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CHOICE is not exactly an issue when it comes to eating out in the Bedford Place area of Southampton.

Well-known for its vibrant nightlife, the road is packed with bars and restaurants catering for pretty much every taste under the sun.

Yet one of the areas' newest establishments - tucked away just around the corner in Carlton Place - might just have passed you by. Or, to be exact, you might have passed it by.

And that's a pity because Carltons (opened last September) makes for a memorable, credit crunch-friendly night out, whatever the occasion.

We visited on a Thursday night, and found it strangely empty - but that's certainly no reflection on the quality of the food or service on offer, which were both faultless.

It's more to do with the fact that most people just aren't aware of its existence. Situated on the first floor, above Ninety Degrees bar, Carltons is accessed by an unassuming side-door that you could easily swan past without a second glance on your quest for a top-notch eating experience.

But, if the menu next to the door does happen to catch your eye, chances are you'll be intrigued enough to investigate.

And, once up the stairs and into the restaurant, you won't be disappointed.

Spacious and sophisticated (there's even a grand piano - although sadly we resisted a Chas'n'Dave-style singalong, despite the sauvignon blanc having flowed freely), Carltons is very much a separate entity from Ninety Degrees. You'll certainly have little indication you're eating just feet above a busy bar.

The dinner menu (lunch and party menus are also available) offers a pleasingly wide, but not off-puttingly massive, choice of classic British dishes. After the customary umming and ahhing, we decided on the steamed mussels, cooked Thai-style, and goat's cheese and sundried tomato patties, served with caramelised onion and a crispy salad.

Both were delicious and had us raring to dig into our main courses - a pea, spinach and parsley risotto for me, and chilli tiger prawns for my friend.

My risotto was an unqualified hit - the subtle flavours perfectly balanced, and a touch of mint adding a refreshing counterpoint to the dish's rich Parmesan finish.

The prawns, succulent and full of flavour, also went down a treat - and with all the shelling involved must have burned off a few calories in the process (always a boon).

Deciding it would be churlish to pass on the pudding, we finished off our meal with a sticky toffee pudding and a vodka melon sorbet. "Mmmmm!" just about sums them up.

With its friendly but not smotheringly attentive staff and chilled, grown-up atmosphere - not forgetting, of course, that wonderful menu - Carltons is high up on my list of places to go back to in a hurry.

It certainly deserves to be better known that it currently is. Given time, I sure it will be.

Carltons Restaurant, 24 Carlton Place, Southampton. Tel: 023 8023 4664 or ninetydegrees.com.

9:55am Wednesday 27th August 2008

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