Chichester

 

A well cooked, as opposed to a well done steak is difficult to find. However the steak I was served at Woodies is worth going back to for another look see.

Nothing particularly special about it.

Other than it being well seasoned, well cooked and well prepared. And besides the tomato, perched proudly over the accompanying mushroom. Suspect it had something to do with it being infused with Gin or possibly Vodka.

The Apple Cheesecake Crumble which followed was as good, if not better than my well prepared steak. A most enjoyable meal.

 

More in Hampshire than it is in West Sussex. Yet despite the anomaly of being half in and half out, Emsworth is definitely Chichester Harbour. A quaint South Coast village that has retained its charm and home to one of the few independent wine shops in West Sussex.

Vin Wine Merchants offer wine courses, free in-store tastings, corporate and private events as well as vineyard tours in the UK and throughout Europe

They can be found around the corner and are just hard enough to find to be unusual and interesting.

Housed in a listed building dating back to the seventeen hundreds, they stock a range of wines from all over the world along with our tasting room where we hold all our courses and tasting events. With original wooden floors throughout and old fruit crates for the shelving it’s like stepping back in time to the wine merchants of yesteryear, adding to the whole experience.

Not much gets going in the UK before 9am in the morning. So an early breakfast can be a problem in Chichester.

Reason enough to turn into the lay by and Fuel Stop cafe, dead on 06h50. It was still dark, with a nip in the air. But out came the tables and there was heater in the cozy cabin.

Early breakfasts are a rare thing these days. As are traditional English breakfast cafes.

But the Fuel Stop cafe is just that. Sweet instant coffee (I think), a big breakfast which was followed up with a lamb and mint burger. I shouldn’t have. But I did.

I was curious and was not disappointed.

This is what took me back to Winchester over the weekend.

Only to discover that it is no longer on the menu. After a three hour bus ride, it was a bit of a disappointment. Despite which the Black Boy pub is still worth a visit.

Although I doubt it will involve a special outing by bus next time.

Old wooden tables and a quirky collection of the oddest artefacts and bric-a-brac. Four squirrels playing pool in a glass case, a couple of squash rackets mounted on the wall and shelves of books. Not quite a library, nor a museum but definitely a pub worth exploring.

Pity about the pudding.

Diamond Bookkeeping
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114 Second Avenue, Batchmere, Chichester

Tucked away behind the Cathedral are the Bishops Palace Gardens

 

Two thousand years ago the Romans built a wall for defensive purposes around the city which is still largely intact. The Cathedrals Historic Quarter lies in the south-west quadrant and the gardens date back to 1147.

Contained within the city walls with the inspiring backdrop of the Cathedral and its spire it offers both residents and visitors an opportunity to relax and unwind.

There is a 16th century gateway off South Street into Canon Lane which gives access to the Bishop’s Palace and gardens.

St Richard’s Walk leads off the Lane to the Cathedral with a view of the Deanery which was built in 1725. It replaced the original Deanery which was damaged in the English Civil War.

Vicars’ Close with the remaining four houses of twelve which once housed the vicars’ choral, leads to the Vicars’ Hall. Originally there was another row opposite, but these were turned into shops facing out into South Street in 1825.

[Edit] 23/03/22
More changes unfortunately. Billy’s is no longer the Surfers Cafe it was. It had a lick of paint during the Covid lockdown and it is now a looking a lot sleeker. Another chic seafood cafe. No longer that different and no Surfers Breakfast.

Different is something I have been looking for ever since Charlie Harper’s changed their menu, doing away with their Brunch Hash special.

A search which took me down to East Wittering for a breakfast at  Billys on the Beach.  I can’t remember when I last ordered kippers for an early morning breakfast and soon discovered that I have forgotten how to peel it away from the bones .

But I managed.

Keeping to different was the Surfers Breakfast which was a tomato, pepper base with cheese and I seem to remember chourizo. This topped with two fried eggs with chunks of bread.

It was different and Billy’s on the Beach is just one of a number of interesting restaurants and cafes to be found in East Wittering. Suspect it has got everything to do with there is a surfing community making it worth another look.

I used to do breakfast at Lakes Traditional English Cafe.

But they have sold and the shop is being refurbished. Stuck for choice, I eventually ended up in the other end of town, at Charlie Harpers.

I didn’t feel like a traditional breakfast and decided on the Black Pudding Hash.  Something I will do again as it was that good. They also offer Rooibos.

I got it all wrong.

Not dressed for what became a bitterly cold day. But that made an early breakfast at the Swan Inn in Midhurst all the more welcoming.

I understand that in this country breakfast is taken very seriously and I was fortunate to bump into the perfect breakfast sausage, quite by accident. Arriving in Midhurst a bit before time, I stopped outside the Swan Inn. It didn’t take long to decide to take them up on their offer of a full English breakfast and a bottomless pot of tea.

I didn’t have that many options. It was my only option.

The perfect sausage, the perfect breakfast in an English country hotel in the South Downs.