Restaurant AO - Southamptons own Michelin-star worthy restaurant?

Have you ever found a place that just feels like it deserves a Michelin star, even if it doesn’t have one yet? Well, that’s exactly the feeling I got at Restaurant AO on Oxford Street.

Now, if you’ve been following my food adventures for a while, you know I’ve been tracking AO’s journey. From their early days on London Road, to Sunnyfields Farm, to a pop-up at The Bugle and a stint as Album, I’ve watched them evolve. Now, in their (I assume) new permanent home as Restaurant AO, they’ve truly come into their own.

Firstly, the price point. It’s £125 for a 10-course tasting menu, and I’ll be the first to say that’s not your everyday dinner. But it’s not supposed to be. This is a place for a special occasion, the kind of night where every dish is a miniature work of art. If you've ever watched a show like The Bear, or seen a Michelin-starred kitchen in action, you'll know the kind of thing to expect.

On my visit, I was officially the first guest to try this new incarnation of AO, and let me tell you, it was worth every minute. The evening was a leisurely three-hour affair, with each course arriving like a little surprise.

I started with a dry-aged loin of beef dressed in coal oil, black garlic, and tarragon which was smoky and delicate, setting the tone for the night. Then a beautifully charred Jerusalem artichoke pastry tuille with herb verde cream, which was herby, salty, and crisp. The brown crab with pickled carrot and thyme brought a delicate marine sweetness, while the Old Winchester cheddar custard with chicken skin crumb had a savoury richness that’s hard to describe. The savoury custard had a gel at the bottom that tasted like a sour cream and onion Pringle (which really isn't doing it justice!).

Beef dressed in coal oil, black garlic, and tarragon

As the courses went on, we enjoyed salt-baked celeriac with pancetta and apple jam, a perfectly cooked lobster with a foamy bisque, Cornish cod with burnt leek and mussel butter, and roast English duck with cauliflower and beetroot.

Lobster with a foamy bisque

Wrapping up with a Hampshire yoghurt that had a bold pear cider tang (which personally I found too sour) and a caramel malt white chocolate dessert that was just pure indulgence.

Caramel malt white chocolate dessert

The staff were attentive to every detail, folding napkins and topping up glasses like a well-choreographed dance. It’s those touches that make the evening feel so special.

In short, Restaurant AO is not just a meal; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of place you visit for a birthday, an anniversary, or any occasion that calls for something extraordinary. It might not have that Michelin star yet, but in my book, it absolutely deserves one.

This is the kind of place you want to make an occasion of, just be ready to settle in for the long run.