New restaurant, Montrouge, Southsea - food review

This new Southsea eatery appears oh-so très chic from the outside, styled like a Parisian cafè with white panelling, wooden bar, wide mirrors, and cardinal red seating.

Your Dish Detective and accompanying hungry party drop in one bright summer evening and are warmly welcomed by two members of staff who invite us to choose a table in the outside seating area or among the tables indoors.

The size of the restaurant and wine bar gives the place an intimate atmosphere. Around us are several groups of friends sitting closely as they enjoy nibbles and large glasses of vino.

Speaking of wine, we decide to share a bottle of the house sauvignon blanc, and promptly a Bellefontaine arrives chilled in a metal bottle cooler. The beverage lives up to the recommendation of Montrouge’s staff, and we all enjoy it along with our sharing plates of food.

Between us we split a portion of the house olives (£6) - green and black mixed with roasted peppers, herbs de Provence, and sundried tomatoes, and the fromage (£15) sharer platter.

Fancy cheese lovers all, we devour the Brie de Meaux, torched goat’s cheese, sweet piquant peppers, olives, and caramelised onion marmalade which are served up on this dish, piling slices of toasted baguette with lashings of salted French butter.

If meat is more to your taste than fromage, the charcuterie (£16) comes with saucisson sec, coppa and cornichons. The Montrouge platter (£17) gives diners a taste of both worlds with both Brie de Meaux and saucisson sec with black truffle.

Seafood fans will be happy to spot moules frites (£15) on the menu - fresh mussels in a white wine, garlic, and parsley broth served with samphire, grilled lemon, and seasoned fries.

We’re undecided about the Tian Provençal Au Chèvre (£14), but reckon the decadent horse has already bolted the opulent stables and agree we might as well ask for that too.

This plate is a beautifully presented display of griddled Provence vegetables, torched goat’s cheese, wood-fired pepper sauce, and house salad, so deliciously soft and well roasted that the tower of morsels falls apart as we try to split it between us.

Despite being stuffed, we decide we must try a dessert - in the spirit of journalistic integrity, of course - and opt for the tart au citron (£6), a slice of lemon tart decorated with fresh raspberries and raspberry purée.

This is a perfectly tart and zesty sweet treat to end.

It is more than enough food for four of us, yet we are pleasantly surprised to see the bill. Given the bar’s stylish, polished look, we anticipated having to pay a lot more.

A debonair and elegant little restaurant serving good food at decent prices with friendly staff - what more could your Dish Detective ask for?

Ratings (out of 5):

Food: 5

Value: 4

Ambience: 5

Child-friendly: 2