local eats

You all know by now how much I love food.
I love to cook and I certainly love to eat :)

But sometimes I can't be bothered to cook especially in this heat.
On the weekends, I rarely cook.
I will either take Amari to Swizzle Inn or throw on hot dogs, turkey burgers or make a quick pizza or nachos.

On Friday evening, I ate at The Newport, a Gastropub at the Fairmont Southampton with the lovely Jamahl Simmons and Xavier, a visiting journalist.
It's been revamped from the old Newport Room, a fine dining and expensive spot.
And has a fabulous maitre'D, Shawn Lekki :)

The Newport is casual, has a new menu, of a ton of beers to try and a relaxed atmosphere.
You don't even need a reservation!
Because it's a Gastropub, it's a modern take on a British pub so there is pub food along with modern, innovative items.

I had no idea what I was going to get, but I started my meal with an Oceantini.
It was soo good.
Very refreshing with a great coconut flavour :)
The amazing thing about this drink is that it isn't on the menu.
I had heard about it for years as a signature drink at the Fairmont Southampton but had never tried it.
Lucky for me, the staff went above the call of duty and got the ingredients to make it for me :)

PS I realise this photo is crap but I wanted to hurry and drink it.
This was my second Oceantini and I couldn't wait to down it!

And because I am greedy, I always start my meals out with an appetizer :)
This menu had appetizers starting at $7, salads, and then heartier appetizers.

There was a starter called Devils on Horseback which were prunes stuffed with blue cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and then flash fried.

But it was the poutine that spoke to me.

I love French fries and I love cheese so I figured it was the perfect starter for me :)
For those of you who aren't familiar with poutine, it started as French Canadian street food, basically fries covered in cheese and gravy.
This was a gourmet version of poutine and it was excellent!

For my main, I couldn't decide between the roast chicken and the steak.
I know, I know, sounds like a silly choice.
I always order steak or fish when I go out because I figure I can always have chicken.
But the waiter assured me the chicken was the best dish in his opinion so I said sure.
Xavier ordered the steak and said we could share.

The chicken was very good, I must say.
It was moist and the skin was crispy.
It came on top of bed of amazing mashed potatoes and a mushroom gravy.
But unfortunately, it wasn't what I would consider the best dish on the menu.

The steak on the other hand was incredible.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of it but it was sirloin with fries, arugula and bone marrow.
It was cooked perfectly and the flavour was outstanding.
I'm such a steak and potatoes girl :)

By now, you would think I would be full.
But oh no, not this girl :)
I am never too full for dessert!
I am obsessed with dessert and 9 times out of 10, will order it.
This time around, I got a chocolate tart with stewed cherries and sour cream ice cream.
I can't quite remember the name of the dish but it was fantastic.

It was the perfect ending to a great meal!

I will be heading back to the The Newport this weekend to celebrate my bestie Alia's birthday.
I will have the steak and be sure to take a proper photo of it :)