Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Formerly the Priory of the Lady St Mary, this 16th century building located in landscaped gardens on the banks of the River Frome offers a delightful setting for an evening of gastronomic pleasure. Local produce is much in evidence. The Abbot's Cellar Restaurant provides a gently lit haven for a wide range of French and English cuisine. Start with kiln roasted salmon with whole grain mustard Chantilly and brown bread and butter. Move to cream of broccoli and Stilton soup followed by pan-fried fillet with glazed shallots and a green peppercorn and brandy cream. Desserts are generous and imaginative. Lunch can be enjoyed in the Garden Room or al fresco on the terraces. There is an elaborate and not inexpensive wine list with house wine at £14.95.

In the heart of Christchurch it is hard to imagine a much more favoured site with access to road, sea, air and town all within easy reach. Should rations have failed on the yacht just moor up at one of the hotel's private moorings, by prior arrangement, and step inside. The rest, as they say, is gastronomic.

Bar and restaurant menus draw extensively on locally sourced ingredients. Let's take a look at the menu in the Tides Restaurant with a choice from amongst around ten starters, perhaps the trio of salmon, a fresh Dorset crab, or Wiltshire rosary goat's cheese curd, golden raisin and toasted hazelnut salad and West Country cider dressing.

No surprise to find that shellfish have their own section on the menu, with the Club platter stacked with premium South Coast crustaceans and the customary accompaniments as the star of the show. The land-locked equivalent of this handsome dish, the Club mixed grill offers serious competition, or there's Dorset lamb cutlets cooked 'a la Plancha'.

Starring amongst the desserts is the hot chocolate fondant pudding with yoghurt ice cream, or a classic treacle tart with vanilla bean ice cream. Coffee is served with petit fours in best traditional style, from which you will gather that for all its modernity this is a place where things are done properly and ship-shape.

Forester Inn brings together rustic and chic elements to create an interesting and appealing contrast, where the exterior with its thatched roof quietly underplays the luxurious interior with its stone walls, warm fireplace and a superb vaulted ceiling. This 14th century Donhead inn is more like a modern day boutique hotel although loyalists will find that the image of a gastropub does sit well on Forester's even it might seem a little askew at first. Outside seating offers pretty views of the countryside and is a popular seating option in summer.

The food is of exceptional quality, a statement amply justified when faced with dishes like Serrano wrapped fillet of pork with seared foie gras, chargrilled loin of swordfish or rillets of rabbit with poached prunes. All ingredients are fresh particularly the fish, and patrons are of the opinion that the weekday set lunch menu offers great value. Real ales and beers helpfully ease your thirst and accompany the meals excellently.

The Crooked Beam is believed to be one of the oldest restaurants in the Christchurch area with the building dating back to over 300 years. The history of its usage make interesting reading; however, our focus is now on the good, honest food that is on offer and the rustic interior.

The cooking is modern British and the kitchen constantly endeavours to raise the standard of fine dining in the area; their recently awarded AA Rosette bears testament to this. Look out for some inspiring starters of duck and pistachio pâté, lobster bisque and crab and prawn parcel wrapped in smoke salmon. If you thought vegetarians get a raw deal at restaurants, then think again because here there are plenty of choices such as mushroom stroganoff and smoked applewood soufflé amongst others. Meatier main courses include lamb rump, venison steak and beef Wellington and to finish go for the chocolate and amaretto torte or lemon cheesecake.

Built on the southernmost point of the Sandbanks Peninsula (how long did it take to get hands on this, let alone obtain planning permission) the views from La Roche restaurant across Poole Bay cannot be overstated. In fact it is almost worth going for the view alone, but it just so happens that the food is pretty good too. As you gaze across the sea's surface at a very special sunset you could reflect that what you are eating may recently have been out there too, for the menu leans very heavily towards the fruits of those self same waters. Exotic desserts number Guinness ice cream amongst their delights. With house wine at an incredible £10.50 almost everything is possible.