The Kitchen is Open
eat out
THE ANGEL POOLE
Market Street in Poole ’ s Old Town is a beautiful reminder of the port ’ s history . There , an enchanted Nick Marshall witnesses a miracle at The Angel …
Just across from the Grade II-listed Guildhall , The Angel is a traditional ale house recently refurbished into a bright , modern-looking gastropub . Dominated by an open central bar , the dining area is roomy and light , with an outside courtyard for summer drinking or a postprandial puff . Reopened in December 2016 , The Angel is sister pub to the Nothe Tavern in Weymouth . That means two taverns in two historic port towns , although these days foodies are more likely to outnumber the fishermen at the bar .
Driving the Old Town renaissance forward is executive chef Luciano and manager Darren . From the former comes artistic Latin flair and ambition honed at restaurants in Brazil , New York and London . From the latter , the unflustered charm that is the hallmark of a career in the brewery trade . As a result , the atmosphere is a convivial blend of town regulars in for
a sundowner and nearby office workers in search of something more inspiring for lunch than a Tesco meal deal . Their reward ? The Angel £ 6 lunchtime special with a chance to tuck into anything from fresh linguine to roasted pork belly over a pint .
The food
Pinning down The Angel ’ s modern British menu is a challenge . Not least because the menu changes every two months and 75 % of orders , according to Darren , are off the specials board . There is only one constant , in fact . Everything is made from scratch , with not a microwave ping in earshot .
Expect fresh , local produce with a discernible flourish . Sustainable fish such as hake or mackerel from Brixham , Portland
The Kitchen is Open
“ There is one constant ... Everything is made from scratch , with not a microwave in earshot ”
crab from Dorset Shellfish , or steaks and roasts sourced from Spring Fields butchers and farms in Wiltshire . As pub grub goes , it ’ s as far from the vulcanised Ploughman ’ s as humanly possible . Trained in classic French cuisine , Chef Luciano applies exquisite depth of flavour and texture to each dish without the distraction of purée swooshes or spot reductions . Instead , the focus is on sous-vide cooking to draw out the tenderness , and patient marinades to tantalise . It ’ s hard to believe there are only two chefs in the kitchen , not a brigade of sauciers .
Tonight ’ s special is braised Cornish octopus and watercress with a squid ink risotto . It ’ s what Marcus Wareing would solemnly proclaim a “ great plate of food ” if it appeared on MasterChef . The octopus is crisp and meaty , the black risotto wonderfully salty and creamy without overpowering the trace of chorizo oil .
For dessert , panna cotta with prunes in Armagnac . Or to be more accurate , prunes steeped in brandy for two weeks and dressed with an Earl Grey stock syrup . Each time I look up from a mesmerising spoonful to see pints being pulled at the bar , it comes as a shock . It ’ s just astounding to be reminded that this is , after all , a pub – the domain of pork scratchings and Scampi Fries , not sticky ribs and octopus . The real shock , however , is the tab . There ’ s hardly a starter in double-figures and most of the mains are under £ 15 .
The drinks
With The Angel stocked by Hampshire ’ s mighty Ringwood Brewery , servings of Razorback and Fortyniner provide the liquid accompaniment to this masterclass . Those of a slightly more refined palate , however , can choose from a range of wines around the £ 20 mark , including Argentinian Malbec , Chianti , South African Merlot and New World Sauvignon Blancs or Chardonnays .
Menu ’ s verdict
Places like The Angel provide an antidote to Poole ’ s lonely concrete office blocks . It just goes to show that for every planning catastrophe , there ’ s a stroke of planning genius . In this case , a creative menu , friendly atmosphere and some outstanding value for money .
55
Mon - Sat 12.00 - 15.00 , 17.00 - 21.30 Sun 12.00 - 19.00
Bookings : The Angel Poole 28 Market Street , Poole , BH15 1NH
01202 666431 info @ theangelpoole . com www . theangelpoole . com
www . menu-dorset . co . uk
t
u
o
t
a
e
THE ANGEL POOLE
Market Street in Poole’s Old Town is a beautiful reminder of the port’s history. There, an
enchanted Nick Marshall witnesses a miracle at The Angel…
ust across from the Grade II-listed Guildhall, The
Angel is a traditional ale house recently refurbished
into a bright, modern-looking gastropub. Dominated
by an open central bar, the dining area is roomy and light,
with an outside courtyard for summer drinking or a post-
prandial puff. Reopened in December 2016, The Angel is
sister pub to the Nothe Tavern in Weymouth. That means
two taverns in two historic port towns, although these
days foodies are more likely to outnumber the fishermen at
the bar.
Driving the Old Town renaissance forward is executive
chef Luciano and manager Darren. From the former comes
artistic Latin flair and ambition honed at restaurants
in Brazil, New York and London. From the latter, the
unflustered charm that is the hallmark of a career in the
brewery trade. As a result, the atmosphere
is a convivial blend of town regulars in for
a sundowner and nearby office workers
in search of something more inspiring
for lunch than a Tesco meal deal. Their
reward? The Angel £6 lunchtime special with
a chance to tuck into anything from fresh
linguine to roasted pork belly over a pint.
J
The food
Pinning down The Angel’s modern British
menu is a challenge. Not least because the
menu changes every two months and 75%
of orders, according to Darren, are off the
specials board. There is on ǒ��R6��7F�B����f7B�WfW'�F���r�2�FRg&��67&F6���v�F���B֖7&�vfR��r��V'6��B�W�V7Bg&W6����6�&�GV6Rv�F��F�66W&�&�Rf��W&�6��7W7F��&�Rf�6�7V6�0���R�"�6�W&V�g&��'&������'F��@�F�R��F6�V��2�V�7&"g&��F�'6WB6�V��f�6���"7FV�2�B&�7G26�W&6V@�g&��7&��rf�V�G2'WF6�W'2�Bf&�2��v��G6��&R�2V �w'V"v�W2��N( �22f"g&��F�RgV�6�6VB��Vv���( �20��V��ǒ�76�&�R�G&��VB��6�76�2g&V�6�7V�6��R�6�V`��V6���ƖW2W�V�6�FRFWF��bf�f�W"�BFW�GW&RF�V6�F�6�v�F��WBF�RF�7G&7F����bW,:�R7v��6�W2�"7�@�&VGV7F���2���7FVB�F�Rf�7W2�2��6�W2�f�FR6�����p�F�G&r�WBF�RFV�FW&�W72��BF�V�B�&��FW2F�F�FƗ6R��N( �2�&BF�&VƖWfRF�W&R&R��ǒGv�6�Vg2��F�R��F6�V����B'&�vFR�b6V6�W'2�F��v�N( �27V6���2'&�6VB6�&�6��7F�W2�@�vFW&7&W72v�F�7V�B��&�6�GF���N( �2v�B�&7W0�v&V��rv�V�B6��V��ǒ&�6���( �w&VB�FR�bf��N( ��`��BV&VB���7FW$6�Vb�F�R�7F�W2�27&�7�B�VG���F�R&�6�&�6�GF�v��FW&gV�ǒ6�G��B7&Vגv�F��W@��fW'�vW&��rF�RG&6R�b6��&�������f�"FW76W'B���6�GFv�F�'V�W0���&�v�2��"F�&R��&R67W&FR��'V�W27FVWVB��'&�G�f�"Gv�vVV�0��BG&W76VBv�F��V&�w&W�7F�6�7�'W�V6�F��R�����Wg&���W6�W&�6��p�7���gV�F�6VR��G2&V��rV��VBBF�P�&"��B6��W226��6���N( �2�W7B7F�V�F��p�F�&R&V֖�FVBF�BF��2�2�gFW"����V"( 2F�RF�����b�&�67&F6���w2�@�66��g&�W2���B7F�6��&�'2�B�7F�W2�F�R&V�6��6����vWfW"��2F�RF"�F�W&^( �0��&Fǒ7F'FW"��F�V&�R�f�wW&W2�B��7@��bF�R���2&RV�FW"*3R�( �F�W&R�0���P�6��7F�B���WfW'�F���p��2�FP�g&�Ч67&F6���v�F���B�֖7&�vfP���V'6��N( ХF�RG&��0�v�F�F�R�vV�7F�6�VB'���6��&^( �0�֖v�G�&��wv��B'&WvW'��6W'f��w2�`�&��&&6��Bf�'G���W"&�f�FRF�P�ƗV�B66����V�BF�F��2�7FW&6�72�F��6R�b6Ɩv�Fǒ��&R&Vf��VB�FR����vWfW"�6�6���6Rg&��&�vR�bv��W0�&�V�BF�R*3#�&����6�VF��r&vV�F�����&V2��6���F��6�WF�g&�6��W&��B�B�Wrv�&�B6Wf�v���&��72�"6�&F����2��V�^( �2fW&F�7@��6W2Ɩ�RF�R�vV�&�f�FR��F�F�FRF����^( �2���Vǐ�6��7&WFR�ff�6R&��6�2��B�W7Bv�W2F�6��rF�Bf�"WfW'������r6F7G&��R�F�W&^( �27G&��R�b����rvV�W2ख�F��266R�7&VF�fR�V�R�g&�V�FǒF��7�W&R�B6��P��WG7F�F��rf�VRf�"���W��&�����w3��F�R�vV����P�#��&�WB7G&VWB����R�$�R䀣#"cccC3���f�F�V�vV����R�6�Чwwr�F�V�vV����R�6�Ф����6@�"��R��r��#�3 �7V�"���� �wwr��V�R�F�'6WB�6��V��S