Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2009 | Page 112

life

FOOD & DRINK

Have a Gander at new
look for home cooked
Many years ago the green at St
Helen’s had a pond and the area
of common land was known
as Goose Island because wild
and tame geese would gather
there. It was this piece of
history that led to the naming of
Ganders, the popular restaurant
overlooking what is one of the
largest village greens in Britain
from its northern side.
Now in its eleventh year,
Ganders has recently undergone
a refurbishment for the coming
season, giving a brighter more
modern look combined with a
quaint twist. Walls are decorated
in a subtle duck egg blue with
white painted wood cladding
below giving a fashionable New
England feel to the interior.
Around the top of the walls
runs a high shelf upon which
various jugs and ceramics sit,
echoing the cottage origins of
the premises. The pretty front
window has a large sill from
which a small collection of
carved birds survey the room.
Blue and brown
striped curtains,
with brown glass
bead tiebacks,
pick up from the
brown carpet and
blue walls to give
a very cosy yet
contemporary feel.
New glass menu

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boards offering the sweets of
the day, give an up to date feel
without compromising the cosy
and intimate atmosphere.
Renowned for their specials
menu, the traditional
old-fashioned dishes such as
beef steak and oxtail, slow
cooked in port sauce with Isle of
Wight smoked garlic dumplings
has been a particular favourite
with diners. Dishes on the a la
carte menu might include local
sea bass shallow fried with pink
peppercorns, served on a bed of
crab and pea risotto. Both menus
of home cooked dishes aim to
use Island products whenever
possible, and the delicious
desserts are made with ice cream
from Minghella’s and cream and
dairy products from Rew Valley
Farm. Tel [phone]

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