Prix fixe menu, Hotel Du Vin, Winchester

At the beginning of March my mum and I visited Hotel du Vin, Winchester for a spot of dinner before heading to the Everyman cinema.

We started the evening with a glass or two of wine in the bar before moving through to the restaurant around 6.30pm as we were planning on eating from the prix fixe menu (which is available until 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights). You have the option to do 2 courses for £19.95 or 3 courses for £24.95, which I think is a really good price, especially on a Friday or Saturday night.

Starters

When my starter first arrived, the pigeon was a little bit blue for me. It did feel warm, but I sent it back and asked them to cook it a little bit more, which they did and it was then cooked perfectly for me. The lentil du puy was so full of flavour, it was a really warming way to start the meal. 

The trout was also delicious, I really liked the way it was presented and the flavours were very summery and I think this would be a beautiful dish to sit in the sun with alongside a nice large glass of wine.  

Pan seared Corhampton pigeon breast, lentils du puy, baby onions and pancetta lardons

Chalk steamed trout gravadlax. Winchester Gin and orange cured trout with a smoked beetroot salad

Main - we both opted for the same main dish. 

Our families have been buying meat from Owton's butchers for years, so it was really nice to see that they were supplying the pork for the main dish. The prune and brandy stuff was a perfect compliment to the pork. The dish as a whole was outstanding, I really could not fault it in any way. 

Prune and brandy stuffed belly of Owtons pork with braised spiced red cabbage, pommes puree and jus roti

Dessert 

My favourite course, dessert! We picked the panna cotta and the mulled fruits. The panna cotta was so thick and creamy, truly indulgent. The gingerbread was a little dry, but complimented the panna cotta really nicely. The mulled fruits were so tasty, however, the ice cream to fruit ratio was a little off and it would have been good to have an extra scoop. There was also a little bit too much juice for our liking. 

Rich caramel panna cotta with homemade gingerbread, Twisted Nose vodka and lime syrup 

Mulled fruits with Jude's of Winchester cinnamon ice cream. Lightly spiced apples, pears and figs. 

Which was washed down with a few glasses of wine

We had a really lovely visit to Hotel Du Vin Winchester. I hadn't been for a few years, because honestly, the service was lacking the last time we went and the food was a little average.

However, I'm so glad I decided it give it another try. There have been a few tweaks since I last visited, such as moving the door to the main dining room (which works so much better now!) and the staff seem to be back on top form. The food was all fantastic and I would happily recommend the prix fixe menu.

I think the Prix fixe menu is an absolute bargain, especially on a Saturday night. If you get change to go, I really would recommend popping in.

(All pictures taken & owned by SistersDineOut unless otherwise stated)