Koop + Kraft - Waterlooville - Restaurant Review (AD)

The pandemic and lockdown has been long, but it's great to be able to finally go out and eat. I love a takeaway, but you miss out on the atmosphere and experience that great restaurants have to offer.

Now that restaurants are open, I was invited to check out Koop + Kraft as part of their reopening after lockdown .(GIFTED)

I've never heard of Koop + Kraft before as they are based a little further from Portsmouth than I usually venture. It was about 10 minute drive from Portsmouth, based in Waterlooville on London Road. I was initially a little put off by the drive but there is free parking from 6:00pm only 30 seconds away. Perfect for dinner time!

Koop + Kraft is the perfect cosy spot for drinks or dinner. With a comfy but rustic interior, low light, it is a great casual place to grab a bite. There are a number of booths available which means you can easily get a big table for all your friends and family. I had the pleasure of sharing my booth with Saffron Watson (you can check out her blog here).

First off we started with drinks. I'm normally a beer person (of which they have a great selection!) but I had seen some of their cocktails on Instagram before arriving and knew I had to try one. I went for their  Sunrise Sour which was beautiful! (both to the eyes and the mouth). A cocktail consisting of Absolut Citron, Disaronno, Blood Orange Tonic and Pineapple Juice which came out with a bubble of smoke on top. When you pop the bubble, make sure you have your camera ready to get that on Instagram straight away!

Saffron went for an Isle Of White Mermaid Gin and Tonic (one of many choices available) and she said it was the best pink gin she had ever tasted! We love a good pink gin here at The Eat Sheets.

Then on to the main event! The Food!

We had quite a selection to choose from so I got to try a lot of the menu. Let me tell you, there wasn't anything to complain about. Here's what I tried:

• Cheese Please burger
• Bacon+Black burger (Don't be afraid of the black pudding!)
• Chicken Tenders
• Chicken Wings
• Cheesy Chips (It's a no brainer)
• Dirty Fries (Why dirty fries aren't on every menu everywhere I will never know)
• Curry Fries (The back country in me was jumping for joy!)
• Halloumi Fries (Another no brainer)
• Cheesy Garlic Bread

The burgers were amazing (I love burgers but not all are created equal). The Cheese Please is your standard double cheeseburger, crushed patties, smothered in melted cheese. The Bacon+Black was something else. Black pudding and bacon infused beef patties (I need to try to make infused patties!) with tomato and orange jam, American cheese and sautéed mushroom with onions. Don't be put off by the black pudding! it gave the burger this beautiful peppery taste. I would highly recommend.

I was expecting the Chicken Tenders and Chicken Wings to be a little bland but Koop+Kraft have nailed it. They soak the chicken in buttermilk for 24 hours before being coated with a secret blend of herbs and spices. I'll get flack for saying this, but I'd say they rival KFC (sorry Colonel Sanders).

For the Cheesy Chips, Dirty Fries and Curry Fries, Koop+Kraft avoided a common mistake that a lot of restaurants make. There is toppings all the way through the fries! The curry sauce was great and authentic which will be great news for our midland readers.

The Halloumi Fries tasted great and there were lots of them. What more do I need to say.

I'd recommend ordering a burger and a bowl of one of the topped chips/fries. If you're a chicken fan, Koop+Krafft do a 'Dirty Mix' which gives you a tenders, wings and halloumi fries all in one!

By this point Saffron and I had our fill. But there is always room for pudding.

For pudding was Churros, deep fried Oreos (I KNOW RIGHT!) and kinder bueno bites all to be dipped in a white chocolate sauce. I couldn't tell you what was best so my advice is to order all of it and thank me later. Also, deep fried Oreos!

Koop+Kraft really know their food. They cook great food with great ingredients and you can taste it.

When I first checked out the menu I thought it seemed a little expensive but I think you really get your moneys worth. 

It's a great place to take someone on a date if you happy to spend the cash. Perfect for meeting up with friends and family as there are lots of booths to choose from.

It's coming up to the point of parents dropping of students starting university and Koop+Kraft is a great place to have that farewell meal. Portsmouth is going to be busy and parking is like gold dust here! With the free parking, great food and great atmosphere, it's the perfect spot.

*This opportunity was gifted as a free experience to try some of K+K's menu, all words and opinions are my own, with no obligation to post a positive review.