JSW Petersfield

(Editor’s note: review written at the time of establishment holding 1 Michelin star) A personable team were on hand on my evening meal and my first visit to JSW. The oak beam and white table cloth interior was an attractive design to the eye and the a la carte had on this occasion showed a reasonable price tag for the meal at £55 for the 3 courses but was the perfect advert for why lunch is so much the better option sometimes as exactly the same menu was £45 at lunch so, if it is just the food you are interested in, that clearly is the better option. Wonderful snacks were followed by uncomplicated dishes that, although were well done, did not cause explosions. A very nice place for the surrounding hamlet, which would be good for work or family occasions a like.

At the start of the meal was a haddock dip, slightly more runny than a fish roe dip with some toasted thinly sliced bread options of date whirl, white baguette, chorizo bread, Rosemary & Parmesan. This was a delicious paste to have as a snack and to dip frankly anythig in to to enjoy and was not too salty which was a god send from how they can very often be.

At the start of the meal was a haddock dip, slightly more runny than a fish roe dip with some toasted thinly sliced bread options of date whirl, white baguette, chorizo bread, Rosemary & Parmesan. This was a delicious paste to have as a snack and to dip frankly anythig in to to enjoy and was not too salty which was a god send from how they can very often be.

The salmon was succulent and combined with the the watercress gel, watercress pearls and salad was all great together. Everything on this starter was fresh and pleasant; the only aspect that I found too strong was the salted lemon purée. More pickled cucumber would have given enough acid here I feel and combated the sour more sufficiently.

The main comprised of a very good fillet, with carrot purée that was one of the best components on the plate and beef dripping sauce. The latter was nice but hardly any there to get the real return from and I did feel the beef cheek needed more salt as I found this to be quite flat in flavour. Dessert was overall fine but I found the banana flavour not very powerful in the parfait. However, the had a chocolate lovely texture and the cinnamon doughnut was never in danger to not please if done well and this one was. Altogether the combinations simmered at pleasant with a fun addition of popping candy at the end.

The family run environment and lovely decor made this a very British affair and appeared to be perfect as the local village trump card for dining and romantic occasions on a Fri or Sat as its forte. The service was humble and family led which is always a pleasure to see. Sadly, the meal on its own appeared to be at the lower end of the Michelin starred spectrum but still, enjoyable in parts nonetheless.

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