Sienna

There are not many restaurants in Britain that have a mere fourteen seats, but for Russell Brown and his wife Eléna it is just perfect, as it means that they do not need to employ many staff. Russell had gained an excellent reputation as Head Chef at Yalbury Cottage Hotel for some three and a half years, before moving on to work under Executive Chef Peter Gorton at The Horn of Plenty, one of the South West's top dining experiences.

However, he decided that he wanted to move to his own place and make it a much smaller and more personal experience; he and his wife have succeeded so magnificently that their diminutive place is absolutely packed during the season already.

Dishes at lunch could include 24 month aged Parmesan mousse with ovendried San Marzano tomatoes, fresh vine tomatoes and rocket salad followed by roast rump of Dorset lamb, egg tagliatelli with lamb ragoût, red wine and black olive jus with a millefeuille of fresh peach and mascarpone mousse with peach caramel for dessert.

Menus at dinner might feature pea, broad bean and ricotta risotto with a pea shoot salad and salted ricotta followed by confited Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with a peach and balsamic tarte tatin, warm broccoli salad and almond puree rounded off with vanilla pannacotta with strawberries and raspberries, honey foam and butter shortbread for dessert.

Lunch prices at £19.50 for two courses, or £22.50 for three, are a bargain.

After a number of anonymous inspections during 2006, in January 2007 they were awarded their third Rosette by the AA. Russell also received the accolade of being names as Restaurant Chef of the Year at the 2007 Dorset Magazine Food and Drink Awards.

For more details, visit their Website.