Press Event
Having been blogging for over ten years and running the Bournemouth Bloggers for five, I have been to my fair share of press events and enjoyed plenty of delicious meals for the purpose of review, but I had not experienced an eight course tasting menu before. When I was asked if I would like to try out the brand new Club Otto dining concept at The Italian Villa in Compton Acres, I was immediately on board. Each of the eight courses would be paired with wines, it was definitely up my street.
We arrived and were greeted with a refreshing Limoncello cocktail, which I sipped on as we walked around the gorgeous space and found our places at one of the long tables, with chivari chairs and pretty foliage sweeping around place names and menus showcasing the eight dishes and wines we would be enjoying over the course of the evening.
We introduced ourselves to our neighbours, including sommelier Charlie, who had come all the way from Bath for the evening, to talk us through the wines paired with each course. It was so interesting being sat with somebody so knowledgeable about wine and I must admit, I did take advantage and quizzed him a little on his favourite wines and top suggestions.
The evening started with an introduction from head chef Tom, who talked us through the Club Otto concept. Otto is Italian for eight, and the Italian Villa plan to run the events four times a year, changing with the seasons. This first event had a mediterranean theme and Tom explained how he had worked with local suppliers to bring a little Dorset to the traditionally mediterranean menu. We also learnt that you can experience Club Otto in the comfort of your own home, with private dining options for those who would like to put on something special for their guests, or for a special occasion.
Charlie started us off with our first wine before course one was served to us – a Soft Italian burrata with tomato consommé and basil, which was lovely and fresh and simply splendid with the Italian white wine.
The evening flowed along with the wine, and the conversation around the table added to the atmosphere, it was truly a lovely evening and a chance for me to try several foods that I hadn’t before including oxtail ravioli (absolutely delicious) and octopus carpaccio (I wasn’t as sure about this). I had recently tried scallops for the first time but I had not eaten them in this way before, served raw with an apple granita and wasabi emulsion, it was certainly an experience and I loved that I was being pushed outside my comfort zone a little with the dishes, as I grew up in a household that was not very experimental with cooking. I even found myself enjoying blue cheese for the first time, a revolution!
After each course we were led through the heritage of the wine for the next dish by Charlie, who certainly knew his stuff. There were also live demonstrations from Tom and a chocolatier when we reached the final course. It was fantastic to hear all about the ingredients that went into the dishes and to see the experts at work right in front of us. That final course, a dark chocolate miso caramel mousse with blood orange, was my favourite, an absolute taste sensation, and brilliantly paired with the port.
After dinner, we were offered tea or coffee or an Espresso Martini, which Ed really enjoyed. It was the perfect digestif to round off the evening before we shared a taxi back to Bournemouth with the people sitting opposite us who just so happened to live only a few roads away from us.
It was such a wonderful evening and I know Club Otto will be a huge success – I can’t wait to see what the next theme is.
We were invited along to the launch of Club Otto at The Italian Villa and provided with a complimentary eight course tasting menu for the purpose of this review. All words and images are my own.
