Gossip Lounge, South Street, Dorking
Posted by pop at Sep 1, 07 10:11 PM ... Comments (0)
Gossip Lounge opened a few months ago, and is, to be fair quite unusual in the sleepy Dorking. Quite adventurous in fact.
It serves "fusion tapas" in a funky/retro environment. Perhaps they are trying too hard, but I like the decor. One wall is papered with vertical stripes and actually undulates along to the back wall, the remaining areas are painted dark purple, with highlights of danish-design white light fittings hanging from the ceiling. The tables are low and the idea is to chill and knock back some margaritas. Music is cranked up and of a distinct danciness that should really draw in crowds tired of the typical High Street fare.
The menu consists of some typical spanish tapas (tortilla, chorizo etc..) together with all manner of dishes served in the tapas format. The most delicious being the 'devilled duck' (devilled wild boar also available). Served in sticky blackened sauce bursting with black peppercorns and chilli, it is quite marvellous. Other quite random yet lush dishes include deep fried goats cheese with onion relish, butter chicken, courgette and cheese tortilla and chilli paneer. When you choose your tapas, you can stick with traditional, or go for something quite different as I said before, Ideally you'd be grazing while drinking. Service is friendly and efficient and happy to help.
Though not in the most ideal of locations, particularly as South Street seems pretty dead past Waterstones, I hope that more people will discover this place - it is so nice to have somewhere a little extraordinary in this neck of the woods. Go there!
