I never thought I’d love anywhere as much as I love London. In my opinion, nothing could compete with the incredible restaurants, cocktails and nightlife – not to mention the shopping. But when I moved to Bournemouth last September, I began to discover a place that rivaled and even began to overtake my favourite city. Sandy white beaches, beautiful weather (well, mostly) and a hidden gem which until now I was yet to discover – The Print Room, certainly make it a must-see city and the ultimate place to be.
Set in a very majestic, art deco building (which incidentally used to house the reporters from The Bournemouth Echo – so made me feel even more at home as a journalist), the venue itself is truly breathtaking. Stepping inside, you feel world’s away from the rainy streets of the town centre, taking in every inch of the monochrome tiles, vast mirrors and sparkling Swarovski crystal chandeliers as you subconsciously sashay around.
A very intimate venue (perfect for that first date, or special anniversary) The Print Room is popular with hen parties and more formal get togethers alike (which explains the loud ‘whooping’ coming from one side of the room) but in general the clientele and the dress code is telling of how special this place really is. The maple wood dining booths (one of which we had the pleasure of dining in) are low lit and contain the very best view in the house.
I was initially a little worried that with such a sharp focus on the interior and the visuals, the food might not match up, but this soon faded once handed the menu. Catering for vegetarians, meat lovers, vegans and gluten free diets, the choices are very varied – with a wide range of appetizers, starters, mains, specials and desserts. I struggled to narrow down just one dish for each course, but eventually decided on the Baked Camembert with thyme and garlic focaccia bread whilst S went for the Hake Fish Fingers with chunky tartare sauce.
Both dishes were absolutely incredible, especially in terms of presentation and in flavour. Ordering one Camembert to myself was a little ambitious (my eyes are bigger than my stomach), so I did have a tiny bit of help finishing it – but I’m now re-living it through the photographs I took on the night.
The main was a slightly more difficult choice for me, since I often find the vegetarian options are limited to dishes with goats cheese in (I personally despise goats cheese but us vegetarians are supposed to love it) however the specials menu was jam packed with gorgeous fish dishes – so I opted for the pan fried Sea Bass, with garlic and mushroom risotto and herb oil. S opted for the monstrous Editors Choice burger, packed with two patties, lettuce, tomato, bacon, fried egg, cheese, brioche bun and beetroot coleslaw – I don’t think even he anticipated its size. A last minute add-on saw sweet potato fries added to the order, after spotting them on the menu. I don’t know what it is about these, but I simply can’t resist them. Luckily, The Print Room version didn’t disappoint.
My sea bass was pan fried to perfection, with a hint of saltiness and a flaky, melt in the mouth texture. I’m normally not a huge fan of mushrooms, but the risotto only contained very small bite size pieces – and I have to say, really added to the overall flavour. The portion sizes were very generous, especially compared to what I am used to when dining in restaurants aiming for the luxury scale of things. This was a very welcome change as you really feel as though you’re getting your money’s worth, both in taste and in size.
Despite having to leave half of my risotto due to how filling it was (I wish I could have packaged it up and saved it for later though), I can never resist taking a look at the dessert menu, which is often my fatal mistake. Packed with delicious sweet things (a number of my favourites appearing at the top), the chocolate creme brulee with shortbread biscuits was calling my name – and not wanting to be left out, a portion of the spotted dick was ordered to accompany it.
Although the photographs don’t do the desserts any justice, you’ll have to take my word for the fact that they were delicious. I thought chocolate creme brulee might not live up to it’s vanilla counterpart, but it was above and beyond my expectations. I could have eaten another. And another. And another. Luckily I was taken home before this could happen.
If you’re in Bournemouth, or surrounding areas anytime soon, make sure you stop off at The Print Room for a night you’ll be sure not to forget. The food is incredible, the service impeccable and the venue unbelievable. We had a fantastic night and will be sure to return very soon. See you there!
The Print Room, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth BH2 6HH, 01202 789 669
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