Southampton’s independent guide to eating and drinking

If you’re craving a little slice of Japan right here in Southampton, Hokkaido might just be your go-to spot. I recently revisited for a friend’s birthday, and it was every bit as good as I remembered. Let’s start with the appetisers. We kicked things off with some chicken karaage, golden, gently fried bites of Japanese fried chicken. They come with a mayonnaise-based sauce that was a nice dipping sauce, although I wish there was more of it. It’s not the absolute best karaage

Have you ever found a place that just feels like it deserves a Michelin star, even if it doesn’t have one yet? Well, that’s exactly the feeling I got at Restaurant AO on Oxford Street. Now, if you’ve been following my food adventures for a while, you know I’ve been tracking AO’s journey. From their early days on London Road, to Sunnyfields Farm, to a pop-up at The Bugle and a stint as Album, I’ve watched them evolve. Now, in their (I assume) new permanent home as Restaurant A

This roast review I headed over to Overdraft, a spot usually known for its beer and tacos, to see how their Sunday roast stacks up. I paid for this meal myself, so you can expect my honest and independent take on it, just like always. Overdraft usually does a killer job with their tacos and craft beers (and I can vouch for those tacos being top-notch). So when I heard they were stepping into the roast dinner arena, I was definitely curious. Here’s what the plate consisted of: