For this Foodie Friday blog post, I felt it was time to share a fabulous hotel offer with supper and drinks that's perfect for a special date night.
The Pig in the Wall, Southampton
I love the Pig chain, the decor is warm and interesting and full of character; the food is tasty, attractive and locally sourced and the rooms are a perfect combination of comfortable and welcoming.
My first encounter with the Pig was when we stayed at the Pig in Brockenhurst and I loved it so much that the pictures I took there are still rotating on my screen saver more than a year later. That's commitment.
This year I decided to try another of the burgeoning chain and stay at the pig in the wall in Southampton. From Brighton it took us an hour and a half by car to get there.
We arrived and began with a walking tour of Southampton. Once we had discovered parts of the Roman wall, a Pokemon site crowded with devotees and the busy marina we found a plaque that I found incredibly moving.
It related to the tragic sinking of the Titanic and read as follows:
CANUTE CHAMBERS
IT WAS HERE THAT HUNDREDS OF LOCAL PEOPLE WAITED FOR NEWS OF THEIR LOVED ONES
549 SOUTHAMPTON PEOPLE DIED IN THE DISASTER
Back at the hotel we were taken to our room and it looked delightful. The bed looked cosy and the en suite had a great big shower and the Pig's signature tiles on the floor.
Downstairs we chose a table by the window to enjoy a light meal of flat breads (read pizza) and cocktails for dinner. Seated in the corner I could at last take a more considered look at our surroundings and I realised why I liked the place so much. It's like my home.
Ok, so my home has not been designed by a high-class interior decorating team and yes, sure, it may be a little frayed around the edges (a bit like me), but there were many similarities. To name a few, the dark green walls, mismatched coloured glass, old pictures in an old building all spring to mind. My Welsh One is not the biggest fan of this eclectic style and he looked at me with his head slightly cocked to the side as I was explaining to him why I thought it looked so good.
Anyway, to move on, apart from the decor, the other great reason for loving the Pig is to do with their food credentials. The Pig's menus are made up of produce sourced from their own kitchen gardens. They seek to limit food mileage and offer foraged foods when available too.
Our flat breads arrived and we ordered some sticky sausages and coleslaw to enjoy with it. For drinks we chose a coconut daiquiri and a prosecco cocktail.
The bar area was peaceful and outside the sun was beginning to set. My Welsh One and I were having a perfectly splendid date night and the cocktails were going down a treat. In particular, the Coconut Daiquiri was so delicious I immediately ordered the same again.
Sleep beckoned and the bed enveloped us like a cloud. The next day as we were just about to leave when I noticed the framed newspaper clippings by the back door. One related to the sinking of the Titanic and another the great England football victory with a photo of Bobby Moore being held aloft. The article was about the England team going to the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington for their celebratory meal. It felt like a funny moment of synchronicity after discovering the Royal Garden Hotel and its Bobby Moore connections earlier in the year.
We stayed at the Pig for one night with 2x flatbreads, 2x cocktails and breakfast included for £139.
Their current offer is for one night stay for two with breakfast, supper and half a bottle of English Sparkling Wine for £139. Take note - parking is available but charged additionally.
The Pig in the Wall, Western Esplanade, Southampton, Hampshire
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