Thirteen — Restaurant in England

What a place!

From the moment we walked in we were greeted warmly by Frances and introduced to her father Hem and Barman, Matt - we were congratulated on our 1st Wedding Anniversary and Frances guided us over to the Chef’s Table where her brother Alex, the Head Chef, came over to introduce himself and congratulate us too, it was wonderful to be introduced to all of the team. We were handed a card signed by everyone wishing us a happy anniversary which was such a lovely touch and so unexpected. Glenn provided us with the menu and, enlightened us to how the restaurant came about, he and Frances took our drinks order and checked when and how we would like them served. Alex was a joy to watch, having fun in the kitchen and you could tell he is so passionate, Sous Chef Stephen worked intricately with such detail and Chef Marcus, for someone so young he was fantastic!

For food. Olive oil, cannellini bean - olive oil crackers with a silky cannellini bean paste & aubergine dust, we added some olives too which were huge and melted like butter once bitten.

Maitake, apple - a wafer thin pastry tart filled with maitake mushroom purée, apple gel and fried / crispy mushrooms, all flavours combined in a bite of bliss.

Beetroot, goat - beetroot sponge with a goats cheese cream and beetroot crumb. The cheese subtle and the beetroot cut through it wonderfully. Cheese, marmite - a freshly baked cheese loaf with soft, silky marmite butter, which was absolutely divine, if we were provided with multiple loaves and a tub of the butter it would have suited us fine!

Wild garlic, dryad’s saddle - bright green espuma coating a tomato base was delicious, the ‘BLT’ a tasty twist on an original, we scraped the bowl and Alex even handed us a spatula to ensure we got it all!

Cuttlefish, mussel - cooked in a tomato base with crispy mussels on top, ink crumb. The cuttlefish chunks were wonderful soft cuttlefish, mussels full of flavour and the tomato was intense.

Duck, plum - the duck was as tender as it could be, barely needing to chew and the plum added the right sweetness against the pickled celeriac.

Jersey, St George - beautiful, masterfully put together with a whack of truffle hitting the nose before an intense taste of mushroom - we tried getting every drop possible! Presented beautifully in a rock-like bowl.

Monkfish, curry - pan cooked glistening monkfish with an onion bhaji, curry sauce and a sweet chilli gel disc (the fire blanket), a great twist on a traditional curry.

Guinea fowl, onion - When thinking of poultry, especially breast, you dread the impending dryness making you reach for your drink with every mouthful, not with this, the guinea fowl was wonderfully succulent.

Rhubarb, tarragon - The panna cotta was smooth and creamy and the tarragon added a real twist to the dish.

Chocolate, seaweed - dark chocolate torte with a seaweed ice cream, a seaweed and sesame crisp and gels - the salty seaweed cut through the richness of the torte perfectly, like a match made in heaven.

Finally, Petit fours - salted Carmel eggs, fudge, marshmallow & baileys madeleines, beautifully made with great detail representing a foraging experience as you find the treats amongst a ‘forest floor’ presentation.

Every dish was beautifully created, marrying flavours, preparation and cooking techniques spectacularly with everything balanced perfectly, we couldn’t fault anything at all.

By the 3rd or 4th course we booked for Sunday lunch for 2 weeks later, Frances couldn’t wait to call her mum, Elisabeth, (who we will meet at Sunday lunch) to give her the news.

Throughout the evening all involved would come over to describe the dishes, the story of Thirteen and were happy to answer any questions we had. 3 hours absolutely flew by like minutes.

When imagining a Tasting Menu, thoughts of being hungry after play on the mind due to ‘small’ dishes… that certainly was NOT the case, we left very full and extremely satisfied. We can’t wait to be back for our Sunday lunch & future bookings.

We recommend Thirteen...

It’s really hard to articulate quite how incredible an experience my partner and I had at Thirteen.

We booked the chef’s table for my birthday and from the second we walked into the restaurant we were treated impeccably.

Despite its unlikely location on Ashley Rd, the small, cosy restaurant is welcoming and elegant with an astonishing attention to detail. The same theme is echoed throughout the service, the drinks and the food. We went for the full 13 course tasting menu with the paired wine flight, with a couple of cheeky cocktails to start us off.

Nothing I could write here would truly do justice to our experience; each dish was immaculately presented, expertly described and impossibly good; with so many dishes standing out that it’s hard to say good stuff about one, for fear of leaving out all the others!

It felt like a real privilege sitting at the chefs table, being so close to the kitchen, interacting with all the chefs, witnessing first hand the meticulous care put into every bowl and plate.

Despite the grandeur of the food, the head chef always put us at ease, encouraging us to use our hands and lick our plates if we felt like it - the cutlery was merely optional.

This mindset really adds to what sets Thirteen apart; it’s fine dining and FUN! It’s fine dining and FAMILY, which I think makes a real difference. There’s a palpable love and care of the food and wine but a tangible sense of the same between the staff; perhaps unsurprising when Mum, Dad, Sister and Son are all working together.

There’s no denying that this experience is expensive, this was the most I’ve ever spent in a restaurant. What we received for that was so much more than just a meal. It speaks volumes that I would happily go back and do it all over again tomorrow, and am already planning another visit.

This was, without question, the finest dining experience I’ve had in my 42 years on this planet. The whole team at Thirteen are amazing and I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Despite the many superlatives within this review, I do want to to share one more that we joked on the night with the head chef, would be our one word review if ever asked……

“How was your meal at Thirteen?”

“...

Dinner at Lucky Thirteen.

We've been wanting to visit here since they opened in September last year and finally managed to get a sort after reservation.

It's a fine dining,family owned and run restaurant, headed up by chef-patron Alex Naik. With an intimate dining room of six tables and an impressive open kitchen. Our seats were at the chefs table in the heart of the action which has a premuim of £25pp. The menu takes on a tasting format, available in either 13 courses £110 or a half-sized ‘6.5’ course £75. Using seasonal Dorset ingredients, including many foraged or grown in the restaurant’s own urban garden.

We opted for the full monty of 13 courses. Which kicks off with some huge breadsticks and a delicious dip. Followed by a procession of various snacks. Consisting of beef,squash,potato,crab and prossibly the star dish,a goat samosa. It was unlike any other we have had before. After all that,then came the larger dishes. First up was a delicious partridge ramen with a cute little filled bun on the side. The fish dish was a delightful piece of Brill and mussel. Next up was the mushroom, where chef invited us to cut a peice off Lions mane before preparing the dish. The final savoury dish was a lovely tender venison. Two desserts,one of apple with pine the other hazelnut & truffle.For the finale,petit fours. All the dishes were beautifully presented by Alex and his team, We could not possibly pick a favourite course. It was a great experience, and front of house chefs sister & Mum made for a lovely friendly,enjoyable evening. After only 8 month's since opening, they have caught the eye of Michelin Guide and have been listed. It's only a matter of time before they will receive more...