Review on The Tickled Pig
Housed in a Grade II-listed building dating back to 1603, close to the Tivoli Theatre, the Tickled Pig opened its doors in June 2012 in the quintessentially English market town of Wimborne. This is very much a family-run restaurant with MasterChef finalist Jez Barfoot and Bib Gourmand recipient, Matt Davey heading the kitchen, with their wives also taking prominent roles in the business. Spread over two floors, the interior it artfully simple with clean uncluttered lines, traditional fireplaces, exposed wooden beams, with wooden tables and chairs set on polished flagstones.
Menus are typed on brown paper and change daily according to keenly sourced local ingredients, with trusted suppliers listed on their website. The Tickled Pig also grow some of their produce in their own kitchen garden and they have started breeding pigs on a nearby farm. You might begin with homemade salt beef, fine beans, grain mustard, truffle mayonnaise or baked south coast crab and scallop thermidor, fried crumbs and parsley. Main courses move into the realms of pork belly, fennel seed crackling, Syrian lentils, crispy red onions, marinated carrots and quince aioli or silver mullet fillet, leeks, swiss chard, chorizo, cider, garlic butter and new season potatoes. Desserts offer temptation in the shape of a boozy prune and almond tart, served with clotted cream ice cream or maybe dark chocolate torte, biscotti crumbs and creme fraiche.
Wines have been carefully chosen to complement the food and there are beers from Corfe Castle Brewery.
Cuisine
Gastro pub / Modern British
Chef
Jez Barfoot and Matt Davey
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 - 3.00pm Tue-Sat
Dinner: 6.00 - 9.00pm Tue-Sat
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card
