Grand Café

Went here for my father-in-law’s birthday celebration and the place is pretty good. The food was cooked well, and the service we received was quite pleasant. But, the starter I had was rather lacklustre — I had the crispy duck pancakes. The crispy duck was so overcooked that I couldn’t bite into it, it was that tough.
The entrée (mains) was pretty good, for the most part. It was a Sunday Roast, so we had our choice of various types of proteins (the sides were the same for each dish though — mashed squash, parsnip, broccoli, boiled potatoes & a yorkshire pudding. oh and an ocean of gravy) — pork, beef, chicken fish or vegetarian nut-​loaf.
I had the pork roast and though the meat was cooked quite well, I was very underwhelmed with the pork crackling provided. I had an itty-​bitty square of pork crackling, it was so miniscule that it just wasn’t worth it.
Because we were a fairly largish group (10 adults, 2 kids) the service was a tad slow between courses. And for the mains the 2 kids were served last. Generally this isn’t a good idea, as kids can get rather cranky if not fed, but thankfully the kids this time round were pretty good, nibbling other people’s food until their actual meals came out.
Overall the place is pretty good, price was very decent and the service was rather pleasant. I would like to come back one more time, not on a Sunday, to see what they are like. I really wanted their Beef Bourguignon, but sadly it was unavailable on a Sunday.

This restaurant was the talk of the town when it first opened. Glad to say it still holds a great reputation for fine dining. I have been here on different occasions Valentines day, birthdays and office parties. The staff have always been discreet professional and smart. The prices are expensive but it all adds to the glamour of the setting. The restaurant is beautiful inside I’d suggest going there in the evening rather then lunchtime to get the full effect of the lighting. The bar is very elegant and the ceilings are vaulted with beautifully restored mouldings and decorative plaster. Downstairs there is a small night club which attracts the more mature crowd for cocktails and champagne. Worth looking on their website for times of live music/​piano sessions.

Amazing food in the heart of Southampton, great service best meal we have had in many years. Possibly a little loud for a romantic evening but otherwise a good atmosphere.