The Square Bistro Poundbury — Restaurant in England

I went with a friend to this lovely little bistro. The decor is very fitting, the tables are not too close together and the ambiance is very friendly. We chose from the fixed price menu, my companion had the lamb and I had the pork. The food, freshly cooked, arrived in a timely manner, we had been served some sourdough bread and butter whilst we waited. The food was presented really well and looked as well as smelled very appetising, we were not disappointed, the meat was cooked to perfection and expertly seasoned, the accompanying vegetables were also seasoned and cooked to perfection, they complimented the meats perfectly. I had the dark chocolate torte for dessert which was mouth-wateringly good and served with ice cream, my companion had the sorbet, it too was delicious. There is a good choice of wines and other drinks. The price was very realistic for what we had. The service was exemplary, we didn’t feel rushed at all, even when they were getting ready to close. I wholeheartedly recommend this Bistro. I look forward to...

We recently returned to this small restaurant with friends, having previously enjoyed a good meal here. Sadly, this visit was a huge disappointment. The roast potatoes were extremely salty and hard, and the cabbage dish was so overwhelmingly salty it was inedible, it literally brought tears to our eyes. We mentioned this to the waiter, who returned to say the chef/proprietor was “happy with how the food left the kitchen.” We were all shocked by that response. Feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed (as we had recommended the place to our friends), and annoyed, we decided not to stay for dessert and quickly asked for the bill. Despite only having our main course, (which we didn't all finish) we were still charged for the full two-course set menu. To top it off, the service made no effort to acknowledge the issue. We ended the afternoon at our local pub with good wine and a warm welcome, which salvaged the day. But sadly, we won’t be returning to...

This place serves delicious, carefully thought-through food at a price that is incredibly good value, considering the high quality.

Every ingredient to a course is special - from the artisan bread to go with olive oil & balsamic vinegar, to the pleasingly doughy homemade "biscotti" served with the affogato. (Not the brittle stuff that can break your teeth.)

Our table had perfect hake, monkfish and filo pie. And, we're so glad we made room for the puddings - rose-flavoured crème brulé, and raspberry panna cotta.

The family loves good food, and we often play a silly 'food-envy game', sharing a taste of our dishes to decide who wins the best meal award. 14 year-old son noted that this was the first place where all 4 of us would all be convinced that we were each the winner. He was right.

Wish The Square Bistro wasn't so far out of our way, so that we could go back...