We were met with a friendly greeting on our Easter Sunday visit to the lawd Harry’s Restaurant at the Quarterdeck Hotel overlooking Poole Park. We enjoyed our pre-lunch drinks whilst perusing the excellent menu in the cosy and very comfortable bar, in which the maritime theme was a most interesting feature. Having chosen our food, we were escorted to our table in the beautiful, light and airy restaurant. The decor was truly superb.

From the five starters we chose a smoked salmon & asparagus timble on a bed of salad which was beautifully presented and tasted as good as it looked and the honeydew melon with mango sorbet, the combination proving very refreshing to the palate. From a choice of four varied main courses we both opted for the roast beef. We were not disappointed -the very generous portion of beef was beautifully tender and the yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and four other vegetables were perfectly cooked. All served piping hot.

Although on this occasion we decided not to indulge in wine, the wine list catered for most tastes. There were three house wines plus six whites and six reds. For dessert we chose Creme Caramel Caribbean, the consistency of the crerne caramel was perfect and the accompanying fresh fruit and cream made it a delicious treat.. .and the apple pie, apricot jus and cream - this was a man-sized portion with the apricot and apple combination making the dish a little different to the usual taste.

We then finished off with coffee and mints served in the lounge, a pleasant end to an excellent lunch in an obviously very popular and well-run restaurant. We can recommend it - why not call in and try it for yourselves? At £12.95 for three courses, considering the quality of the food, surroundings and service, we think it is good value...

Whilst having our coffee we had the pleasure of meeting Paul, the Joint owner and chat, and Jane Ackerman, also the joint owner. This gave us a chance to ask Jane about the history of the hotel as we had been so impressed with the distinctive ambience of the restaurant, bar and lounge. Jane told us that the business has been run by the family for 40 years, with her father originally buying the property as a family home, partly because he fell in love with the hall. Jane’s father was a naval man - hence all the Items around the hotel connected with the sea. Well worth taking time out to look at them in detail. Another feature of the hotel is the array of delightful paintings, many of them being the work of Steve Ackerman, Jane’s husband. I am to believe that they are for sale, so if you see one that really appeals to you, why not treat yourself?! Take a look at Steve’s website www.steve-ackerman.com

With its beautiful surroundings end convenient proximity to Poole Registry Office and local churches, the Quarterdeck Hotel is an ideal venue for wedding receptions. Jane is very proud of the fact that many of the newlyweds come back to celebrate anniversaries.

There are fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms, each with its own unique character. some of the bedrooms are on the ground floor.

Outside, the hotel gardens overlook the cricket pitch, so cricket-lovers can enjoy watching a game whilst enjoying a long, cool drink at the same time.

It’s hard to believe when in the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere of the hotel that it is only a short walk across the park to the bustling shops in the centre of Poole.

To sum up, the combination of the luxury and comfort of the hotel and the high class cuisine of the restaurant makes the Quarterdeck an ideal choice for holiday-makers or diners, certainly my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Our brief visit and look forward to going back in the not too distant future.

Alan & Jill Stratford
Poole Bay Watch - May 2006