I’ve long been a fan of Restaurant Roots in Southbourne (this post about lunch-to-go was from those heady lockdown days!) so I was excited to try The Cork and Lobster which Team Roots opened right next door.

Since opening in 2015, Roots has built up a loyal clientele who travel from far and wide to dine there. And is it any surprise? It has been awarded 2 AA rosettes, has been recommended in the Michelin guide and is rated as one of the best restaurants in Dorset in the Good Food Guide. Chef Jan’s food is, quite simply, exceptional.

The idea behind The Cork and Lobster was to create a less formal dining experience, somewhere locals could pop into for a casual drink and a bite to eat. It is a clean and bright space which has been stylishly decorated, and it feels like a treat to dine there (a special squeal for the plates and cutlery!) It’s a great place for meeting friends and sharing a nibble, a couple of small plates or a more substantial sharing board. They have a lovely drinks list, with some good wines by the glass, carafe or bottle plus a decent cocktail menu.

The total joy of this concept is that the food comes from the Restaurant Roots kitchen, so you’re getting the same Michelin-worthy level of cooking, but for a greatly reduced price. Canapes start at £3.50, small plates start at £9 and sharing boards for two start at £24. Hurrah! No more putting up with mediocre (at best) tapas just because we like the mix and match and sociable aspect of it.

A little bit of this, a little taste of that…

There is enough choice on the menu that you can stick with what you know, but diners of a more adventurous disposition will be delighted to try some of the more unusual offerings.

We chose two canapes, two small plates and a sharing platter. Our canapes were Kentucky Fried oyster mushrooms (vegan and gluten-free) with the most lip-smackingly delicious house BBQ sauce and braised beef croquette with tzatziki, cucumber and pistachio. Both dishes were small but delightfully decadent and made with so much care.

Next up, we had two small plates: Burratina, smoked almond pesto, courgette, basil and back garlic and a pressing of smoked and confit duck, foie Royale, pickled girolle mushrooms, leek and apricot. The burratina is a smaller version of burrata, but just as delightfully creamy. The smoked almond pesto added a wonderful crunch and depth of flavour, making this my favourite dish of the night. It was all washed down with a gorgeously crisp glass of Mucchietto Fiano from Puglia.

We then moved on to the German Sharing Platter, which consisted of sourdough and rye bread, cultured butter, spiced cream cheese, smoked salmon, cured meats and potato salad. With so many excellent flavours and textures, this was right up my Straße and took me right back to my Munich years!

We were too full for dessert, but Jan kindly sent me away with a selection of six macarons which tasted every bit as good as they looked. They were the perfect combination of light yet chewy.

Borrowing the words of my 4-year-old, I give this place “infinity thumbs-up.” There is nothing not to love. Friendly and attentive service, beautiful decor and style, incredible food and wine and a very reasonable bill at the end of the night. You can’t ask for more than that.

The Cork and Lobster also offers:

• Brunch (with or without Prosecco/breakfast cocktails) on a Friday and Saturday, 10am-2pm

• Champagne afternoon tea - check the website for dates

• Lobster Thermidor evening, every Wednesday from 5pm

• Beef Wellington evening, every Thursday from 5pm

The Cork and Lobster, 135 Belle Vue Rd, Southbourne. BH6 3EN