weapons, the contents of a soldier's kit bag and supplies carried by nurses to treat the wounded. The experience is brought to life through a number of dioramas that show, for example, a soldier in a forest camp at night, a woman working in a factory, or Churchill, Eisenhower and Roosevelt pouring over their plans. Every so often the air raid siren sounds, but the atmosphere becomes more relaxed as 'Music while you work' is played in the factory. As you near the end of this area of the museum, you find a tank emerging from the carcass of a crashed aircraft, with wounded soldiers lying on the ground. Children are likely to be fascinated by the vehicles in the final hall, which include an LCVP landing craft and a Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle tank.

One small section of the museum focuses on 'Portsmouth Memories'. A huge number of ships were assembled in Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent in the build-up to D-Day, and many local residents have contributed their recollections from the period to this display.

Within the main area of the museum is a small room dedicated to Holocaust Memorial Day. Seats are provided here.

There is of course a gift shop as you emerge from the exhibition area. Quality appears to have been maintained here and tacky souvenirs are thankfully absent. An extensive collection of books could be of interest, and framed prints are also available.

From April to September the museum is open from 10am until 5.30pm, and from October to March opening times are from 10am until 5pm. (The museum is closed completely on 24th, 25th and 26th December). Last entry is thirty minutes before closing time.

There is a car park with toilets just beside the museum, to the east. The museum is fully accessible for the disabled in wheelchairs. Toilets, including two for the disabled, are situated to the side of the gift shop. Coats may be left on hangers near the entrance to the museum, and bags can be deposited safely behind a screen by staff if you wish. Photography is prohibited inside the museum, but visitors are free to photograph the tanks and statues outside.

Admission is free for children under thirteen who are accompanied by an adult paying full price, which is currently £6. There are concessions as well as discounts for groups.

This is an excellent example of a specialist museum, and it is in fact the only one in the United Kingdom devoted solely to D-Day and Operation Overlord. It is well worth visiting if you are in the area; those holidaying in Southsea and blighted by poor weather could easily enjoy a couple of hours here. For children studying World War II at school, the exhibits will bring it alive for them. I thoroughly recommend a visit.

D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery

Clarence Esplanade

Southsea

PO5 3NT

www.ddaymuseum.co.uk

The Slug and Lettuce

We'd once had a late-afternoon drink in the Slug and Lettuce, and I had thought it seemed like a place that might be worth returning to for a meal one day. However, it was usually early on Saturday afternoons when we'd gone there with that intention, only to find that the place was just too crowded to consider staying. It was obviously popular which boded well, so one Saturday in July at around 11.30am we decided to see if it was quieter. Sure enough, there were people at just one or two tables by the window, and we had plenty of options to choose from. The sofas and armchairs near the front of the pub looked more comfortable than the higher seats further back, and we chose a low table with a sofa on either side.

There were several menus on the table already, so we began studying them. I was quite surprised when a waitress came to ask us if we would like to order drinks, as I had expected to have to go up to the bar to order. We each asked for a fruit juice and then carried on looking at the food menu. There seemed to be plenty of choice, from sandwiches and wraps to burgers, salads (even one with fish cakes) and main courses. We considered chicken wraps or steak sandwiches, and a sausage sandwich with red onion for under £4 sounded quite interesting. Then I noticed the full English breakfasts, something I never cook for myself and hadn't had since I stayed in a guest house last summer. I'm not a vegetarian but I liked the sound of beans and sauteed potatoes in the vegetarian version rather than the sausages and bacon of the standard version. We ordered one of each, and asked for our eggs to be scrambled and for the toast to be made with brown bread. Tea or coffee is included in the price (£6.75 for the sausage-and-bacon version and £5.75 for the vegetarian version). As we already had our fruit juices, we asked if those could be substituted but the waitress could not apparently let us off paying the extra for the juices. I'll remember for next time. My son ordered coffee, and I decided an espresso would be quite enough for me.

The coffees came after about five minutes, along with a caramelised biscuit and two sachets of sugar each – I was a little surprised that the sugar was being rationed! I didn't actually want any in my espresso, but it just seemed rather mean not to allow customers to help themselves to sugar.

There was a wait of perhaps twenty minutes for the food, but the sofa was so comfortable that I wouldn't have minded if I'd had to wait half an hour. The music was pleasant, tasteful and not too loud, but it did seem to render the broadcasting of Sky News rather pointless, unless you wanted to read the headlines running along the bottom of the screen. The other tables towards the front of the pub (with sofas or armchairs) soon began filling up. There seemed to be quite a number of babies, some in highchairs whilst others were left in their buggies, but no small children. Delightful babies they were too – I hardly heard a peep out of them all the time we were there. Perhaps the music was just the sort that keeps babies calm and happy; they must be budding Damien Rice fans judging by what I heard.

Our breakfasts arrived, along with a bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup and two individual pots of butter. My son had said that he didn't want any mushroom but he got it anyway, so I swapped it for a couple of slices of sauteed potato. As far as I'm concerned that was a good deal, but he wasn't that impressed by the potato slices. At least they were nice and hot, which is more than I can say for the scrambled egg. According to the menu the tomatoes were roasted; they were pretty warm, but they didn't really look as if they had undergone much cooking. That didn't matter to me as I love tomatoes, cooked or uncooked. My son is a big bacon fan but was not impressed by the rashers he was served on this occasion. Sausages, thankfully, were given the thumbs up. I was quite happy with my vegetarian breakfast other than the temperature of the eggs.

The waitress came to ask if we would like any more drinks, but when we declined she soon brought the bill, probably thinking that our table would be occupied as soon as we vacated it. In total we paid £15.70, which doesn't seem bad for two big breakfasts, two generous glasses of fruit juice, a filter coffee and an espresso. I have to admit I don't have a huge appetite, but I didn't eat much else later that day.

My son was quite critical of the food, but I was fairly happy and would willingly go back one day for lunch or an evening meal. I might try the fish-cake salad next time; you can have one tuna and one salmon fish cake, or two of the same variety. I noticed that from Monday to Thursday you can have a sandwich-based meal and a cold drink from a certain selection (some of which are alcoholic) for just under £6. On Sundays there is a roast – which always includes beef and chicken – for around £7.50 - £8. Desserts are priced at around £4.25 except for ice cream, which I think is £3.50. Cappuccino is served in one size only at £2.30.

I enjoyed the food and I felt that the menu offered plenty of choice at reasonable prices. The sofas were very comfortable and relaxing; the music wasn't intrusive so you could easily have a conversation. It may of course be a much noisier place when it is very crowded.

I have been back several times since my first visit, and have enjoyed the fish pie, the vegetarian lasagne (made with butternut squash) and the fish cakes with salad. Food is always half price on Mondays, and if you sign up to the Slug and Lettuce's newsletter, you will receive other discount vouchers too.

I would recommend a visit, but try to pick a time when it's not likely to be too busy. Even if you don't want to eat, it's a comfortable place to go for a drink. If you have a baby, definitely don't be put off going as the little cherubs seem to enjoy spending an hour or so here.

Spinnaker Tower Cafe-Bar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seasons Greetings

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas

Lemon Sole

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lemon Sole Seafood Restaurant

123 High Street

Old Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO1 2HW

Tel. 023 9281 1303

www.lemonsole.co.uk

Brasserie Blanc, Gunwharf Quays

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brasserie Blanc

Canalside

Gunwharf Quays

Portsmouth

PO1 3FA

Tel. 023 9289 1320

www.brasserieblanc.com