Big Attraction: WestQuay

Today I will present some facts about one of Southampton's main tourist destinations, which happens to be the South Coast's premier retail destination too. The shopping mall has a whopping 800,000 square feet total area and is the home of major retailers such as John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Zara, Apple, amongst many others. It has a food court with popular restaurants such as Nando's and Wagamama's. It is situated near the docks, in the centre of town and only a short walk away from IKEA, which also attracts myriads of shoppers. WestQuay also hosts events such as the Student Sessions event, which student can, by presenting their student ID, benefit of really good sales from their favourite retailers, watch live music and receive many freebies. I would recommend it to any prospective students reading this, it is a very fun event and you will get a chance to socialise with other students, so it is worth keeping an eye out for these events as they are definitely worth it. In addition, WestQuay is on its way of getting an extension primarily for a wider diversity of leisure. It will be called Watermark WestQuay and it is a 70 million pounds investment due for completion in 2016 and there are plans for more shops, cafés, restaurants, a luxury cinema and housing to flank a public plaza overlooking the beautiful medieval town walls.

Review: Wild Lime Restaurant and Bar

One of today's reviews (I will post three in total)features a pretty restaurant situated in Portswood, called Wild Lime. Although the restaurant's aesthetics invite the diner in, the food and the food service disappoints. Each and every time I have been there I have gone in with high expectations. The clean, open inside of the restaurant is inviting and the shabby chic décor is charming. They always have quizzes and other events on which is good for people in the area to gather there and socialise. However, even though the front of the restaurant informs the customer that the establishment they are about to go in is a Bar as well as a Kitchen, it does not perform as the latter very well. First of all, the food takes very long to come, so if you are ever in a rush to grab your grub, this isn't the ideal place to go to. Second of all, the staff doesn't seem to be very informed about the Kitchen's working hours or availability of certain meals. It seems almost as if the Kitchen is a completely detached place that hasn't got much connection to the main Bar and seating area. Last time I went to The Wild Lime, my friend asked for a roasted vegetable and halloumi wrap. After waiting a while for the food, the waitress informed her that she has only brought the wrap with the vegetables and not the halloumi. The reason for this was because apparently some people have confused the salty cheese with chicken before, therefore the restaurant had decided they would ask customers whether they in fact wanted the cheese and knew precisely what the food was. Now, my friend was only informed about this upon the arrival of her food, not before, as they should have done. The waitress asked her if she wanted the halloumi (after informing her of the distinction between halloumi and chicken), after the wrap was served in front of her. My friend answered that indeed she wanted the cheese. After a long while after, after my friend had finished her meal (the food would have gone cold otherwise), a separate plate of halloumi arrived. In my opinion that is just absurd. The staff should have questioned my friend immediately after she placed the order for the meal, not after bringing the wrap. Furthermore, even if they had done that, and asked her after serving the wrap with the vegetables, they should have brought her halloumi very shortly after she said she wanted it. The fact that it took even a longer while for the star of the dish, the halloumi to grace her plate, than the rest did, is unacceptable. In addition to this instance, I have gone to the Wild Lime a handful of other times to eat, because of some event or another I went to with friends, such as Christmas dinner, etc. I have found that the food time and time again is very boring, overpriced and taking extremely long to come to the table. I would recommend that if you decide to go to the restaurant you do so for the Bar, not the Kitchen as it is likely to disappoint.

Mango - Restaurant Review

Hello all! Since yesterday I wrote a review about my favourite restaurant in Southampton, I feel it is appropriate that today I talk a little about my second favourite: Mango. Mango (I will be reviewing the one in the centre of Southampton) is a Thai Tapas Bar and restaurant and it is some of the most delicious food available in Southampton. When you hear the name 'Tapas', little portions of Spanish food come to mind and to have a Thai Tapas Restaurant is a brilliant innovation on the concept of Tapas. First of all, it is the perfect restaurant to go if you love sharing food and trying a little bit of everything by doing so. Second of all, you also have the option of ordering a full meal for yourself (for those of us who don't like sharing so much) and they have a selection of stir-fries, soups, salads and noodles guaranteed to suit every like. The wide selection means that I spent a while trying to decide what I was going to order, because everything sounded absolutely delicious. I finally ordered a soup to help cure my cold and it did the perfect job. On the side I had tempura vegetables and I received a wide selection of mushrooms, peppers, courgettes and cauliflower which was all scrumptious. There was some sweet and chilli sauce on the side of my tempura vegetables which gave it a nice touch and the sauce itself was also very scrumptious. Which brings me to my favourite part: dessert. I ordered a salted caramel and brownie tort and although that sounds extremely indulgent, it was just right. It wasn't excessively sweet, the brownie filling of the tort was rich and dark, which contrasted nicely with the more sweet caramel on the top. The coconut ice cream scoop on the side was my favourite part. I am a fan of coconut ice cream and Mango Tapas Restaurant's coconut ice cream was gorgeous. I will also add that the selection of alcoholic drinks was also very affordable and I shared a happy hour deal with the friend I had lunch with and the raspberry cocktail we ordered was tangy and delightful. I will also add that the service was excellent and the attentive service provided by their waiters and waitresses made for a great customer experience. Additionally, the atmosphere was very agreeable. It reminded me of being in a calm temple, with little Buddha statues and tropical plants placed adequately in the modest restaurant. I have been there many times but always in the afternoon, so I will comment on the type of lighting they had for that time of the day. The lighting was dim and appropriate for the etherial ambiance. The music was soothing and provided a nice backdrop for conversation to take place. The prices overall I found to be affordable and for any students reading, I believe you will find that to if you decide to go to Mango Thai Tapas Bar and Restaurant. It would make for a great location to go for Valentines Day which is fast approaching but it would be wise to call in and book in advance as spaces there are limited. Overall, I would greatly recommend this restaurant and bar for anyone visiting Southampton or who lives in the city but has never been there before. It is located just five minutes away from WestQuay which is good news for anyone wishing to take a lunch break from a day of shopping and who doesn't really like the crowded eating spots in the dining court of the shopping mall. This is all for today and I will post another review of Southampton spot tomorrow, I hope you are all having a great day.

Trago Lounge - Restaurant Review

Trago Lounge, located in Portswood, has got to be my favourite dining place in Southampton. I often choose to bring visitors, from members of my family as well as friends there and they all agree with me. Some might say that Oxford Street in Southampton, close to the docks, might be a more elegant location than the one Trago Lounge is in. But no restaurant there has got what Trago has. It might seem odd to the reader to come across such enthusiasm about a small restaurant such as Trago. I suppose it's the little things that bring me pleasure as a student, but I should say that is a good thing. I love to go out on dates, to go have dinner there with friends and chat the evening away or to go have a pleasant meal with my family. There is no better word to describe the restaurant than 'quaint'. It's a cozy little spot where promising first dates happen as well the get together of large groups of friends . The quirky pictures on the walls remind me of a large family's rustic dining room. As if you are at your great aunt's home in Spain that you never knew you had. The décor makes you feel at home, at ease. Trago seems to pride itself in making their customer's experience a comfortable one. There is no need for ostentation there, no room for exhibition or flamboyance. As many people say, less is more and I have often found that to be true. The experience of dining there is definitely comfortable, diners get the chance to find their own table and to go up to the counter to order when they are ready. One can also find a bookcase near the entrance stocked with crayons and colouring books, making the restaurant very family friendly. They have a friendly staff, who are very attentive, asking diners how their meal is going with a smile on their faces. The lighting is always perfect at Trago Lounge. The restaurant has big windows which let a lot of natural light in during the day, which is good news for the environment and for diners who care about sustainability and saving the planet. Evening diners will rejoice in hearing that the lights in the restaurant in the evening are always just right. Not too bright, not too dim. Just like Goldie locks would have it. The music is soft in order for conversations between diners to be heard and enjoyed. Which leaves me with the food, which is paramount for a restaurant review. I just feel that I needed to paint the picture of the restaurant before I go on to talking about food, because for me, personally, it is the ambiance and staff reception which leave me wanting in other restaurants and which Trago always delivers. I shall talk about the food. As a vegetarian, I can say that Trago is very vegetarian friendly. Of course, my friends and family have enjoyed the meaty burgers, which look delicious, but I will speak from my own experience which is the only one I can speak with entire confidence. The food is delicious, very healthy too. Obviously there are the more indulgent meals, but I often order the halloumi salad which has a delicious tropical dressing and is plentiful with its dark healthy leaves, golden roasted sweet potato and vibrant red peppers. I would also recommend the pancakes with greek yoghurt and peach dressing for breakfast or a late lunch like I had it. The greek yoghurt makes for a rich and healthy replacement for the usual whip cream and the fresh peach dressing is simply delicious. I should also recommend the coffee there, which is very aromatic and tasteful. There is also great selection of loose tea leaves for an after dinner treat. The prices are very affordable and I am speaking as a student which should give readers quite a lot of confidence. All in all, it is a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wishing to have a very pleasant experience with dining and seeking to have a scrumptious healthy meal as well.