WHEN a restaurant meal begins with brown paper packages tied up with string - you can't help but hope (thanks to Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music) that it might prove to be at least one of your favourite things!

This was the first of five courses at a D-Day to VE Day celebration at the Escoffier restaurant, organised by hospitality and catering students as part of their BTEC national diploma at Bournemouth & Poole College.

There are only a handful of these themed gourmet evenings throughout the year, overseen by the award-winning chef lecturer Josephine Pearce who always looks the part and throws herself into the spirit of every occasion with gusto (I'm sure she will never be allowed to retire!).

We've been invited to several of these events over the years and no two nights are ever the same.

The standard of food and service is consistently good, every dish presented with style and creative flair and the restaurant is always transformed to suit a particular theme.

As we arrived at the reception area, we were handed a welcome drink, Blast Past, an unlikely combination of champagne and stout with black currant, which tasted much better than it sounds.

The restaurant was adorned with balloons and decorations in red, white and blue and there were exhibits including a World War 2 Jeep outside the entrance supplied by The Military Vehicle Trust.

Even the menus were cleverly presented as ration books and the evening entertainment was provided by singer Memphis Belle who belted out some classic big band numbers.

Once we had settled at our table we were presented with our paper packages which contained Give Up Your Lawn, a meaty, robust terrine of ham hock and rabbit with pickled vegetables, followed by a delicate elderflower sorbet as a palate cleanser.

Our main course, Feed the Cows was beef served two ways (roasted fillet and croquettes) served with potato and turnip gratin with vegetables.

Dessert entitled the Triumphant Trio, was an assiette of trifle, apple crumble ice cream and spotted dick with sauce Anglaise.

To round off the meal we were served coffee and teas with Petit Fours - a selection of bite sized cakes adorned with Union Jacks which was a novel touch. (Price per person £29.95 for five courses).

If you've never been to one of these themed events you are missing a treat. Just when you think it can't get any better, they always managed to pull off another show stopper.

For more information about the Escoffier Restaurant at the Lansdowne Bournemouth site, call 01202 205874.