MLG's Reviews

I love Dehesa. I've been here a few times now and it's been excellent each and every time. Having to book in two hour slots is a bit frustrating, but even with a largish group on my last visit, two hours was plenty to eat ourselves silly and to enjoy a huge variety of the menu.

Starting with arrival – once you get in the door past the ever hopeful last minute drop-ins who crowd the doorway, it's cosy, friendly and welcoming. I prefer to sit at the bar or at the back, finding the long tables near the front a bit impersonal and lacking in privacy but have had a couple of good meals there too so can't really complain. Dehesa is particularly welcoming on a cold night – with golden light, warm wooden tables and a bar that shouts, “have a drink, you deserve it”.

Servive is generally good, mostly friendly and very efficient. Which is particularly appreciated if you've been told you have to leave by a certain time.

But it's the food that I love. Even the simple bread and aioli is incredible with the bread fresh, lightly toasted and with just the right amount of olive oil. And it just gets better from there. I always have to order a portion of the courgette flowers, goatscheese and honey for myself as I am simply too selfish to share. On the meat dishes, the pork belly with beans is a classic and while rich, is absolutely delicious and if you like your meat pink ( I do) the onglet is suberb. I've had duck here on previous visits but I think it was a smoked version. Nonetheless, it was fantastic and I have no doubt the roasted duck currently on the menu will be as good.

A salad of aubergine, walnuts, tomato and goats curd went done extremely well on my last visit, as did the squash ravioli.

Of course, the ham is not to be trifled with. I admit to balking slightly at paying £13 for a plate of meat, but it's generous and whether you go for that or the cheaper version, it's delicious. Similarly, the cheeses are fantastic and the quince jelly (or whatever it is) perfectly… More

I’ve eaten in the restaurant at Willie Gunn’s, but I only go there for the bar area which is undoubtedly one of my favourite locals for a drink and a light meal on a weeknight with friends.

The bar area is small, but finding a table or a perch at the bar is normally relatively easy. Lighting is low in a small room with simple wooden tables and chairs dotted around, but with windows on two sides of the room, it feels open and comfortable without being crowded, even when full.

The wine list is relatively short but well priced with a good variety of wine at under £20 a bottle, representing excellent value for money – I’m particularly fond of the Argentinian reds at £17-18 each.

My friends and I almost always choose a selection of the bar snacks – generous portions of nachos always go down well as does the roasted garlic with pitta bread and houmous (although portion sizes of the latter have definitely got disappointingly smaller in the last year or so). Tomato bruschetta are less easy to share but delicious and the steak sandwich, at £7.95 is good value and tasty.

Service is friendly rather than efficient, but with the owner manager on duty regularly things remain largely under control.

A small note on the restaurant which does not come anywhere near the bar area in terms of quality of food, value for money or atmosphere. Go to Willie Gunn’s for a few glasses of wine and a simple meal in the bar area – it will seldom disappoint – but avoid the restaurant.