Our much awaited visit to "The Pig in the Wall" at Southampton ticked all of the boxes!
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| The Pig On The Wall - Southampton, Hampshire. |
It was one of the coldest days in January and we were met with a warm greeting from Beth and her team , as we entered the Deli-bar/check in area it was like stepping back in time in this historic building, the stylish attention to every little detail was present, a roaring log fire, comfy seating, everywhere you looked something caught your eye. The Pig in the Wall has a choice of 12 stylishly furnished rooms offering snug, comfy or spacious accommodation.
Beth showed us to our very luxurious and spacious room, with two beautiful Georgian windows giving views of the water. again the attention to detail was there -and a super king sized bed, huge wardrobe with plenty of storage, bath robes, fluffy towels, tea and coffee making facilities, chocolate coated strawberries & home made granola ! the en-suite was fabulous with the roll top bath and his 'n' her's sinks.
We were due to dine at The Pig in Brockenhurst at 8pm and met with Rachel the Manager of the Pig in the Wall in the Deli-Bar around 7pm for a chat and drinks. Again the ambiance of the Deli-Bar was superb. Beth was highly knowledgeable about the history of both the building itself along with the vision of the PIG'S creators Robin and Judy Hutson. Whist chatting we enjoyed the flavours of a few "PIGGY BITS" from the menu - Bartletts Chorizo & Fennel and Coppa, pickled carrot & Capers, both highly recommended! Beth had kindly arranged for the complimentary transfer between the two venues and we had Paul as our driver for the 25 minute journey.
Again the familiarity experienced when arriving at The Pig in Brockenhurst was a good feeing, we were greeted and seated and looked after by Duncan in the bar we were happy for Duncan to make a couple of choices of Piggy Bits and this time savoured the delights of The Pigs crackling & Apple sauce, Brock eggs & Coleman's dressing and Devils on horseback with cider dressing - they were so delicious the we offered some the our fellow diners as it was their first time at The Pig and we wanted to leave room for our meal!
Knowing how everything on the 25 Mile menu tasted as good as it sounded we took several minutes deciding - and finally chose Portland Baked Crab with mustard and tarragon & A Pinch of salts Hampshire Charcuterie Board - both 1st class and served to perfection. Adrien our Sommelier recommended the South African Chenin Blanc 2012 & French Savignon Blanc/Semillon 2011 which were matched perfectly. We then thoroughly enjoyed the melt in you mouth Char-Grilled rib of Hampshire beef for 2, served with roast potatoes, braised shallots, salad and bearnaise sauce. In fact there was so much that we copied the next table and asked for a doggie bag which the staff were only to happy with. Again Adrien's selection of the Sicilian 2010 Nero d'Avola, The Argentinian Malbec 2012, the Spanish Tempranillo/Mazuelo/Graciano 2007, and finally the Pinot Noir - Australian 2009. Each wine bringing a different taste experience with the beef.
To finish off a truly wonderful dining experience we sampled the Conference pear and beetroot trifle - which was a food match made in heaven and the Pigs local artisan cheeseboard - a delight for any cheese lover.
We were met promptly by Paul at the agreed time for the return journey back to the Pig in The Wall - where the night staff asked if there was anything else we needed before we settled down for the evening.
We arrived for breakfast the at around 9am to be greeted for a second day with again a very relax atmosphere where we enjoyed fresh teas and coffee, toast and jams, pastries, cheeses and hams.
The Pig in the Wall 9.5/10
