The new Sense restaurant opens today in St Mary Street, an olive's throw from the town's bustling historic harbourside.
While the restaurant may only have crossed the road from its old home, it's grown massively. The original Sense, which opened four years ago, seated 36. From its small kitchen, Ali offered value for money European cuisine, and created an ambience that had local customers coming back for more.
Filling the tables with Dorset folk for night after night gave Ali and Ovidija the confidence to move to a bigger venue, which seats over one hundred diners.
"We had to turn people away," said Ali, talking about the old premises. "We had a lot of disappointed customers."
That disappointment should be a thing of the past. From today, Ali's customers will find it much easier to get a table at which to enjoy grilled succulent Ostrich steak, pan fried loin of venison or another choice from the menu, almost all of which is sourced locally.
Ali, who says he is happiest when in the kitchen, has been joined by a team of new chefs in order to cook for many more people.
The opening of the new Sense restaurant is also a success for other local businesses. Neighbours, Designa Kitchens, have created the stunning bar area which greets customers as they arrive. A host of other local contractors were also involved in the conversion of a tired building into a showpiece modern restaurant and wine bar.
If you enjoy high quality food that's prepared entirely on the premises, you really should pay a visit to Sense. But if you're planning to go in the evening, particularly at weekends, you should book ahead. While Ali and Ovidija have significantly increased the capacity of Sense, there's still a good chance it could be full.
(Photo: Ali and Ovidija Ghamarian).
