I know I’ve kind of abandoned this blog ever since I got back to the UK, being swamped with school work, housework (yes, I actually do household chores here in the UK) and what nots. Well, I did try squeezing out a thing or two but Southampton isn’t exactly what one would consider a culinary heaven and coming across a place worth blogging about didn’t seem likely. Think random Chinese eateries lining a street housed in ugly looking shop-houses and pubs that serve frozen food you get for £1-2 at farmfoods – definitely not something to be raving about.
However, while I just left it as that, I had completely forgotten about the The Olive Tree, a nice little restaurant set at the edge of the city. I had been there a couple of times before and they have never failed to disappoint in terms of food and service but being pretty inaccessible from the University, it was out of sight and thus, out of mind. That was until the boyfriend came over to visit and we decided to go out for a nice dinner. It had been awhile since we last went on a date (time spent at each other’s house studying and cooking and playing the PS3 doesn’t count) so I looked up a couple of pretty restaurants with a nice ambience and came across The Olive Tree again, amongst other swanky restaurants along the same street. The cheapo in me found a voucher that gave me 20% off the total bill at The Olive Tree on vouchercloud.com and that definitely helped in deciding on the restaurant venue (hello there student budget)!
The Olive Tree has a simple air about it, yet it holds its class and charm in a modern, minimalistic manner. Daily specials are hand-written on a large chalkboard that covers one of the walls, while huge mirrors overhang the wooden tables on the far side. Lighted candles gave the place a warm and comforting glow and it felt a little bit like Christmas in there (although it was only October then). Service was impeccable – the waiters and waitresses were very responsive and jovial, making the meal such a joy!
Okay, so enough babbling about inconsequential details. Now, on to the important stuff – the food. We had duck confit with pancetta and black pudding drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette served on a leafy salad for starters!
to start with:)
It was my first time trying black pudding, having put it off a couple of times before due to my knowledge of what it contains.
Not to gross anyone out or anything, but perhaps you may want to know that black pudding is actually made from pork blood and oatmeal here in the UK. It is a type of sausage made by cooking blood with a filler (oatmeal, in the British version) until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The ingredients tend to vary in different countries but it essentially involves some kind of blood and grain to make a sausage and is considered a delicacy in the North Western regions of the UK. Yes yes, scrounge up your faces and wonder how it is possible that people can actually make and eat those things, because I did the same for the past two years. However, I was feeling exceptionally adventurous that night and agreed to give black pudding a go. To my surprise, it didn’t taste too odd at all, although the texture was a lot mushier than a usual sausage. I would liken it to taste of pork liver mixed with a pork sausage but that’s not quite it either. It’s hard to describe a taste that isn’t exactly offending yet nothing like anything I’ve ever eaten. I guess you’ve got to try it for yourself to really know what its like. Well, back to the dish on a whole, everything went together perfectly. The duck confit was tender and tasty, the pancetta offered a crisp saltiness to the dish while the tart raspberry vinaigrette and the crisp leaves of lettuce balanced out the saltiness of the dish! It was a good, and pretty interesting, start to dinner.
brilliant char-grilled tuna!
I had a char-grilled tuna steak served on garlic mash potatoes in tomato olive and caper sauce, while the boyfriend went for the rump of lamb served on potato dauphinois for mains. The Olive Tree has an outstanding record (in my mind) for their fish dishes, which are freshly brought daily from sea. The fish dishes that I have had here were always fresh and perfectly seasoned and prepared. The tuna steak was no different. Grilled to perfection with a slightly charred flavour, the tuna was absolutely delightful. The tomato olive and caper sauce complimented it perfectly. A nice blend of salty and sour, it gave each mouthful of tuna a bright burst of flavour, making this dish the star of the night. I almost finished the whole thing up without letting the boyfriend have a taste of it! Whoops!
oh all that meat glorious meat!
The boyfriend’s rump of lamb was cooked perfectly to a medium-rare. It was such a delight cutting into the pieces of meat and being greeted by a pretty pink centre surrounded by well-charred sides. While some parts of the meat were a little tough, most of it was so very tender. Imagine a cut of the meat with a little of the fat on it so tender it almost slides down your throat. Amazing! Well, the only downside to it is probably the fact that the rump of lamb was a little too fatty for our liking so the boyfriend practically cut out a quarter of his serving as they were pretty much all fat. The potato dauphinois was a brilliant tasty side to the dish, rich and creamt and so very satisfying!
just looking at it now makes me want to have it all over again
We were stuffed by the time we finished out main courses but I guess we all have a separate stomach for dessert so we went ahead with a cherry almond cheesecake to share. I plunged my fork into it as soon as it arrived and started having doubts about it. It was a little too soft compared to what I was used to, almost as if it had been left out in the heat and had started melting. However, upon putting it into my mouth, all that doubt was forgotten. It was smooth and creamy (and well-chilled I should add) with nice bites of fresh cherries and crunchy almonds in it to keep those taste buds happy. It sure was nothing like the cheesecakes I’m used to but nonetheless absolutely delicious and gave the night a nice sweet ending!
To everybody out there, here’s a peek of what you can get in Southampton (I know I’m not exactly leaving the best of impressions but…hey, just read the post, it’s got its gems!). To my pals in this town, if you’re feeling depressed over the lack of places to eat and are feeling like a posh kid, go on and give it a go!
29 Oxford Street, Southampton
SO14 3DJ, 023 8034 3333
That Bottomless Pit 