On Sunday, we were invited to sample the recently revamped Joya Restaurant, on Newmarket Row, overlooking Pulteney Bridge & Weir.  Specialising in steaks and Italian dishes, we could not wait to taste the food.
Raining outside, we were happy to be in the cosy welcoming restaurant.  A lovely fire burning in the main room, we soon warmed up and dried off.  Before we talk of food, the decor is really stylish and worth more than a fleeting mention.  The colours are elegant, the pictures and mirrors on the walls beautifully created and hung.  The two upstairs dining rooms are delightfully sophisticated, and really make the most of the views over the bridge.
Once seated Daniela brought us our drinks whilst we browsed the menu.  There are daily specials alongside the main menu and Dani's enthusiasm in describing dishes to us left our mouths watering!  

To start, we chose the Calamari Fritti (£7.95) and the Beef Fillet Carpaccio (£8.95).  Neither dish disappointed.  The portion sizes were spot on, and the flavours clean and crisp.  Lashings of parmesan garnished the soft flavoursome beef, and the crisp calamari was complemented beautifully with the chilli mayo.

For our main we chose the Pan Fried Salmon Fillet (£18.95) and off the specials menu, the Risotto Mari e Monti (£15.95).

The salmon was crisp on the outside, soft and flaky inside, and the Italian roasted vegetables had such a rich fresh flavour.  I'm going to search the recipe out to make this at home.  The risotto was a taste sensation with favours of the sea coming from squid, mussels, prawns and mushrooms - all adding to the flavour.  Again, portion sizes just right, which meant we had room for dessert!
We chose the Sticky Toffee Pudding (notice a theme here) at £5.95 and the special dessert, meringue with cherry gelato and summer fruits.

Both desserts were presented so beautifully, gold sheen across the sticky toffee pudding, served with a salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream and a pretty flower garnish.  The special was absolutely delicious, consisting of a freshly baked meringue, crispy on the outside and sticky in the middle, served with a tart fruit compote, and a zingy cherry gelato.  Perfect flavour combinations and a credit to the Chef and creator Matthew.
After lunch we had a look around to take some photos, including these of the upstairs dining room and the view.....

Although we didn't order the steaks, we really need to tell you about the "Hotstone Steak Experience" that Joya are famous for.  You pick your cut of steak and it is then served to you on a hot volcanic stone for you to finish cooking at your table.  The steak, which is locally sourced and 28 day matured, is flash fried to seal in the flavours on the char-grill, then served with a choice of infused butters for you to cook with, and a sauce for dipping.  We are definitely going back to try this out next time.
As we were finishing up Daniela walked by with a giant freshly baked focaccia, the smells wafting through the restaurant.  We had to investigate, it was quite possibly the most delicious bread we have tasted.  If you pop in and this is on the menu for nibbles, you must try it!
A huge thank you to Iveta the manager and Daniela who looked after us wonderfully for the afternoon, and to Thomas and Matthew for the delicious food!

We grabbed an Uber up to the Hare & Hounds for our dinner invite last Tuesday.  We arrived at 6pm and it was busy already, always a good sign.  We were shown to our seat by the window, so we could admire the breathtaking views across Charlcombe Valley, Larkhall and even as far as the Westbury White Horse.  

The menu is very comprehensive, with new dishes recently added.  We spent a while deciding, then to start we chose the Twice Baked Smoked Haddock & Cheddar Souffle (£7.50) and the Pan Fried Tiger Prawns (£9.50).

The souffle was beautifully light, with the cheddar complementing the fish perfectly.  The salad was tasty, with a balsamic glaze and delicious capers that popped in your mouth.  The prawns were fresh, tasty and the garlic butter added a richness to the dish.  Portion sizes were spot on, and left us in anticipation for the mains.  We opted for Chargrilled Fillet of Salmon (£17.95) and Pan Fried Fillet of Seabass (£17.50).

The salmon was perfectly cooked, soft with a crispy skin (my favourite bit).  The green beans were al dente and the Sicilian caponata was absolutely delicious, soft, tomato flavours, super rich and perfect for a cold day.  The seabass was served with tenderstem broccoli, new potatoes and a tasty salsa verde sauce.  Both dishes were really impressive and we enjoyed the clean tasty flavours.
For dessert we chose a cheese board, and sticky toffee pudding.

Lovely local cheeses, and a large selection of crackers meant I could not finish everything, but refreshing to see lots of crackers as often you only get a couple.  The sticky toffee pudding went down well, served warm with salted caramel ice cream.  Delicious!

In summary, we had a lovely evening at the Hare and Hounds.  The location is stunning.  In the warmer months you can sit on the outside terrace, or move down onto the grassed lawn with ample benches.  There is a play area (away from the seating) for children, and they are dog friendly in the garden too.
Service was spot on, the staff were welcoming and friendly.  When quizzed about the menu (we struggled to decide so needed some advice), Lloyd's passion for the food was obvious, and he guided our choices with his enthusiasm for the dishes.  Big thank you to Alice and Alex too, who looked after us perfectly!