FOOD REVIEW: Portsmouth speakeasy that would make Fat Tony smile
The Blind Tiger opened less than a year ago - promoting itself as a speakeasy bar and restaurant.
Inside, this venue is probably the most relaxed place I have been for food in a very long time - the rustic theme inside is twinned with soothing lighting, beautiful artwork on the walls and ceiling and incredibly comfy booths that offer some privacy for your meal.
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Hide AdFor comparison it actually reminded me of Fat Tony's lair in The Simpsons - and for a speakeasy bar that is definitely a good thing.
With the World Cup imminent, the huge TV at the end of the room is a huge plus.
I popped in for some breakfast before heading into the Cascades for a shopping spree; to ready myself I purchased the large breakfast (£5.99) and a J2O (£2).
The large breakfast comes with two sausages, two eggs, two rashers of bacon, two hash browns, mushrooms, beans, a tomato and toast.
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Hide AdA couple of months ago the Dish Detective went to Shenanigans for breakfast - so the bar had been set pretty high.
The eggs were nice and soft, with a big yolk - which is always a key part of a good breakfast. It means you can dunk the toast (white or brown, they let you pick).
The tomato was fresh and cooked perfectly, warm throughout and required no seasoning whatsoever; a rarity when it comes to tomatoes in a fry-up.
The sausages, I must confess, were slightly disappointing; compared to other breakfasts in the city, the sausages were very small. They still packed flavour, with a crispy skin and juicy meat - I just wish they were a bit bigger.
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Hide AdBut the hash browns were much better though; they were nice and flaky but didn't completely disintegrate - and went brilliantly with the baked beans.
One thing that I've noticed is difficult to get right with these cooked breakfasts is the mushrooms; in some restaurants they are dry and overcooked, in others they've been far too small.
Here at The Blind Tiger though, they get the mushrooms just right - and there's loads of them on the plate. If anything this was probably my favourite part of the entire dish; the mushrooms were just so juicy and flavoursome. As I said, there were loads of mushrooms, and I still wished there were even more.
The bacon has always been a contentious part of a fry-up. I prefer my bacon to be slightly undercooked - but comments when theses reviews have gone online show that people love bacon that has a crisp crunch to it.
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Hide AdWell, I'm pleased to report that the bacon had a good balance of both - the rashers were thick and tender, almost melting in the mouth, but there was still a decent crisp to it.
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I hesitate to use the word 'perfect' in a food review, but this bacon was pretty close to that.
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One final thing - don't hesitate to bring your little Godfathers with you to this restaurant. I had a family come in while I was eating and a high chair was provided with a warm smile, and the family was shown where to find the kids' menu.
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All in all, this is a fantastic restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere, great food, and great service.
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Al Capone would be proud.
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RATINGS
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The Blind Tiger, Spring Street, Portsmouth
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Tel: 07770 788 785
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Food: 4
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Value: 4
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Ambience: 5
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Child-friendly: 4
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