Tuesday 22 June 2010

Southsea Food Festival 2010

It is a good idea to showcase the best of what our local area has, but sadly I feel this event does not live up to it's potential.  I popped down on Sunday to have a look at this years Southsea food festival, and thought it was pretty much the same as last years, in terms of size and content, which in my view was very average then too.

I can't say I spent too much time here this year as on Saturday I went up to London to visit a Taste of London food festival in Regents Park, so was a little tired, but boy we could really learn a thing or two from that event.

What would be really nice to see is more local restaurants getting involved, showcasing the best they have, because really Portsmouth has some good restaurants from all corners of the earth.

Having chatted to a couple of local restaurant owners, they feel the event is somewhat tacky, and lacking in substance, so perhaps this is how many of them feel, and hence don't support it?

I think a fresh new look at  this is event would help. 

A taste of London is a perfect example of how local restaurants can make this work.  Each of the restaurants had a stand with 3 to 4 dishes listed on a menu, which you go up to and choose what you like and pay with a currency of paper crowns.  Something like this on a smaller scale would be perfect. 

There was last year a Thai food event on Castle Fields which was brilliant in comparison to the Southsea food festival, with lots and lots of food stalls, cooking all yummy Thai cuisine, thus proving that it can be done! 

With the closure of Love Albert Road Day, there is all the more reason to put more energy into the Southsea Food Festival in years to come.

What did anyone else think of this years event?

Don't forget to check out at Gunwharf Quays the Food, Family Fun & Real Ale Festival July 2nd - July 4th 2010





 

Sunday 6 June 2010

Old Portsmouth Fish Markets

Monday, 31 May 2010


Old Portsmouth Fish Markets



I only recently discovered that there was another fish market (I'm a little embarrassed to say) besides Viviers at Camber Quay, and it is located very close to it. I am referring to Johnson's at the End of East street also in Old Portsmouth. So when I visited for the first time a few weeks back I was pleasantly surprised! It really looks the part in here, everything well laid out and the staff are amazingly helpful and friendly. I've never particularly enjoyed the experience of purchasing fish at Vivers, so it was a dream to find the other place.



Last week I overheard someone saying that one of these places had squid on 'special offer', and as I was planing on making a squid dish that very weekend so I hot footed it down there. Turned out to be Viviers who had the offer. So the next day I prepared my bargain squid and cooked it only to bite into it and realise it was way past it's best, hard and almost stale like. I don't take risks with seafood so sadly it went in the bin! This and the poorish service I have received in Viviers has now made me a Johnson's girl!



Does anyone else have a favourite? Are you a Viviers or Johnson's fan!!!