Winchester's newest restaurant opens in a short time (March 13 2008)  'Blanc Brasserie' in Jewry Street - beside the new Discovery Centre and opposite St Peter's catholic church. The restaurant is one of a chain named after Raymond Blanc one of the greatest chef's and restauranteurs in Britain, owner of the Quatre Saisons hotel, near Oxford.

The building was last used as an antique shop but behind is an incredibly crafted modern building put up by Muhammed Baktiar, a passionate developer from Winchester.

The new restaurant's menu starts with a two course meal with wine for £11.50 and the menu is changed with every season.

The hallmark of Raymond Blanc's cookery is use of fresh and local ingredients. While this is a chain (owned until recently by the same company behind Loch Fyne Fish Restaurant (right next door), the menus are all composed by Raymond.

In the week before opening Raymond visited some of the local farms as well as the wonderful Winchester Farmers Market. While visiting the many stall holders and sampling their produce this morning My wife Marie, who come from the same part of France near Besancon, had a short chat, and a taste of cheese with Raymond.

Competition may be fierce among the many restaurants and pubs along the street. Not long ago The Dim T Chinese restaurant opened, and close to Loch Fyne there is a modern Italian restaurant Prezzo. There are two other Chinese restaurants, and two modern Indian restauants close by. The street also boasts a wine bar (Greens),  a cocktail bar and two lively pubs, The Gaol House and (around the corner in High Street) O'Neills.

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Websites

Brasserie Blanc

Quatre Saisons

Hampshire Chronicle article on Raymond Blanc

Short article on Raymond Blanc on BBC "The Restaurant" web pages.

 Winchester Farmers Markets dates

Today 7 January is the Chinese New Year, this time starting 'The Year of the Rat'.  The Rat starts the sequence of animals after which the years are named. The animals had come to bid farewell to the departing Buddha and the rat

jumped off the Ox and so became first.

In Winchester we can join in the celebrations at Charles House Chinese Restaurant in the Broadway where there will be traditional music and  Dragon visiting on Friday February 8. 

On the following day a Winchester resident Guanyu Chen is organising a special event at the United Church in Jewry Street with craft stalls, visiting artists from Beijing and Chinese Food and drinks.  This is to help raise money for "Child Health International".

Other restaurants to enjoy great Chinese food are "Mr So" and the very new DimT, both in Jewry Street.

Chinese people make the most of their New Year with celebrations for two weeks. Its a very important family time which is why the extraordinary winter weather this year preventing travel is so serious.

If you want to see a really impressive show then you may need to get down to Southampton on Sunday February 10 where a Dragon parade goes round the town centre and there is a Chinese market.