RESTAURANT The Bird’s new restaurant warms our hearts on a chilly evening

PLATE BATHWICK

Lydia Tewkesbury celebrates the last night before lockdown 2 in style at The Bird’s brand-new restaurant

Our review of Plate Bathwick was scheduled for the day before lockdown. That strange, purgatorial Wednesday that also happened to be the first frost of the season, the suddenly frigid air reflective of the general mood of the country.

That evening, I wrapped myself in my coat and scarf, pulled on my gloves (the cosy, rather than antibacterial, kind), checked the news for updates on the US election for perhaps the 10,000th time that day – there were none, of course – and tramped along the tow path and down

Bathwick Hill to meet a friend for a pre-lockdown last hurrah at Plate Bathwick, the new restaurant at The Bird

Bath hotel. The team have installed chef Leon Smith at the helm of their newest venture. With experience at The

Pony and Trap (known for being one of only a handful of pubs with Michelin stars) and a spell at The Royal Oak at

Paley Street, where he earned three AA rosettes, and a pedigree in great British meals made from the best, locally sourced produce – seriously, he forages some of it himself – Leon’s new menu is filled with hearty, warming dishes that are comforting to the soul and a luxurious treat all at the same time.

Within moments of deciding to order a small glass of wine, I was talked into a cocktail I wasn’t planning on – it wasn’t hard, to be fair. A posh twist on a classic, the Champagne Colada was creamy, sweet – and a little bit too drinkable, to be honest. My guest stuck to her guns with the wine, and on advisement from our waiter, went for a rich Rioja Crianza from Sierra Cantabria – she had her eye on the venison (we’ll get to that shortly) and we all agreed it would make for the best accompaniment.

While the menu is undeniably heavy on the meat, Leon is known for his passion for veg, and this shone through – which, as Bath Life’s current resident vegetarian, I appreciated. We selected our starters from the West Country Tapas menu – me going for the spiced parsnip

soup with chewy, salty parsnip crisps and a thick wedge of fresh bread, and my pal the beautifully presented braised shoulder of Beeswax lamb, caper jam, goats curd and zingy caramelised chicory. We both took a bite, stared at each other in wonder – and then that was it for conversation for the next few minutes. These starters were of such quality, such enveloping warmth and freshness that for ten whole minutes, neither of us even checked the constantly buzzing The Guardian app, intruding with news that there was no news yet about whether or not Biden had won Pennsylvania.

Onto mains: like I said, my guest went for the Wiltshire venison haunch, which came with heritage carrot, braised shoulder and a hint of juniper and was, by all accounts, cooked to perfection. For me, it was the delectably creamy squash gnocchi, chard, tangy pecorina, pumpkin seeds and rich truffle. We barely resisted the urge to wolf it down, forcing ourselves to go slow and savour every second – as one should their last meal out for a while, not least when the quality is this high.

The dishes were classic, but rich and complex in flavour – proper, grown up food of the sort you need to warm your bones on such a chilly and emotionally complicated evening.

It’s worth noting, too, that the portion sizes were spot on. Each dish complemented the next, building in richness to the finale, dessert. My friend went for cheese – she’s one of those people who always goes for the cheese – leaving me obligated to pick the most indulgent alternative on the menu, the valrhona chocolate mousse with raspberries, Chantilly and berry ice cream. Not only was this one of the prettiest desserts I have ever consumed – think dark, smooth chocolate piped with whipped Chantilly and sweet, shining fruit – it managed to be light in consistency but deep and rich in flavour. The contrast of bitter chocolate, creamy Chantilly and sweet berry were utterly heavenly – in truth, I’ve been dreaming about that mousse ever since.

In this funny old year of separation, a good meal with a friend has taken on a new significance – the moments feel stolen, somehow, and all the more special for it. Plate offers a great venue to share these treasured times for conversation and food-based awe – I recommend you book a table as soon as lockdown lifts. n

“I’ve been dreaming about that mousse ever since”

DINING DETAILS Plate Bathwick, 18-19 Pulteney Road (South); Bathwick; BA2 4EZ; tel: 01225 580438; www.thebirdbath.co.uk Opening hours Lunch, Wed-Sat 12-3pm; dinner Tues-Sat 6-9.30pm, Sun 6-9pm Type of food served Hearty, classic British meals driven by fresh veg including locally foraged goods Prices Starters cost between £6.50-£9, mains £16-£24, desserts £6.50-£10 Vegetarian options A couple, and staff are on hand to advise those with allergies Drinks choice Extensive – whether you’re into cocktails, wines or spirits Service/atmosphere Cosy with the decorative curious typical of The Bird, and super friendly with it. Staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the menu