NEWS
C a r i n g Sh a r i n g
S
haring. We’re all for it, unless it’s your chips
and your eating partner didn’t order any. Neo
Restaurant recently opened in Bournemouth
(see p54) but is already showing its casual dining
credentials by adding some fresh sharing platters
to its summer menu. Choose from a selection of
cured meats, fresh seafood with the option of
upgrading to a half lobster and additional
oysters. The vegetarian sharing option comes
with a selection of olives, grilled halloumi,
humous and bread. All are perfect to share on
their outdoor terrace with views that extend to
the Isle of Wight on a clear day.
If you’re not in the mood to share, other new
dishes to jealously guard include confit Barbary
duck leg served with spring cabbage, dauphinoise
potatoes and cherry jus. Or keep a beetroot and
red wine risotto served with asparagus and Isle
of Wight blue cheese all to your greedy self. Neo
has three menus that run throughout the day
– bar/terrace, à la carte and express – to cater
with how much time you have. For more details,
go to www.neorestaurant.co.uk
16
Brewed Awakening
From The
Wine Rack
Three examples of amazing
grape varieties you may not have
heard of from our resident wine
expert, Rachel Gibson of Wine
Utopia www.wineutopia.co.uk
Johanneshof Zweigelt,
Thermenregion, Austria £12.95
The little-known Zweigelt grape is
quite similar to Pinot noir with its
juicy, light body and soft, brambly
backbone, but it offers a little more
texture, generosity of flavour and
liquorice spice on the finish. Pair
informally with bacon sandwiches or
a top notch ploughman’s salad!
Southbourne Ales
brews include Grockles
and Sunbather
B
ournemouth has plenty of bars, but no
brewery… until now. Southbourne Ales,
best known for their award-winning beer
sold in bottles with beautiful bird-themed
label designs, have submitted plans to open
a brewery in Poole Hill, in a building that
once housed a Rolls-Royce showroom. As
well as tours of the brewery, there will be a
public bar open 11am to 11pm, and a private
function room in the basement. The plans
also mention a piano “for playing background
music and for occasional old fashioned singalongs particularly in tribute to the
long-term Bournemouth resident and entertainer Max Bygraves.” It’s all the
work of Southbourne Ales owner Jennifer Tingay and could be open as early
as September. Go to www.southbourneales.co.uk for the latest.
Dereszla Dry Tokaji, Tokaj,
Hungary £13.95
This dry style of Tokaji (a name
famous for its marmalade and honey
scented dessert wines) is made using
the Furmint grape and boasts rich,
tropical fruits and a beautiful acidity
on the palate. A wonderful apéritif
or great accompaniment to most fish
and white meats.
Eat Their Words
Our favourite cookbook this month
Land of Fish and Rice: Recipes from the Culinary
Heart of China
By Fuchsia Dunlop (Bloomsbury, £26)
Fuchsia Dunlop takes us into the heart of authentic Chinese cooking
again and, thanks to her passion and authority, it’s nowhere as
complicated as you might imagine. This time she concentrates on the
food of the Lower Yangtze region and draws on years of travel and
study to serve up rustic, seasonal recipes that always feel achievable.
Cook classics like beggar’s chicken and succulent Dongpo pork, and
get insights into the people and places that created them as well as
delicious food from your now-properly-seasoned wok.
www.menu-dorset.co.uk
Nautilus Gruner Veltliner,
Marlborough,
New Zealand £17.95
Grüner Veltliner’s origins lie in
Austria but it has recently found
a comfortable new home in New
Zealand. Zesty mandarin and citrus
notes mingle with hints of green
peppercorns, bay leaves and fresh
oregano. The palate is quite savoury,
textured and refreshing, with a long,
succulent finish.