The Tickled Pig is a small but delightful restaurant opposite the Tivoli Theatre which embraces the food and drink loving spirit of the town.

I was lucky enough, not too long ago, to see first-hand the way in which the restaurant takes great care in sourcing a great deal of its produce locally.

My evening began with opting for the New Forest Asparagus served on a bed of rocket with chorizo, which was vibrant and quite refreshing Mains wise, myself and my guest both ordered the marinated steak, although my guest asked for and managed to order the fillet steak variation of the dish, at a little more expense.

The mains were brought out quickly but timed perfectly after our starters.

The restaurant itself is quaint, with nuances of a French kitchen.

Dining through the evening service it became obvious that the restaurant is frequented by regulars who are obviously aware of the quality of food and service.

We were seated upstairs and it did feel at times that downstairs was the place to be in terms of ‘buzz’.

Less gastro than we anticipated and perhaps a tad more expensive than a good quality gastro pub; dishes definitely err on the side of sophistication and culinary prowess, rather than honest old ‘pub grub’.

This is not a restaurant designed to cater for young children and truly casual ‘grill’ type dining.

Dishes on the menu included Lamb Flatbreads, Gurnard fillet and Dorset snails, to name a few.

The menu is variable according to seasonality and availability, which I greatly prefer over a menu that caters for hundreds of dishes.

The Beaminster steak was simply fantastic. Soft, silky, melt-in-the-mouth, and perfectly attuned to the crunch and raw aroma of the hazelnuts and cumin. Wow. 

Then to finish the Valrhona tart was a sumptuous slice of chocolate heaven, surprisingly delicate and muted, wonderfully warming against the bitterness of crème fraiche topped with a sour, yet delicious raspberry.

My guest enjoyed her glazed Saubernes Sabayon, which was velvety, light and creamy. All in all, an expensive, yet entirely worth it dining experience.

My Bill

  • New Forest Asparagus, roasted piquillo pepper, chorizo, almond aioli, rocket x2   £14
  • Marinated rump steak, cumin, hummus, grilled radicchio, toasted hazelnuts, balsamic dressing  £19
  • Marinated fillet steak, cumin, hummus, grilled radicchio, toasted hazelnuts, balsamic dressing £26
  • Valrhona chocolate tart, creme fraiche   £6.50
  • Raspberry, strawberry, and poached pear, glazed sauternes sabayon.  £6.50
  • Cokes x 2   £4.50
  • Orchard Pig soft drink x 2   £5.00
  • Total:   £81.50