RESTAURANT Flawless in Totterdown

from Bristol Life - Issue 291

by MediaClash

SPOTLIGHT

THE STAR AND DOVE

Something seriously tasty is going down at this popular Totterdown local...

Words by Deri Robins Photos by Studio Whisk

Frost on the high ground, icy mist pooling in the Gorge, cares about what’s on her plate. If you asked Your Man what he’d eaten the tail-lights of cars heading purposefully out of the city: ten minutes after leaving a restaurant, he wouldn’t be able to tell you. perversely, the eve of Lockdown 2 had a breaking-up-for- Not a clue. Anyway, said daughter ordered the scallops – a king-sized Christmas kind of vibe. There was a holiday buzz in the beast, sweet as a nut, served with a meltingly tender cube of belly pork on air; a sense of folk hellbent on squeezing the last drop of puréed sweetcorn with crisp batons of apple. fun from their final hours of freedom before e eryone was I’m partial to a bit of guinea fowl, as long as the bird’s not so elderly confined to barracks once again. that it needs three and a half weeks of simmering to render it edible.

I’m not sure how this last-chance-saloon spirit The one served to me at the Star was clearly a young chook, being manifested itself in other parts of Bristol – unattractively in quite a few irreproachably tender and moist, with a pleasing fla our somewhere areas, so I m told. ut in otterdown, at least and specifically, in the between chicken and pheasant. It went a treat with a caramelised plum welcoming arms of the Star and Dove – all was calm, all was bright. It sauce and three sticks of salsify, the latter so creamy and juicy that it was busy, though; the bar was full, while a bunch of die-hards out in the makes me wonder why I never bother with the things at home. beer garden seemed cheerfully oblivious to the fact that the temperature he kid s slow-cooked duck came in fat slices, still firm and rosy-pink had dipped below six degrees. Meanwhile, after a cool and leisurely water bath, followed by a ensconced in the cosy, swellegant dining area, we watched the tables steadily filling up. The Star has long been a decent drinking and dining destination, but following its recent makeover it’s an especially alluring proposition. New(ish) owner-chef Newstead Sayer has taken the classic gastropub look and elevated it with glamorous dashes of Deco. Chevrons and velvety textures abound; there are lovely little copperSTAR AND DOVE What? Local pub with casual fine-dining restaurant What’s the decor like? An elegant take on the classic gastropub How much? Starters £9-£12, mains £15-£25, puds £8-9 Atmosphere Relaxed, welcoming judicious stint with thyme and garlic butter in the pan. In another successful meat-and-fruit combo, it came with cassis-poached quince in a stout jus. We wiped our plates clean with some truly great chips, and tiny potatoes served in a subtle brie sauce, with mustard seeds that popped enjoyably on the tongue. Portion sizes were absolutely spot on, meaning that even after we’d practically licked the plates coloured lamps on the tables; dark wood gleams Service Invested and charming clean we were able to shoehorn in a pudding. A against plump mustard banquettes and slate-blue Booze Everything from a £80 bottle of Borolo to caramelised white chocolate tart was fudgy and woodwork. Newstead also seems to agree with the a pint of local ale indulgent, like a really upmarket millionaire’s

Anthony Powell adage that ‘books do furnish a Where? 75-78 St Luke’s Road, BS3 shortbread, while a chocolate gateau came glossily room’, because there are dozens of volumes lined 0117 403 0386; thestaranddove.com iced with a chewy, chocolatey orangey filling, up on shelves and stacked in piles on windowsills. and salted caramel ice-cream that actually tasted

The vendors of vintage leather-bound Readers’ Digest compendiums properly salty; far too many chefs hold back on the sodium for my liking. must ha e had a field day when ewstead went shopping for props. In every dish, the excellence of the produce shone through. Newstead ather like the d cor, the food riffs on gastropub classics and effortlessly enhances top-quality ingredients with clever, unshowy cooking, rather lifts them to a higher plane. The menu is split democratically between than swamping them with anything overly tricky. He isn’t setting out to meat, fish and eggie; this being early winter, the game-game is currently reinvent the wheel, but he does want to make the Star and Dove one of strong. Descriptions of ingredients are short and to the point, though a the best pubs and restaurants in the city. Naturally, he’s hoping the big list of suppliers is provided at the end; a roll call of West Country heroes, guidebooks come his way, but, he says, “it’s not our be-all and end-all. If it underlying the ‘local, seasonal’ ethos practised by Newstead, and indeed happens, it happens; but in the meantime our mission is to create a warm, by any chef who wants to be taken seriously these days. welcoming pub and restaurant with a well-thought-out wine list and a

My starter of duck liver pâté with Cumberland sauce was pretty as a food offering that s better than the a erage. picture, the claret-coloured topping sprinkled with finely chopped grass- The restaurant reopens after lockdown between Wednesdays and green chives. As for the pâté beneath – oh, dear lord, I could eat it every Sundays, with the same, ‘core four’ – GM Stevie, FoH Tom, sous chef day, possibly at e ery meal. ich in fla our, silky smooth in te ture, light Jim, and Newstead – collaborating on every shift; not only does this and refined, it s the kind if dish that reminds me why I could ne er turn guarantee continuity, but the two-day break keeps everyone fresh and vegetarian. Newstead, if you’re clearing out any of the leftovers during enthused. There’s a lot to be enthused about; if there’s any justice in the lockdown, call me; honestly, I could be there in fifteen... world, by the end of next year, Newstead and the Star and Dove will be

I’d brought along the daughter, who in recent years has usurped Your garlanded with awards and booked out for several months in advance.

Man as my chosen dining companion by dint of the fact that she actually We’d get a post-lockdown table in the diary pronto, if we were you. ■

Living la vina loca

Founded by Oli Di Méo earlier this year, VINA LOCA is a new online boutique wine merchant proudly based in Bristol

Oli was born in Bristol and went to school in Keynsham, before going on to Lancaster University; he then did his postgraduate studies at Bristol University. He completed a stint travelling in South America before entering the wine industry on the graduate scheme with Majestic Wine. Since then he has worked for one of the world’s largest wine producers, been a head sommelier at a Michelin Guide restaurant, and most recently spent three years in the Middle East consulting for and selling fi ne wines and sake to a portfolio of fi ve-star hotel companies. Oli decided to return to the UK in late 2019 to be closer to family and start his own business.

Oli’s original plan was to open a modern Asian-inspired wine and sake bar concept in Bristol city centre, but it was thwarted quite abruptly by the coronavirus outbreak earlier in the year. Instead, he moved the concept online from July (no sake for now, but coming very soon!) and it has been a great success so far just in the first few months of trading. Vina Loca means ‘crazy vine’ in Spanish (without the tilde), a term heard by Oli after albariño harvesting in north-western Spain to describe untamed biodynamic vineyards.

A philosophy of freedom, independence and nurture runs through the roots of Vina Loca, a business inspired by Bristol’s fiery vibrance, energy, and visual artistry. The company focuses on inventive, modern, boutique wines,and much of the range is vegan friendly and organic. However, they do stock the classics too!

Alongside the online wine sales and popular Mystery Boxes, Vina Loca has also launched virtual wine tastings to cater for increased demand from customers. These have been immensely popular for both public and private events, internationally too, with people joining from the Republic of Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands recently. Wine samples and notes are sent out in advance, and you join Oli online for the tastings. There is also a single-bottle Christmas gift service launching, with a 100% natural hessian bottle bag to gift your wine in.

This Christmas dinner, their top pick for turkey is the Framingham, Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand (£17.99), and for roast beef the Dandelion Vineyards, ‘Lionheart of the Barossa’, Shiraz, Barossa, Australia (£12.49). For something special they suggest the excellent English fizz Chapel Down, Classic Brut NV, Kent (£25.99) – all three are also vegan-friendly. And if you are after the Vina Loca experience, for red they recommend the Empire of Dirt, Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley, Australia (£17.49) – an unfiltered, boutique, textured and juicy Cabernet. For white wine, the Storm, ‘Wild Air’, Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa (£18.99) – a stunning barrelfermented small batch Sauvignon Blanc, with poise, flavour, and texture. ■