Having witnessed the proliferation of planters crawling up the side of their building, like hats calcifying on Mother Shipton's Cave, and more recently the construction of their Santa's Grotto over Christmas, we had the opportunity last Saturday to find out whether (The) Chambers cooked as outrageously as they decorate.
The Chambers is so-called because of its location on Landport Terrace, home to many of the city's solicitors, and Portsmouth Barrister's Chambers is in nearby Bellevue Terrace. The front of house radiates the snug and clubby atmosphere you'd expect of a period drama set in Lincoln's Inn, and the narrow space gets very crowded - I'd always imagined that the dining area was just behind the leather chairs but in fact it's only the bar, and the restaurant proper stretches far and beyond the space you see from the street. It also expands upstairs, which is where we ate, in a room that's half Victorian brothel / half Pear's Soap advert, but nothing if not interesting.
It was one of those nights with the potential for delight or disaster; we were meeting a couple we didn't know very well and another who'd started their evening at 5pm with a pub crawl up the Albert Road. I'd a vision of Burton and Taylor at their Hell-raising best co-mingling with the sober and disapproving, with certain hilarious antics ensuing. As it turned out the pub crawlers had kept their powder fairly dry and the couple we didn't know were equal to the task of helping to demolish four bottles of red, one of Prosecco and various sundries. In fact a grand time was had by all.
So the company was fine, the ambiance an interesting mix and we had something to drink, but what about the food? Surprisingly, the menu doesn't fully live up to the decor - old school entrees such as fish and chips, burgers, and 70s throwback Chicken Kiev sit beside solid fish dishes including the likes of bream, lobster, and seafood linguine. From the grill the steaks are pricey (£22.50 for an 8oz fillet) with lamb shank and pork belly at £16.95. My starter of prawns pil pil wasn't great - half a dozen shop-bought stye king prawns in olive oil and chilli (which tasted slightly burnt) served with a slice of soft white ('crusty') bread. The fish cake looked a better bet but opinion was just 'okay'. I couldn't resist the Kiev which was succulent, if slightly over-fried and under garlicky, but the highlight was the excellent crushed potato and petit pois that came with it..
The wine menu is decent but expensive, with Deaken Estate Shiraz-Viognier coming in at £17.50 a bottle - however, what we got was Yellow Tail Shiraz as they'd run out of Deaken, and that was to be the order of the night : no sparkling wine available by the glass (they'd run out) and after only one bottle of Marques de Caceres (£26.50 but worth it) we were served a replacement Rioja I'd not come across before and which wasn't a patch on the Caceres.
Drink came slow, food came fast, and the staff were tripping over themselves a bit - we only got our wine order in as the main course arrived - but despite all that we had a rather good evening. The atmosphere is fun and you'll have a nice time if you eat here - just bring your own good company, try not to be over-critical of the food and service and you'll be fine.
| Ambiance is 'Pears Soap / Victorian Brothel' |
It was one of those nights with the potential for delight or disaster; we were meeting a couple we didn't know very well and another who'd started their evening at 5pm with a pub crawl up the Albert Road. I'd a vision of Burton and Taylor at their Hell-raising best co-mingling with the sober and disapproving, with certain hilarious antics ensuing. As it turned out the pub crawlers had kept their powder fairly dry and the couple we didn't know were equal to the task of helping to demolish four bottles of red, one of Prosecco and various sundries. In fact a grand time was had by all.
| A Chicken Kiev circa 1972 |
So the company was fine, the ambiance an interesting mix and we had something to drink, but what about the food? Surprisingly, the menu doesn't fully live up to the decor - old school entrees such as fish and chips, burgers, and 70s throwback Chicken Kiev sit beside solid fish dishes including the likes of bream, lobster, and seafood linguine. From the grill the steaks are pricey (£22.50 for an 8oz fillet) with lamb shank and pork belly at £16.95. My starter of prawns pil pil wasn't great - half a dozen shop-bought stye king prawns in olive oil and chilli (which tasted slightly burnt) served with a slice of soft white ('crusty') bread. The fish cake looked a better bet but opinion was just 'okay'. I couldn't resist the Kiev which was succulent, if slightly over-fried and under garlicky, but the highlight was the excellent crushed potato and petit pois that came with it..
| Kev tries out a manly cocktail |
The wine menu is decent but expensive, with Deaken Estate Shiraz-Viognier coming in at £17.50 a bottle - however, what we got was Yellow Tail Shiraz as they'd run out of Deaken, and that was to be the order of the night : no sparkling wine available by the glass (they'd run out) and after only one bottle of Marques de Caceres (£26.50 but worth it) we were served a replacement Rioja I'd not come across before and which wasn't a patch on the Caceres.
Drink came slow, food came fast, and the staff were tripping over themselves a bit - we only got our wine order in as the main course arrived - but despite all that we had a rather good evening. The atmosphere is fun and you'll have a nice time if you eat here - just bring your own good company, try not to be over-critical of the food and service and you'll be fine.
The case for the defence rests m'Lud.
