Southampton, UK

I recently spent 9 days in England and I ate... a lot of food. And I mean a lot. I've had to break it down into three posts; which I'm just going to say is normal and hopefully you won't think about the volume of items I consumed...

I started my trip with a visit to Southampton. None of you will be aware (because why would you?), but I lived in Southampton for 8 years. I went to the University of Southampton and loved the city so much I ended up just staying. My parents could never figure out why, but it was mostly the people and the groups that felt like family that kept me there. A few months back a group was created on Facebook for a club that had shut down about 10 years ago (and that I had gone to religiously for a few years) and a reunion night was planned - so I obviously had to go. I stayed with three friends (Soraya, Rosie and Brombley) whilst on my trip and this is a breakdown of the many items I ate when I was in their company. I didn't document every meal - otherwise this blog would be a novel, but here are some of the items I enjoyed.

Maritimo Lounge

My friend Brombley lives in Ocean Village, an area that is next to the mariner and on the edge of the city by the docks and ferries. It's always in development, but since I left they've added a fair few new restaurants, so I figured I should check out at least one of them. We wanted a quick bite to eat and ended up at Maritimo for food with a (sort of) nice view. Maritimo, as it happens, had a separate Vegan and GF menu so it was easy to know what I could eat! Bonus! Brombley himself was GF for years (it turns out his problem wasn't GF related so he now is able to eat like a normal person) so he is always aware about making it easier for me to eat. I ordered The Big Lounge Salad and added bacon and goat's cheese (what's a salad without these two things?) and got a side of fries (because I'm super healthy). Brombley ordered a pulled pork sandwich that was full of things that I would have loved to eat, but we deal with the hand we're given. I was actually impressed with what I got. It didn't look like much, and I did have the odd piece of old lettuce in my bowl, but as a whole it was really delicious - who doesn't love Tenderstem Broccoli? Based purely on the ease of being able to order, I'd recommend this place for quick, tasty lunches, but not for mind blowing food.

Turtle Bay

Turtle Bay is a Caribbean food chain in the UK and it first came to Southampton years ago. I've always been a lover of jerk chicken and the like, so when someone suggests this place, I never say no. This time, Brombley and I met up with our friend Mini aka Emma, who is currently about to pop out a baby (you can read all about her struggles and honesty of pregnancy here). 

Firstly, you must order the Homemade Limeade; it's glorious and no trip is complete without a bottle. Secondly, our waitress was extremely helpful when I told her about my dietary constraints. She informed me that the jerk seasoning was not suitable for me to eat, but the jerk bbq sauce on the table was fine for me to smother my food in, if I wanted the heat. She also brought over a list that showed me what I could and couldn't eat, after I enquired for a bit more information after her breakdown. In the end, I settled for the Double Dipped Steak (without the jerk seasoning), with Caribbean slaw, and spiced fries. The guys got Jerk Chicken (why wouldn't they!) and enjoyed some sweet potato fries. 

I love Turtle Bay. My food photo may not make it look like much, but it was great. I will always want to eat here, and if you get a server who was just as helpful as mine was (I have read on Yelp that sometimes they can be useless) then this is a really positive experience. If you're ever in Southampton at the same time as me, just suggest this place and I'll go with you. The curries they do look ridiculous and there is always room for some spice in my life. Two thumbs up. And the company wasn't bad either...

Brombley's House

As mentioned before, I stayed with three friends on the beginning part of my trip: first was Soraya's house and we ate out at Vodka Revs with Rosie, where I ate another salad, some nachos and some chunky chips. I also stayed with Rosie and ate Fish & Chips, but my last stop was with the (mentioned too much already) Brombley. If there's anything you need to know about us, it's that we love home-made guacamole. I know this blog is about reviewing places that people can go to, to experience, but I have to give a special mention to Brombley's cooking skills. On our last night together, he cooked me home-made burgers, chunky chips and guacamole and it was perfect. For proof, just look at the photo of those chips and tell me you're not dribbling. I'll let you know if he ever opens a restaurant for you to enjoy.