Mister So's

This is a restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet. We had a house guest from the US of A, who was very clearly a more organised traveller than me. He had researched the areas he could possibly visit and even tended to remember details. Amazing.

In any event, late on a Friday evening and after a few drinks in a very nice pub (but which did not have an exciting dinner menu), we found ourselves in Winchester looking for a place to eat. Our house guest suggested Mister So's. It had a table spare and its kitchen was still open at 2130, so we sat down.

Mister So's is quite small. And very pink. The staff were pleasantly aggressive, but extremely competent. We ordered seafood lettuce wraps for our entree and a smattering of dishes for our mains: steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onions, lo-han mixed vegetables and deep-fried spicy tofu.

The seafood lettuce wrap was delicious. Our house guest had to leave the table to make a business call back home and we were left with his portion of seafood wrap goodness. We only just managed not to scoff ALL of it down before he got back to have some. The mains were excellent, although a little on the small side; we were nevertheless quite replete at the end of our meal.

I accompanied my meal with jasmine tea, which was very tasty and topped up whenever I asked for it to be. My co-diners had Tiger beers with great glee.

All in all, the meal was great and well-priced. Definitely worth a visit.

*****
Mister So's Chinese Restaurant

3 Jewry St
Winchester
SO23 8RZ

Ph. 01962 861234

The Bridge Patisserie, Winchester

There is a delightful cafe in Winchester: the Bridge Patisserie.

On a gorgeous summer day, laden with groceries from a visit to the Hampshire Farmers' Market, I meander towards this cafe, stopping at Char Tea (and coffee) shop - which has not been open for any of the other Sundays that I have visited Winchester. I buy some jasmine leaf tea, and make a note of all the other wondrous teas that I have to buy. To my delight, the Bridge Patisserie does teas from Char Tea Shop.

There are two rooms to the Bridge Patisserie: the first that I see is a long take-away counter, enticing cakes on the outside window and sandwiches and baguettes inside, bar-stools and posters cover one wall and another wall is painted a deep blue; the second room is high ceilinged and bright, with simple tables and chairs and one delightful red sofa beside a red-floral-patterned-wallpapered wall. Unfortunately, the red sofa is occupied, so we take our seat at a table.

On each table were some origami flowers:-


On all walls there are French theatre prints, looking very art-deco.

I have boring black tea, and my companions have coffee. The coffee is Mozzo; I have had it elsewhere and know it to be excellent. One of my companions has coffee taste similar to mine (black, strong, no sugar) and he approves. My tea is fine, but you'd be hard pressed to do black tea badly. None of us have cake or food; I had a delicious mushroom buttie from Peter Mushrooms at the market, so I am much too full for anything else.

I will be back, however, to sample the cakes and the baguettes.


The Bridge Patisserie
20 Bridge St
Winchester
SO23 9BH

01962 890767