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Hello blog, it's been a long time! Life's been a little hectic post-pandemic, and there are things to attend like the soft launch of our friends Lucky Lychee at The Green Man on Thursday night. Opening night was just last night!...
I first wrote about James and Nicole and their wonderful Malaysian food back in September 2020. They had diversified from their city roles and were about to embark on Market Stall Holder life featuring their wonderful Malaysian food. Over time we became friends (which is great, I love having friends who can cook like this!) and it's been a pleasure to follow their amazing journey from a market stall on Winchester High Street, to a successful residence at The Mucky Duck, to now finally having their own place - the beautiful Green Man on Southgate Street.
Having grown up in a pub (my Mum and Dad ran one for years, I didn't just spend a lot of time in one!), I feel really strongly about pubs being an important part of our community in the UK, and I find any closed down empty pub a truly sad affair (especially one with so much history - it's believed there has been a pub on this site for 500 years!), so when James and Nicole told me that they would finally be getting their own place and would be breathing new life back into The beautiful Green Man, it made me very happy!
Knowing the amount of hard work it has taken to get to this stage, I felt a little like a proud parent walking through those doors on soft launch night, to see the Lucky Lychee gang in their new home with a great menu to match.
Whilst downstairs has tables to reserve ahead for food (there are always one or two kept for walk-ins or drinks), upstairs there's a beautiful big dining room which will be put in to use in due course and a great little room out the back. Both of which will be available to hire for future events and parties.
Now to the food. The new menu features seasonal dishes so will obviously change throughout the year. Currently, the starter/snack menu features several old favourites of mine Chicken Karaage Bao (still the best I have ever had), and the Chicken and King Prawn Curry Laksa Wonton Soup (divine. Do add all the sambal if you like things spicy!)! Favourite mains include the 8 Hour Beef Rendang, The Honey Marmite Chicken (although their Sweet and Sour is equally good!), and the Tomato Sambal Aubergine - its distinct Italian flavours highlight the culinary melting pot which is Malaysia's amazing cuisine. There are gluten-free dishes on the menu, as well as vegetarian and vegan options, and they also have an allergen menu on request.
Drinks were specially selected by the team to go perfectly with the dishes, and there's a thoughtfully chosen wine list, a small cocktail list alongside cask ales, premium lagers and world beers. The gin selection is impressive, and there's a selection of Japanese whiskies too if that's your thing.
I can really see Lucky Lychee at the Green Man becoming a bit of a Winchester institution, it deserves to be. See you at the bar?
Lucky Lychee at The Green Man
53 Southgate Street
Winchester
SO23 9EH