Crumbs Bath & Bristol - Issue 92

CRUMBS BATH + BRISTOL NO. 92 SUMMER 2019

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foodie heaven What’s Beethoven’s favourite fruit?

LASSTOF DROMPMER SU

POTASSIUM! FIBRE!

OUR E FAV DIE FOORO E H R E P U S IS

Banana.. na!

Banana.. na!

You have to sing it!

, A N A !

N M A N B SWEE T , CREAMY FLESH!

WRING ’EM OHUT WIT SE THESHINY SUN ATS TRE

No. 92 SUMMER 2019

SLY SERIOAUBL !

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S E P I C E R GLOCAL COOKS N I H S A 6 M S G TOP M O N R F I R U D BRISTTHO’LS N E + BAGEST N O V LON RVING A SE AURANTS G REST N + I L A L C E VEN H E T S S T N WHAT’S F THEIR I Y O

BORN SLIPPY

CRU MBS MA G.C O

E V O L M

SECRAEYTINGO POWER? ST

WE WISHNEARER WE LIVED

A M A L THE

TAVE RN

J THE BE SHT T BY THE RIG RIVER

LUCK GODS H THE BUNAPCES OF GR HARVEY NICK S

Tel: 01225 585 100

rob@claytonskitchen.com

15a George Street, Bath BA1 2EN

www.claytonskitchen.com

a ClaytonsKitch

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claytons_kitchen

E N J OY A L F R E S C O D I N I N G

LUNCH MENU

Opening Times

2 courses £20 | 3 courses £25

Mon to Thu: 1200-1430 & 1800-2130

Monday – Saturday from 12pm.

Sat: 1200-1500 & 1730-2200

Main menus and more can be found on our website.

Sun: 1200-1500 & 1800-2100

Fri: 1200-1430 & 1800-2200

MELLOW YELLOW HERE’S A THING: almost six years ago I decided to I was going to eat a banana a day.

Why? Because, honestly, I couldn’t bear them (see: the weird texture, the overbearing sweetness, the stringy bits of flesh), but knew they were superhandy, pre-packaged snacks that would boost my five-a-day intake. I’d heard somewhere that you have to eat a food 10 times before you begin to like it, so I was confident I could get over my hangups. (I’ve no idea where I got that ‘fact’ from, mind, so don’t quote me on it, okay?)

Here I am then, a little older and more lined in the brow, writing this editor’s letter while munching on my one-time most loathed fruit, as I do most mornings. I absolutely need them to be mighty green, though (I’m the first to the fruit box we get delivered at HQ to scout out the most unripe fellas in there) and I still cannot abide banana-flavoured anything. But progress has certainly been made, and I finally feel I can now unreservedly celebrate this cheeriest of tropical fruit in this here mag – it’s great for you, after all. A hangover hero, even.

In case you haven’t heard, this month we announced the finalists of the 2019 Crumbs Awards. There were hundreds of entries of an exceptionally high standard that had to be whittled down. See who made it to the shortlist on p14, and head over to the website to get your tickets to the awards ceremony (read: massive, fun-packed show with comedian Mark Olver and the region’s best food and drink pros) on 6 October.

Jessica Carter, Editor jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk

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ISSUE 92 SUMMER 2019 EDITOR

JESSICA CARTER jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

MATT BIELBY matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk ONLINE EDITOR

DAN IZZARD dan.izzard@mediaclash.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

TREVOR GILHAM CONTRIBUTOR

EMMA CULLEN ADVERTISING MANAGER

JON HORWOOD jon.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

NATALIE BRERETON natalie.brereton@mediaclash.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

RUSSELL SEALY russell.sealy@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

SARAH KINGSTON sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION DESIGNER

GEMMA SCRINE gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

JANE INGHAM jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

GREG INGHAM greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk large version

MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 mediaclash.co.uk © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

MediaClash reserves the right to reject any material and to edit such prior to publication. Opinions are those of individual authors.

Printed on paper from a wellmanaged source; printer is certified to ISO 14001 environmental management.

This month we took a trip to Georgia and scoffed lots of khinkali dumplings and Georgian wine, visited Mint Room in Bath and Bristol (greedy? Us?) to check out the new menus and chowed down on a top steak at The Herd.

TABLE OF CONTENTs STARTERS 08 HERO Bright young things 12 OPENINGS ETC The 411 from the restaurant scene

CHEF! 24 Cherry tomato thakkali,

by Claire Thomson 27 Tapenade-stuffed lamb belly,

by Huw Warrick 28 Spiced carrot and courgette cake, by Beth Al-Rikabi 30 Chai cake, by Lousie Abel ADDITIONAL RECIPES

11 Banana, bourbon and pecan ice cream, by Freddy Bird 21 Lime and chilli fish soup,

by Selina Periampillai

WHAT SUP? 34 THE DRIP FEED Drinks news to quench that thirst 35 TAVERN TIMES We check out the liquid offerings at The Alma Tavern

large version

KITCHEN ARMOURY 38 HOUSE CALL A stylish South Bristol kitchen (and where to buy the look) 44 THE WANT LIST Blue-sky thinking

MAINS 48 WELL SEASONED The secret of staying power, as told by long-standing restaurants 55 ROAMING THE RIVER Top waterside restaurants

AFTERS 60 Seven Lucky Gods 62 The Bunch of Grapes 64 Second Floor Restaurant

PLUS! 66 LITTLE BLACK BOOK Dan Rosser shares his hangouts ahead of his own new opening

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Enjoy Modern British Cuisine in a relaxed friendly atmosphere alongside a range of craft ales, cocktails and selection of wines.

Join us for lunch Tuesday to Friday 12–2.30pm and enjoy 2 courses for £19.50, 3 courses for £22.50 from our set lunch menu.

Now offering our 7 course tasting menu £55.00 per person.

14 Silver Street, Bradford On Avon, BA15 1JY Telephone: 01225 938088 Email: maylee@thebunchofgrapes.com

www.thebunchofgrapes.com

RESTAURANT

Welcome to Mantra, an Indian Restaurant in the heart of Bath, that specialises in serving progressive Indian food. Mantra is a family run authentic Indian restaurant. Our dishes are healthily packed with flavour, crunch, punch and zing offering plenty of choice to vegetarians and vegans.Inspired by seasonal ingredients, our food contains only the freshest produce prepared in a way that captures the amazing diversity of India’s regional cuisines and childhood street food memories.

Open every day 10:00-23:00 | 16 Argyle St, Bath BA2 4BQ 01225 807770 | info@underwoodrestaurantbath.com

5, Bladud Buildings, The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LS Tel: 01225 446 332 Email: info@mantraofbath.co.uk | www.mantraofbath.co.uk

s R T E R S TA

S, INNOVATIONND TASTY A REVELATIONBSOUCHES AMUSE-

haPPY hOLIdaYS

THE SUMMER BREAK IS IN FULL SWING AND THERE’S PLENTY GOING ON TO KEEP ADULTS AND KIDS OCCUPIED (NOT TO MENTION WELL FED) THIS MONTH...

15 AUGUST SEAFOOD DINNER AT YURT LUSH

● The kitchen team at Yurt Lush are cooking up a special five-course tasting menu of treats from the sea. Tickets are £39 and can be booked by phone or email. While we’re here, harping on about Yurt Lush, the venue is also offering free fizz on arrival for hire throughout August, too! eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk

22-24 AUGUST APPLE BROS BURGER AND CIDER FESTIVAL

● Three Brothers Burgers, housed on a boat moored at Welsh Back, is teaming up with neighbouring cider boat The Apple to host this free event for the second year. It promises live music to tap your toes to as you tuck into the buns and brews that the two outfits are so well known for. threebrothersburgers.co.uk

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24 AUGUST DELIVEROO’S WORLD OF FOOD FESTIVAL

● Food delivery giant Deliveroo has conceived a country-wide festival and it’s hitting Bristol’s Passenger Shed this month. The free event involves tasters of global food – inspired by everywhere from Italy to India – as well as a bar and live music. Register for attendance via Eventbrite. deliveroo.co.uk

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26 AUGUST OPEN FARM DAY AT NEWTON FARM

● This Bank Holiday, grab the little ’uns and head to Newton Farm. There's loads going on here: tours, tractor-trailer rides, food and drink markets and kids’ activities such as butter making and cow milking. Entry is free, so just turn up and be prepared for all kinds of farming fun. newtonfarmfoods.co.uk

Bana anaNas THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR FRUIT – AND SURELY THE MOST SUGGESTIVE, SALACIOUS OF ALL FOODS – THE JOLLY BANANA IS ALSO NATURE’S PROZAC, AND JUST ABOUT THE HEALTHIEST THING YOU CAN EAT. GO ON, HAVE A BANANA!

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S T A R T E R S

a

ppearing widely across the tropics and subtropics, bananas grow in bunches (or hands) of some five to 20 fingers, each of which we colloquially call a banana – the name comes from the Arabic for finger, ‘banan’. Some are short, some are long, some are more curved, with thin or thicker skins, and though most are the familiar bright yellow, colours can range across the entire red-purple spectrum, and the occasional version is more bizarre yet. Fuzzy pink bananas?

They exist. Green-and-white stripes? Sure.

Bananas that are orange or pink inside, or taste of strawberries when cooked? Yeah, why not? Some even come in bunches of up to 1,000 tiny, inchlong fruit, while there’s a Chinese version with a name that translates as ‘you can smell it from the next mountain’.

We think of bananas as coming from the Caribbean and Latin America, but they’re actually Asian in origin, first cropping up in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago and from there spreading to the Philippines and India. Arabic traders brought them to Africa, where the Portuguese came across them in the late 1400s, eventually taking them to the Americas, where so many of the bananas we now eat are grown. Bananas come in two main types – the familiar yellow dessert bananas (typically Cavendish, the dominant cultivar) and less sweet plantains, or ‘cooking bananas’ – though such binary distinctions are less useful in parts of Asia, where so many different types are grown and eaten.

Bananas took their time coming to Britain.

In 1633, one Thomas Johnson hung a stem of them – bought in Bermuda – in the window of his Holborn shop, and the crowds stopped and gawped. Pre-industrial revolution, bananas were hard to transport and store without damage, so while they immediately became a symbol of the tropics, they remained a rare treat. In Around the World in Eighty Days (1872), Jules Verne thinks them worth describing in great detail, as his readers might never have seen one, and the banana only really became common in Europe around 1900 or so.

For a few decades bananas became ubiquitous, but then they were whisked away from us again: with transatlantic convoys concerned with more pressing cargo, World War II Britain dreamed of the now-missing ’nana, which became a rich symbol of both the bounty of empire and of sacrifices made. At war’s end, Clement Attlee’s unexpected new Labour government made importing bananas a priority, and they’d arrive on the same ships as West Indian men and women, recruited to help with the nation’s reconstruction – two symbols of a new world.

AND ALL THIS is just the beginnings of the rich symbolism associated with the banana.

Many scholars consider it a prime candidate for the role of Biblical forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden, rather than the much-quoted apple, not least in that its big, strong leaves would be far more practical for post-Fall clothing than any tiny fig leaf. In Asian and African tradition, the banana – associated with food, shade, shelter, building materials and leaves for wrapping things – is considered to have traditionally female, nurturing virtues. Issues of race and power – think of such corrupted ‘banana republics’ as Honduras and Guatemala, exotic puppet dictatorships in cow to multinational fruit companies – revolve around the banana too.

But most of us, most of the time, just think of the banana as funny.

They’re bright yellow and a silly shape, a cheerful cartoon of a fruit that’s ever-present in innocent gags speaking of folly and embarrassment. So a guy walks down the street,

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slips on a discarded banana skin and – whoops!

– falls on his bum. Axel Foley, slightly less innocently, stuffs them in a cop car tail pipe and – boom! – Judge Reinhold is walking home.

And then, of course, less innocently, there’s that very suggestive shape. ‘Banana’ may come for the word for finger, but there’s another part of the anatomy it’s been regularly compared to.

The first rude banana jokes seem to have started in the English music halls, associated with absurd, sometimes vaguely tragic male sexuality.

In 1926 Paris, Josephine Baker would entertain white audiences with her infamous banana dance (the original twerking, in a banana skirt) while, over on the other side of the Atlantic, Carmen Miranda played her circular banana xylophone and then – surrounded by Broadway showgirls holding giant erect bananas, choreographed

by Busby Berkeley – smiled in all her camp, mischievous glory while a cascade of bananas emerged, appearing to sprout from the top of her head.

S T A R T E R S

The late ’60s and early ’70s were a particularly potent period for saucy banana imagery, be it Andy Warhol’s cover for the first Velvet Underground album (a bold yellow-and-black pop art banana sticker; you were encouraged to peel it back to reveal priapic pink flesh beneath), or Polish avant garde feminist artist Natalia LL, whose 1973 piece showing a topless woman suggestively eating bananas in arty black-andwhite was banned as recently as this year, when Warsaw’s National Museum was apparently forced to remove it by government request. (A decision that was met with ridicule and saw 1,000 people demonstrate outside the museum, all eating bananas in simultaneous protest.)

The Polish authorities aren’t the only ones apparently still scandalised by the banana, either.

Mid-range rapper Wiz Khalifa once suggested it’s ‘sus’ to be seen eating one straight from its skin – “I’m trying to help you out, bro; if you’re in public, just break it into pieces” – and while his position’s childish and caught him lots of flack, it’s not hard to understand what made him so insecure…

BUT ENOUGH OF this nonsense, fun though it may be, and on to bananas as food.

They’re actually berries botanically, but ones beautifully prepackaged by nature, with their firm, creamy flesh gift-wrapped in a thick, inedible peel, which – though easily bashed – has two great virtues: it makes the banana eminently portable, and it keeps it almost entirely free of pesticide pollutants. Generally picked when two-thirds ripe, they slowly convert their starch to sugars as they’re shipped, and then later in your fruit bowl. Some are picked early in the Caribbean (so they’re smaller) and others larger and later in Latin America, so bananas are available year-round, though they make a particularly excellent summer flavour: fresh and bright like the season.

If you’re picking a banana to eat straight away, go for riper ones with a small amount of black on the skin for their sweetness, though some actively prefer those with green-tinged ends, traditionally considered not quite there yet. Bananas can be eaten straight from the skin, or quickly sliced or – doubtless what Wiz Khalifa prefers – mashed.

When puréed, they’re a great building block for a smoothie, while cooking with them can be as simple (or complicated) as you want it to be.

Puddings are the obvious thing: barbecue them for 10 minutes, then split them open and serve with cream, or bake them in foil with a little muscovado sugar, butter, lemon juice and a splash of rum. They work surprisingly well in savoury dishes, too, with grilled bananas occasionally served alongside fish or gammon, or bringing a delicious sweetness to a katsu sauce.

There’s a lot of waste with bananas – some hate the softer, brown ones – and in Britain we throw away an unfathomable 1.4 million of them each day. Ridiculous, clearly, which is why adding a few recipes to your repertoire to use up all those squishy, older bananas is no bad thing. Luckily, baking has loads of these: think banana bread, cakes, muffins and more.

After all these years, bananas still have the power to surprise, too. Take the recent ‘discovery’ of banana blossom – also called banana hearts – which is the fleshy, tear-shaped purple flower that grows at the end of a banana fruit cluster.

Once ignored by all except some Indian cuisines, they’ve recently been rediscovered by the vegan world as a chunky, flaky fish substitute.

THE OTHER THING to say about bananas is that the health benefits are huge. They can lower blood pressure, build stronger bones (and so protect against osteoporosis), feed your friendly gut bacteria, safeguard against colon cancer, help with digestion, and – thanks to the Vitamin B6 they contain – perhaps even help prevent cognitive decline and alleviate PMS. Because they’re filling but contain almost no calories, they’re great for weight loss too.

The mix that makes them up is almost magical: there’s magnesium, copper, manganese, Vitamin C and more in here, plus lots of fibre (including pectin, which gives them that distinctive spongy texture), but only about 100 calories and very little protein or fat. Most famously, there’s tonnes of potassium, great for heart health.

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Yes, they contain sugar – about 14 grams on average – but all the fibre in them slows its absorption into the bloodstream, preventing the spikes and crashes you get from more concentrated sugar sources. Since they’re light on your stomach and an easily digestible source of carbohydrates, they’re a great source of fuel both during exercise and post-workout.

Any danger to them? Karl Pilkington’s assertion that eating more than six a day can kill through an overdose of potassium is nonsense (you’d have to scoff over 400 to threaten a healthy heart, and only those with type 2 diabetes should avoid them), and though it’s true that they contain radioactive isotopes, it’s fewer than Brazil nuts and in no way dangerous. Though the dopamine they hold doesn’t actually alter your hormones or mood, they are a natural antidepressant: after all, the serotonin they also contain is the chief ingredient in Prozac.

The best thing of all, though, is that bananas are super-simple to add to your diet. They’re easily available, cheap, highly portable, quick to eat, and great tasting too – they even satisfy your sweet tooth.

Plus, they’re funny – and sort of sexy. They are, you could say, the epitome of rude health.

R E C I P E

TWO’S COMPANY BUT THREE’S A PARTY – WHICH IS WHY FREDDY BIRD COMBINES BANANA WITH BOURBON AND PECANS IN THIS MONTH’S RECIPE

THIS IS PROBABLY my third ice cream recipe in about 18 months but I feel the weather makes it even more appropriate.

Anyway, everyone loves ice cream – so I make no excuses!

There are very few banana-based puddings I enjoy (apart from the obvious banoffee pie) but the bourbon, pecan and banana combo here is fantastic. Churn it as last-minute as you can for the best possible results.

The coffee is very subtle but helps to temper the potential synthetic flavour of the banana; for some reason, bananas (and strawberries) have a tendency to taste artificial in puddings, even when they’re 100-percent natural.

I like this served on its own, or with a splash of bourbon mixed with a little maple syrup.

BANANA, BOURBON AND PECAN ICE CREAM MAKES AROUND 20 SCOOPS

1 ltr milk 1 ltr double cream handful coffee beans 16 egg yolks 400g muscovado sugar 200ml good-quality bourbon 200g pecans, lightly toasted and roughly chopped 3 very ripe (almost too ripe) bananas 1 Put the milk, cream and coffee beans in a pan and gently bring to the boil over a medium heat.

2 In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale.

3 Take the milk off the heat and strain it through a sieve (to catch the beans) into the bowl with the eggs and sugar in, stirring continuously to combine. Pour the lot back into the pan and return to a gentle heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 82C. 4 Strain the mixture (to make sure no bits of over-cooked egg make it into the ice cream) into a bowl, then add the banana and bourbon and blend using a hand blender until completely smooth.

5 Chill and churn in an ice cream maker.

Throw in the pecans last minute before putting into the freezer to fully set.

Little French, 2b North View, Bristol BS6 7QB; 01179 706 276; littlefrench.co.uk

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Openings etc S T A R T E R S

FLIPPIN’ MARVELLOUS

SHHH

It’s a secret, but it won’t be for long. Tucked away in the garden of St Stephen’s Church in Bristol city centre is the newly opened Secret Café. The venue had been closed for a year before Alicia Amish and Antonio Perez – originally from Spain – swooped in, gave it a makeover and set about cooking up a Mediterranean-inspired storm. Open in the daytime during the week, this café has a focus on community (the space is used for groups in the evenings) and fantastic Spanish food (top tip: the tortilla, all loose and silky inside, is a tried and tested triumph) as well as a list of staple sarnies. The coffee is good too, made with beans from Clifton’s Triple Co Roast. Fancy a concerto with your cappuccino? St Stephen’s Church has a programme of free concerts that run Monday to Wednesday lunchtimes, and the café hopes to host exhibitions, gigs and pop-up dinners in the gardens. facebook.com/secretcafebristol

OOH LA LA!

Chef Freddy Bird (you know, from page 11 of this here ’zine) and wife Ness have opened their first restaurant. Freddy is a Bristol native, perhaps best known for his cooking at Lido where he was executive chef. Now he has taken on the former Mesa site in Westbury Park to create Little French, a welcoming neighbourhood bistro where you can expect all the indulgences our Continental cousins are known for (think great cheese, awesome wines and decadent food), but with chilled out vibes and approachable price tags. We’ve nibbled on the likes of Champagne risotto with summer truffle and sticky, slow-cooked beef short rib with glazed carrots, but there’s also the likes of whole roast turbot and charcoal-grilled chicken (both for two to share) gracing this impressive, ever-changing menu. Expect flavour-packed dishes made with top ingredients and served with a down-to-earth attitude. littlefrench.co.uk

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JUA N JO B E NI T E Z

K IR S T I E YOU N G

Amongst the likes of Zero Green and Earthcake, springing into ethical action on North Street in Bristol is a new vegan deli and café. Flip has been conceived to support a more easy-going approach to vegan food, the premise being that it’s okay to be flexible with your diet. And this place is to be flexible on all fronts too, being an eatery that offers both sit-in and takeaway options from a deli counter packed full of fresh produce and manned by knowledgeable staff armed with recipe tips. You might recognise founder Sophie Fox – she’s the woman behind the café and cookery school at the Create centre at Spike Island and has spent the last eight years fighting to reduce food waste and the impact we have on our environment. She’s bringing her team, her expertise and a new vision to Southville. It’ll be flippin’ open in August, all being well. flipfood.co.uk

aSK YOUR waiter LOOK, IT’S ELIAS EPHRON FROM TWO WAYS

How long have you been working here?

I started fairly recently, in April of this year.

DOWN TOWN

Bath has a brand new café and bar – and it comes packaged inside the just-launched boutique hotel, Broad Street Townhouse. The Grade II listed building sits next to The Pig and Fiddle (which, like the hotel, is owned by Butcombe) and has undergone a hefty restoration project to bring all four storeys of it back to their former Victorian glory. In the daytime, breakfasts and lunches are served from the counter in the ground floor café (expect sandwiches and colourful salads, available to take away or eat in), while evening brings with it The Blind Pig bar, promising cocktails, wine and craft beer, as well as a menu of cheese and charcuterie. The uncovered stone alcoves, weathered floorboards and wood-panelled walls make this a particularly cool-looking hangout, we reckon. broadstreettownhouse.co.uk

APPY DAYS!

Known for offering great deals at top local independent restaurants, bars, pubs and cafés, Wriggle is heading to Bath.

This news follows successful launches of the locally focused foodie app in its hometown of Bristol, as well as Brighton and Cardiff. To get in on the action, hungry punters can download the free Wriggle app or visit the website to browse offers from handpicked indies across the city, and book and pay there and then. Then, it’s just a case of showing your unique code when you arrive at the venue – easy as that. There is a mixture of offers available, from street food traders to coffee shops, right the way up to fine dining. Savvy diners will also build up loyalty points the more the app is used, which can be swapped for credit. getawriggleon.com

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What do you love the most about working in hospitality?

It’s the social element, the people you brush shoulders with and the sense of camaraderie that comes with a hard day of work. I also love working with food – I like to consider myself something of a gourmet!

And the best thing about your current job?

It’s a place I believe in – a real independent business.

Walter and Seda, the proprietors of Two Ways, are my friends and I want their business to thrive.

That is what fills me with zeal at the beginning of each workday.

And the toughest part?

There is a gravity to the work I do because I am ever-conscious that this business is the passion project of two people I care about. I do not want to mess things up!

What’s the concept of the café?

It’s a melding of Italy and Turkey, with Italian espresso-based drinks but also Turkish coffee, and ingredients ranging from imported Italian charcuterie to homemade

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muhammara (walnut and red pepper dip with pomegranate molasses). Reflecting the backgrounds of its owners, Two Ways presents a cohesion of flavours with dual origins.

What’s the best selling snack right now?

The ‘Two Ways’, which is focaccia with cooked Italian ham, friarielli and Turkish white cheese. It really exemplifies the flavour combinations here.

And how about drinks?

The coffee is a must-try.

The Cartapani beans, roasted in Italy, make for rich, full-bodied drinks.

Popular as well are the authentic Turkish coffee and thick, Italian-style hot chocolate – made to Walter’s own recipe.

What is great customer service all about for you?

Treating customers exactly how you would like to be treated. It’s about having strong personal standards and ensuring that every drink or meal that is served meets those standards.

Where locally do you think they’ve nailed the customer experience?

I am always deeply impressed by the service at Pinkmans bakery on Park Street. twowayscafe.com

S T A R T E R S

ThE

INSTA FEEd

What started out as butchers Ruby and White is now an Aladdin’s cave of produce

@foodnerd4life visits Wrington’s @theethicurean for lunch

hIP ShOPS

RUBY AND WHITE WHAT: MEAT, DELI PRODUCTS AND WINE WHERE: 48 WHITELADIES ROAD, BRISTOL BS8 2NH WHEN: MON-FRI 10AM-6.30PM; SAT 9AM-5PM; SUN 10AM-4PM

@studiowhisk is making our mouths water with this @somcharcuterie

@yogabrunchclub feasts, post-swim @lidobristol SEND US YOUR INSTA SNAPS! Just use #CrumbsSnaps on your foodie Insta posts and we might just print one of yours next issue

w

ait right there! Just because you’re not a meat lover doesn’t mean you should walk on by this well-known butchers. This place has undergone a bit of a transformation over the last year or so, meaning there is plenty worth popping in for besides prime cuts.

Ruby and White’s story began in 2009 with the launch of restaurant The Cowshed.

When the unit next door became available, owner Adam Denton took it on and turned it into a butchery, not only to supply the restaurant with top-quality, high-welfare meat, but also to allow home cooks access to the kind of cuts the chefs were working with next door. It’s modelled on cool London sites and there’s certainly something a bit Borough Market about it, with the flagstone floors, red brick walls and white ceramic brick tiling.

The butchery is thriving – with wholesale and retail arms – and the counters heave with the likes of Castlemead chickens, grass-fed beef and sausages of all kinds.

Responsible for said bangers is Max Bickford, who was determined to make great-quality versions without rusk or any of the other usual fillers – meaning they’re nitrate-and gluten-free. Making different flavours every week, he welcomes

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customers’ requests; a Canadian shopper’s recent challenge to create a maple syrup and bacon sizzler was happily met. If you spot the green chorizo number (coriander, jalapeños and chorizo) we hear it’s a winner.

But, like we said, a straight-up butchery this ain’t. Described as a “kind of urban farm shop” by manager Will De Palma, it goes far beyond meat, stocking sauces, seasonings, condiments (some homemade and shopbranded), as well as olives, honey, veg, pasta, bread and all kinds of ingredients.

There are some niche finds too, like Kadode Kampot pepper from Cambodia, black garlic and Italian chocolate spreads.

Every single item and producer that the shop showcases has been carefully picked

by Will, who has a solid background in food as a chef and Paxton and Whitfield cheesemonger (hence the great collection of speciality cheese here), and also in retail design. Relatively new is the beer and wine room, where local brews sit next to handpicked wines (the prices range from under a tenner to over £60), vermouth, sherry, spirits and liqueurs.

They say don’t shop hungry, but you should really make sure you ain’t thirsty when you swing by here, either. rubyandwhite.com

S T A R T E R S

In the Larder 2 4

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500 days Of SummeR

OKAY, IT’S NOT QUITE THAT LONG, AND IT’S PEAKING RIGHT ABOUT NOW, BUT WE’RE CLINGING ONTO IT AS LONG AS WE CAN WITH THESE SEASONALLY INSPIRED EATS 1 The Collective Pina Colada Yoghurt, £2.10/450g If you like Piña Coladas and getting caught in the rain, wait for a shower and pop down to the shops, because The Collective has launched a limited edition Piña Colada yoghurt as part of its new cocktail-inspired range. Thick, creamy live yoghurt is layered with swirls of fruity pineapple compote, with coconut, a dash of rum and a large dollop of sunshine. Available from Waitrose in Bath and Bristol this summer. thecollectivedairy.com 2 ARJ Chocolate Palm Leaf Lolly, £2/each Handmade locally, these lollies are printed with a summery green palm leaf

design in coloured cocoa butter. They come in milk, dark and white chocolate, as well as honey, caramel, orange and strawberry flavour, if you’re after something a bit different. Buy online direct from this South West chocolatier. arjchocolate.co.uk 3 Quicke’s Elderflower Clothbound Cheese, 200g/£5.30 Those clever chaps at Quicke’s have only gone and incorporated one of our favourite summer ingredients into their latest cheesy offering. Made in collaboration with Bello Fine Food in Cornwall (which forages across the South West for the elderflowers) this is a rich and buttery cheese with a whisper of floral character. Tastes delish with

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charcuterie. Just saying. Buy it online from the Devon cheesemaker’s website. quickes.co.uk 4 Seaspoon Seaweed Seasoning Shaker, £3.95/25g Seaspoon makes a range of products using seaweed foraged from South West coasts – including this seasideinspired number, which is the result of a collaboration with Mitch Tonks. (With that chef involved, you know it’s going to be good.) The award-winning, naturally saline-tasting seasoning makes a great alternative to salt and would be splendid added to the likes of stews, soups, fish and meat to impart a flavoursome boost.

Available online. seaspoon.com

f

a @brockleystores

Brockley Stores, Main Road, Brockley, North Somerset BS48 3AT

BOOK OF THE MONTH

WE’VE BEEN HOPPING ALL OVER THE GLOBE WITH THIS MONTH’S INTAKE OF RECIPE BOOKS

APPLE

BAAN

MOORISH

James Rich has cider for blood – his tribe has been earning a living from Somerset apple orchards for centuries. Apple contains a host of updated family recipes, from the expected (apple crumble, apple sauce, apple pie) to the rather more out there (trout baked in cider, anyone?). Okay, so that doesn’t sound that ‘out there’, I confess, but then apples are the most everyday of fruit and lend themselves more to the humble and comforting than anything exotic. James runs through all the common apple types (favourites include Bramley for cooking, Cox’s for eating and Fiesta as an all-rounder), then gets stuck in with the recipes: fiery apple and walnut rice salad, sweet and sticky ribs with apple wedges, slow-cooked pork and cider, apple and date pancakes, a mildly alcoholic cider sorbet…

Seems like there’s hardly a dish out there where apples can’t take a starring role, and if you’re going to revolve your life around a single fruit, well, little else comes close.

Meaning ‘house’ or ‘home’, the Thai word ‘baan’ is an apt title for this book in more ways than one. Born in Bangkok and having spent half her life in Thailand (her parents had moved there from the UK before she was born), food writer Kay considers the country’s cuisine the food of her childhood – and it’s still the food she makes most.

This, then, is a book about real home cooking – comforting, approachable dishes for family dinners, quiet nights in and weekends with friends. Snacks like laarp (crispy pork) balls and kanom jeep (steamed dumplings) precede noodle and rice dishes like pad kee mao (‘drunkard’s noodles’ – apparently a better hangover cure than even a bacon sarnie), which are followed by curries like gaeng leung pla kup saparot (spicy sour curry with fish and pineapple) and various preparations of meat, seafood and vegetables. A lovely sense of fondness and nostalgia are apparent in the design, with retro colours and styling punctuated by old family photographs. JESSICA CARTER

Having worked at both Michelin-starred metropolitan kitchens and remote Scottish hotels, Ben Tish has most recently been bringing a modern, British spin to Mediterranean food at assorted London restaurants. His big love is for the fruity, spicy, sweet and sour flavours created during and after the Moorish invasion of southern Italy and Spain in 711AD, which smashed together North African and Middle Eastern flavours with Mediterranean produce and traditions to winning effect.

Sections cover light, refreshing meals, gorgeous-smelling slow-cooked dishes, barbecued and grilled fare, and sweet-andsour – “my favourite flavour combination,” Ben says – as well as drinks, sauces, baking, breakfasts and puds. There are new ways to roast chicken (cinnamon-spiced and with pilau rice, all in one pot) and look out for the most tempting roasted beetroot and carrots, sweet and intensely flavoured with cumin.

Nothing here is too scary, but it is exotic: and how much more exciting does, say, duck egg

James Rich (Hardie Grant, £20)

MATT BIELBY

Kay Plunkett-Hogge (Pavilion, £20)

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Ben Tish (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26)

S T A R T E R S

with green harissa and jamón ibérico sound than eggs and bacon? MATT BIELBY

THE ISLAND KITCHEN

Selina Periampillai (Bloomsbury, £26) When Selina Periampillai decided to host Mauritian supper clubs in her London home, little could she have known it would spiral into a career in catering, teaching and, now, book writing. Her debut book The Island Kitchen expands on her obsession with Mauritian food to also incorporate dishes from its neighbouring Indian Ocean islands – think the Seychelles, Rodrigues and Madagascar, amongst others. While each island has its own distinct style of cuisine, Selina argues that they are all linked by a thread of commonality in flavour. Main courses are joined by snacks, condiments, desserts and drinks in the well-organised recipes, which form a good spread of meat, veggie and fish options (from sticky chicken with garlic and ginger to grilled sardines with lemon, chilli and paprika, and aubergine and chickpea cari). Recipes have been shaped for UK kitchens, meaning they use only produce that is available here, and come with photography that’s evocative of sunnier climes. Meanwhile, tastfully illustrated pages introduce you to each of the islands that Selina has scoured for culinary inspiration. JESSICA CARTER

SARDINE

Alex Jackson (Pavilion, £25) This isn’t an entire book about cooking sardines, fascinating though that would no doubt be, but rather recipes from chefowner Alex Jackson’s acclaimed London restaurant of the same name. Simple, homely food from Provence and the Languedoc is the name of the game here, and Alex breaks up an immensely tempting collection of dishes (from an immense tuna, potato, and fried pepper sandwich to a warming beef shin, chestnut and gruyère stew) with fancy dinner-party ready menus.

Each season gets between one and three of these: in Spring, for instance, try three toasts (tomatoes; tapenade or anchoïade; smashed peas and ricotta), followed by la bouillabaisse in two parts, the first a fish broth with croutons and rouille, the second Cornish day boat fish with potatoes cooked in broth and finished with plum galette. If you like fish and your mouth isn’t watering at that, what’s wrong with you? And it’s the same, pretty much, with every page and food type in this book. MATT BIELBY

From The Island Kitchen by Selina Periampillai (Bloomsbury, £26); photography by Yuki Sugiura

FISH SOUP WITH CHILLI AND LIME EATEN ALMOST EVERY day in Maldivian home kitchens, this clear broth is simple to make, and at once reviving, clean and refreshing.

The soup is sometimes eaten with taro (a root vegetable) or boiled breadfruit. Alternatively, it can be poured over a little rice and enjoyed with a squeeze of lime, sliced raw onions and fresh chillies on the side, or simply brought to the table as it is in the bowl.

The crispy fried onions are my addition and add a wonderfully crunchy texture that finishes off the dish.

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER OR 2 AS A MAIN 2 tsp sea salt 400g tuna steaks, cut into 2cm pieces 2-3 dried red chillies (or 1 tsp chilli flakes) 5 curry leaves 3 generous tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely sliced ½ lime, juice only

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To serve: red chillies 1 lime, cut into wedges 1 Pour 1 litre of cold water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the salt. Once it’s at a rolling boil, add in the tuna pieces, chilli and curry leaves and let it boil for 5 minutes. Remove any greyish scum that rises to the top with a spoon.

2 In the meantime, in a shallow frying pan, add the vegetable oil so it covers the bottom of the pan. Place over a medium-high heat. Add in the sliced onion and fry until it is golden brown and slightly charred. Take out and place onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

3 Once the tuna is cooked throughout, check the broth for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Squeeze over the lime juice and stir gently.

4 Divide the soup into serving bowls, top with some crispy onions, extra red chillies (if you wish) and lime wedges.

Serve immediately with rice, or as it is.

CHEF!

MAKE IT – DIRECT WHAT TO MAKE AND HOOWURTO ITE FOODIES UR VO FA F O NS HE TC KI E FROM TH

HIGHLIGHTS

27 GET STUFFED

LAMB BELLY IS STUFFED WITH TAPENADE IN THIS SPESH SHARING DISH

28 THE SPICE IS RIGHT

A MOROCCANINSPIRED GLUTEN-FREE SPICED CAKE

Sweet cherry tomatoes form the base of Claire Thomson’s summery curry recipe

30 CHAI HARD

CHECK OUT THE TURMERIC DRIP ON THIS CHAI CAKE

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aBeR’S GReaTeST hITS

SAM FOLAN

AHEAD OF JOINING A HOST OF OTHER LOCAL FOOD PROS AT THIS YEAR’S 21ST ABERGAVENNY FOOD FESTIVAL, CLAIRE THOMSON SHARES THIS SIMPLE BUT OH SO EFFECTIVE SOUTH INDIAN CURRY

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C H E F !

CHERRY TOMATO THAKKALI SERVES 4 vegetable oil (or ghee) 1 tsp nigella seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp black mustard seeds 10 curry leaves (optional, but worth it) 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 tbsp finely grated root ginger 3-4 small green chillies 2 tsp curry powder (mild or hot, as you like) 1 cinnamon stick 800g cherry tomatoes, halved (a mixture of red and yellow can look nice) 1 tsp salt 200g natural yoghurt ½ lemon, juice only

M A R I A B E L L

Next month brings with it our favourite event to cross the River Severn for – Abergavenny Food Festival, which is taking place on 21 and 22 September.

This year marks two decades since the nationally famous festival began, and there are hordes of familiar food pros from our patch getting in on the action and hosting talks, interviews, demos and workshops at the many venues and stages of the festival. Amongst the locals making the trip are Xanthe Clay, Elly Curshen, Fiona Beckett, Jekka McVicar, Fozia Ismail and Claire Thomson.

Claire, author of cookbooks such as The Five O’Clock Apron and New Kitchen Basics, reckons there’s something quite special about this annual celebration of food.

“I think it’s very much about the people who congregate at the festival,” she tells us. “And it always has a great lineup. I’ve got my eye on Rachel Roddy’s pasta masterclass – I’m looking forward to her next book. I’m also hoping to see Diana Henry (she always talks a good talk), as well as Mark Diacono and Tim Hayward – both are erudite on matters of food and very, very funny with it.

“Abergavenny has something for everyone – from die-hard food nerds to people who just want to eat well.”

Claire is involved in a couple of events on the programme: the Saturday night feast, where she’ll be joined by a host of other chefs to cook up a communal storm, and a Store Cupboard Cookery workshop.

A master of the store cupboard, Claire’s last couple of books, The Art of the Larder and New Kitchen Basics, focus on making fussfree but delicious family-pleasing meals with staple ingredients. Which makes us wonder what is lurking in her own cabinets at home...

“I’m always well stocked with good quality tinned tomatoes,” she says. “Indispensible and versatile. Not a week goes by, I would imagine, without me opening at least one tin.

“Less obvious but really useful, are the dehydrated wood ear mushrooms that my Chinese stepmum gave me a bag of recently.

You plonk them in water to rehydrate and can then add then into many different Chinese dishes. I really like the chewy, gelatinous texture of these thin, almost opaque and floppy looking mushrooms.”

Claire’s given us a top recipe from her newest book, which is definitely a dish to get on the go over the summer with all that fresh, sweet flavour from the cherry tomatoes. abergavennyfoodfestival.com

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1 Heat enough vegetable oil or ghee to coat the base of a large lidded frying pan (a large pan is crucial to give the tomatoes enough space to cook – you don’t want a swampy, soupy mess) and place over a moderate to high heat. Add all the seeds and the curry leaves (if using) and fry for 1 minute, until they begin to sizzle and pop.

2 Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until nicely softened. Add the garlic, ginger, 2 whole green chillies, curry powder and cinnamon stick and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant and aromatic.

3 Add the tomatoes, salt and 100ml water, cover, then cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes are fully softened. Don’t stir too much; you don’t want tomato sauce, you want to retain a bit of texture to the tomatoes.

4 Make the seasoned yoghurt. In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt to taste, then put to one side.

5 Remove the tomatoes from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Serve with the remaining 1-2 chillies, finely sliced, a selection of Indian pickles, cooked rice or warm roti or naan breads, and a dollop of the seasoned yoghurt.

Recipe from New Kitchen Basics by Claire Thomson (Quadrille, £25) Photography © Sam Folan

C H E F !

TAPENADE-STUFFED LAMB BELLY WITH CAPONATA SERVES 6 2 boned lamb bellies 1 ltr chicken stock For the tapenade: 250g taggiasca olives, rinsed and drained 1 tsp lilliput capers 2 anchovy fillets 1 tsp Moscatel vinegar 50ml arbequina olive oil ½ red chilli, seeded and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped For the caponata: olive oil 1 ½ celery sticks, finely diced 1 onion, finely diced 1 red pepper, finely diced 2 aubergines, diced 1 tbsp capers small handful black olives 25g raisins 25g pine nuts, plus extra to garnish 2 large beef heart tomatoes small bunch basil

BeLLY LaUGh

THIS LAMB BELLY SHARING DISH BY HUW WARRICK HAS BAGS OF SUMMER DINNER PARTY POTENTIAL

Muiño is a little family-run restaurant on Cotham Hill in Bristol, serving evening tapas and weekend brunch. It’s recently bagged itself a new head chef in the form of Huw Warrick. Formerly of Bell’s Diner, Huw joined the team in February and has since been injecting the menu with his own personal style, by way of dishes such as this one...

Muiño, 32 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LA; muinobristol.com

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1 Preheat the oven to 160C/310F/gas mark 2.

2 For the tapenade, blend the olives, capers, anchovies, vinegar and oil until combined, then add the chilli and garlic and mix.

3 Laying the bellies out flat, spread the tapenade over generously, then roll tightly and tie with butcher’s twine.

4 Brown the bellies all over in a hot pan. After a couple of minutes, remove from the heat.

5 Put the meat into a deep oven tray. Pour in the chicken stock and cover the tray with foil.

Place in the oven to braise for 3-4 hours, until the braising liquid and lamb is a nice dark brown. When it’s done, set aside to cool then chill in the fridge.

6 For the caponata, add a dash of olive oil to a pan over a medium heat, and sweat the celery, onions and peppers until caramelised (about 5-6 minutes). In a separate pan, fry the aubergine on a medium-high heat for a few minutes until starting to colour, then add to the caramelised veg. Add the capers, olives, raisins and pine nuts, and then grate in both of the tomatoes.

7 Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 15 minutes and season.

8 When you’re ready to eat, slice each belly into 4 discs and heat a frying pan with a dash of olive oil. Fry until crispy and hot through.

9 To plate, pile the caponata onto a platter and add the lamb slices on top. Garnish with torn basil leaves and more pine nuts, and serve in the middle of the table to share.

C H E F !

CaKe Of The aRT

SPICED CARROT, PISTACHIO AND WALNUT CAKE WITH ROSEWATER CRÈME FRAÎCHE

PACK YOUR BAGS, ’CAUSE THIS MOROCCANINSPIRED BAKE BY BETH AL-RIKABI WILL TRANSPORT YOU TO EXOTIC PLACES

4 large eggs 220g caster sugar 150g ground walnuts 150g desiccated coconut 100g ground pistachios 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 175g butter, melted 2 large carrots, coarsely grated ½ courgette, coarsely grated For the caramel: 100g butter 100g light brown sugar 100ml double cream To decorate (optional): pistachios, coarsely chopped figs, sliced physalis (Inca berries) pomegranate seeds rosebuds icing sugar To serve: rosewater (to taste) crème fraîche

M AT T I N W O O D

Beth is a Bath-based private chef, caterer and baker who has worked all around the world. Her travels are well-repped in her recipes, and in 2017 she published her first book, Tales From My Happy Place, where the dishes have many different influences.

This recipe is taken from the book and was conceived after a stint cooking abroad.

“While working in Morocco I found myself drinking tea in a tiny souk spice shop,” explains Beth. “I bought a bag of dried rosebuds there which I use in this dish.

“I’ve taken a classic recipe and done my usual tweaking, dictated by the seasons and my current cupboard contents. Just like a failsafe bread recipe, a good gluten-free cake recipe is priceless – and this is the one to go back to every time.”

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1 Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3 and line a 9-inch loose-bottomed tin.

2 Beat the eggs and sugar together, then stir in the nuts, spices and butter. Add the carrot and courgette and mix until evenly combined.

3 Pour into the tin and bake near the top of the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. To check it’s cooked, insert a skewer into the middle and see it if comes out clean (if it does, it’s ready). Also look for the mix coming away from the sides with a firm crust. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin – expect it to be a moist bake.

4 Make the caramel sauce by combining the butter and sugar in a pan over a medium heat, cooking until the sugar has dissolved.

Then allow it to bubble away for a few minutes, being careful it doesn’t catch. Bring off the heat and stir in the cream, a bit at a time, until combined.

5 Once cool, top the cake with your choice of decoration and dust with icing sugar.

6 Mix a few drops of rosewater into the crème fraîche, and serve a dollop alongside each slice, with a drizzle of the caramel.

Recipe taken from Tales From My Happy Place by Beth Al-Rikabi, photography by Matt Inwood; beththefreerangechef.com

C H E F !

TURMERIC CHAI CAKE SERVES 10-12 115g sunflower spread 300g golden granulated sugar 400g soya yoghurt 300g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp salt 1 x Assam teabag For the buttercream: 100g Trex vegetable fat 100g sunflower spread 750g icing sugar 1 tbsp soya milk (if needed) For the turmeric drip: 50g icing sugar 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp soya milk

aLL ThOSE IN FaVOUR SaY

ChaI!

TIME FOR CHAI? WE’LL HAVE OURS IN CAKE FORM, THANKS TO LOUISE ABEL

Self-taught chef Louise is the woman behind popular Bristol food van The Spotless Leopard, which you can usually find on Alma Road in Clifton.

Louise adopted a plant-based diet 10 years ago and moved from her native Yorkshire to our harbour city to start her vegan food business. And rather well-received it’s been, too, even featuring in Lonely Planet’s cookbook, Around the World in 80 Food Trucks, published earlier this year.

This cook isn’t only creative in her van, though, and along with pal Olivia has released a DIY lifestyle zine complete with vegan recipes, called The Introverts’ Guide to Being Quiet in a Noisy World. All the profits go to the Dean Farm Trust animal sanctuary, and you can get a copy by sending a message to the email address on the website. thespotlessleopard.co.uk

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1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and grease and flour a 9-inch cake tin (or line it with greaseproof paper).

2 In a bowl, cream the sunflower spread and sugar together well, then add the yoghurt and mix thoroughly.

3 Mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, emptying the contents of the teabag in. Add this all to the wet ingredients and mix well. (It may be a thicker cake batter than you’re used to.) Pour into the tin and smooth the top so that it’s level-ish.

4 Bake for about 45 minutes then check how it’s doing by sticking a toothpick into the centre; if it comes out clean, your cake is ready. If not, try another few minutes and check again.

5 When cooked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin. When cool, turn it out and slice horizontally through the middle, so you have a top half and bottom half.

6 Mix the Trex and sunflower spread together thoroughly. Mix in the icing sugar bit by bit until the icing forms stiff peaks – add a splash of soya milk to soften it, if it’s too thick to work with. Spread ⅓ of the mix on top of the bottom part of the cake, then place the second half on top. Using a palette knife, coat the cake evenly all over with the remaining buttercream.

7 For the drip, mix the ingredients together thoroughly. You may need to add more icing sugar or a tiny splash more milk to get the consistency you want. Add to the top of the cake around the edge, teasing it over the sides to give the dripping effect. We finish with seasonal fruits and flowers on top.

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The Old Ham Tree, Ham Green, Holt, Wilts, BA14 6PY Tel: 01225 782 581 www.theoldhamtree.com

S T A R T E R S

WHAT SUP?

look!!

IT’S SECTION,ODUERDNICEAWTE TO ALL THINGS D SUPPABLE

I DRINK, THEREFORE I AM

BEST OF DENS WE SPEAK TO AWARD-WINNING BAR MANAGER DAN BOVEY, FOLLOWING THE LAUNCH OF HIS INTRIGUING NEW COCKTAIL MENU

K I R S T I E YO UN G

SPEAKEASY BAR HYDE AND CO has unveiled its latest cocktail collection – and it’s a bit of a looker.

Known for their innovative concoctions and conceptual menus, the team have taken inspiration for their new offering from historic Bristol drinking dens and the stories behind them.

Dens, as the new menu is called, is bound like a book and, with its browning pages, looks every inch the vintage hardback that you’d expect to come across in an antique bookshop – except for the fact that it’s filled with cocktails and snippets of stories about old watering holes, alongside hand-drawn illustrations.

Behind the drinks is bar manager Dan Bovey – named Imbibe’s Bartender of the Year for 2019 – who has created them to rep all sorts of past and present local boozers, from historic pub The Hatchet to former Park Row club, the Dugout.

The drinks are as intriguing as the venues they’re based on, featuring novel ingredients that are made by the team (lots of chef techniques are used to create them, and some take days to prepare). The menu shows choice descriptions too, avoiding referencing the types of spirits involved, which, Dan tells us, is part of the effort to lure people away from their usual sorts of choices and almost trick them into trying something novel. After all, these cocktails are designed to not be definable by their spirit base, instead offering the unexpected.

Hyde and Co has really streamlined its sustainability principles too, having done away with napkins and straws, using cubed instead of crushed ice and cut right back on limes and lemon to save on the food miles.

We sipped on the Quay Head House recently, named after the site which houses sister venue Milk Thistle and used to be a merchant’s meeting den. A novel take on the Martini, it contains vermouth that’s been infused with red pepper by sous-vide, and a thyme saline solution for a savoury, fresh edge. hydeand.co

BEER + COFFEE + WINES + SPIRITS + MORE

033 33 CRUMBSMAG.COM CRUMBSMAG.COM

W H A T

S U P ?

ThE dRIP FEEd d NEWS, BREWS, BARS AND TRENDS

BEER TODAY...

GIN UP!

If you’re an avoider of gluten but a lover of beer then tune in – your summer just got more refreshing. It’s thanks to a new local gluten-free beer that’s hit the shelves. Bath Ales has officially released their Coeliac UK-approved bev Wild Hare, which is sure to put a smile on the faces of the one in 10 of us who don’t do gluten. Rest assured, though, that this sip doesn’t skimp on flavour. Crisp and fresh with a little hint of citrusy goodness, it’s a classic British pale ale in taste, but with the benefit of that crossed grain symbol on the label.

You can find bottles of Wild Hare in Waitrose in Bath and Bristol for £1.80. bathales.com

MY L OC A L

So, you’ve got itchy feet and a penchant for gin? Drink experts and authors Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley have penned the ultimate compendium for you. The World Atlas of Gin (Mitchell Beazley, £25) is out in September and is a one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about the global gin scene, country by country, including distilling processes and cocktails. From small-batch tipples and novel botanicals to big-name gins, there’s no stone left unturned. As well as comprehensive, it’s beautifully put together; the photographs alone will have you reaching for your passport and hip flask. octopusbooks.co.uk

THERE ARE SOME BELTING TUNES AND GREAT FOOD ON THE GO AT THE LOCAL THAT ISHITA WILKINS (ALSO KNOWN AS ‘WITH MUSTARD’ ON T’WEB) FREQUENTS...

My local is The Hillgrove Porter Stores in Bristol.

The vibe here in three words is relaxed, lively and friendly.

I’m drinking one of their

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LOCAL LOOKERS

We love a good traditional boozer – and not just for the liquid offerings.

There are some real historic pubs on our turf with centuries-old interiors – and stories to match. Campaign for Real Ale – an organisation that supports pubs and pints – has unveiled a new guide that showcases more than 100 historically significant watering holes in these parts. Real Heritage Pubs of the South West looks at the story of the British pub and its evolution before listing locals of special interest for their historic features – spot The Nova Scotia, Avon Packet, Old Green Tree and The Star, amongst others. camra.org.uk

guest beers or ciders, usually, but as it’s a Dawkins Pub, it’s always nice to have a bit of Bristol Gold.

And to nibble on I’ll have Kansai Kitchen’s okonomiyaki with bacon, kimchi and all the trimmings, please.

You’ll find me sitting in one of the cosy corners.

It’s not all about the food and drink, though; the staff are friendly and the courtyard garden is a little gem to sit in when the weather allows.

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The crowd here is made up of quite a mix of people but generally relaxed.

If I were to steal something I’d take the Magnum IPA beermat in the patchwork of mats and beer clips hanging on the walls.

Basically, you should try my local because it’s laidback, has great playlists and you can graze on Japanese street food and drink local beers. dawkinsales.com

W H A T

S U P ?

COMMUNITY PUBS

THE ALMA TAVERN

EMMA CULLEN GOES TO THIS PUB AND THEATRE FOR THE GIN, AND STAYS FOR THE WINE...

T

he Alma Tavern is hardly an average pub. For a start, it’s also a theatre, not to mention a guesthouse, too.

Its auditorium (where you can find well-established and up-andcoming productions on stage, as well as charity events), along with its residential location on Clifton’s Alma Vale Road, means it’s a pub with real community spirit and a welcoming attitude. It even puts on the annual Alma Vale Street Fayre every summer, where local producers and artisans trade, music acts play and dog shows (yes, you heard) take place.

It’s a stylish local, too. When the Zazu’s Kitchen team took it over back in 2017 – saving it from closing – they gave it a thorough refresh, and now it’s all rustic wood and wall panelling painted in a Farrow and Ball-style midnight blue.

That said, with the summer weather in full blaze, there was no other thought than that of heading outside to the terrace (wooden chairs scraping on decking is the sound of summer, right?). Completely removed from the city, this little spot of tranquillity is laced with green foliage and flowers, and there’s not a whisper of city noise.

The backbar is as well stocked as you’d like your local to be, with thoughtfully chosen, quality wines, a rotating range of beers (the bar is Cask Marque accredited) from the local likes of Bristol Beer Factory and Arbor, and a whole range of top-notch spirits (the selection of gins is particularly decent, with around 17 varieties). We made the most of said collection by kicking off with glasses of William Chase Pink Grapefruit Gin with tonic, to really boost those holiday feels.

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Sipping on our ice-cold aperitifs, we checked out the food menu – there is a full restaurant-style bill of fare on offer here, for when you’re done navigating that list of spirits. And – spoiler alert – this is not just standard pub grub.

Barbecue cauliflower (£6) is served in a Mason jar with moreish jerk-spice sauce, and marinated chicken winglets (£7.50) are coated in a light, golden batter and dressed for summer with fresh salad and sharp blackberry ketchup, for instance.

Moving on to more fitting lubrications for the main courses, we chose the Italian Arpeggio Catarratto; a fruity white that’s smooth, delicious and complements the sunny weather as well as the food.

Line-caught and pan-fried cod fillet (£14.95) was expertly executed: tender, easily flaking under the fork and, crucially, wellseasoned, with crisp skin. Vegetarians can rest assured that the same level of care and imagination has gone into their options: all hail the flamed red pepper burger (£10.95), which I couldn’t stop talking about.

We barely noticed the sun lowering in the sky as we chatted into the evening, still working on that wine. The Alma’s terrace is somewhere I’ll be coming back to, and not just for summer; I can imagine a winter’s evening out here, before a show, snuggling under a blanket with a hot chocolate and surrounded by twinkling lights.

The Alma Tavern, 18-20 Alma Vale Road, Bristol BS8 2HY; 0117 973 5171; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk

Summer days This Summer, come and enjoy our newly developed gardens featuring Childrens’ Play areas throughout OHH.

Pizza, Pie b & Pub Gru Menu

r T he Bea & Swan

Sunday Roasts

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a B y e k s i h Gin & W

Buddha n r a B a e T

NEWLY OPENED

within The Crow

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Family or friends staying?

Why not make the visit extra special and stay over at an OHH Pub. Save £10 when you book direct.

Just visit www.ohhpubs.co.uk and at the point of reservation use this Promo Code: SAVE10

The Old House at Home: Near Castle Combe - 01454 218227 The Bear and Swan: Chew Magna - 01275 331100 The Rising Sun: Backwell - 01275 462215

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The Crown / Buddha Tea Barn, 500 Bath Road, Saltford, BS31 3HJ www.thecrowninsaltford.com f thecrowninsaltford

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS

qUICK dRaweR

SCARED BY SOUS-VIDE RECIPES? YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE, SAYS MATT BIELBY. BUT IT’S A KNOCK-OUT COOKING TECHNIQUE ALL THE SAME, AND NOW KITCHENAID HAS A WAY TO ACHIEVE IT MORE EASILY…

So this time you’ve invented… what? The drawer? Well done you.

I can’t claim responsibility for that (thank English and French craftsmen of the 17th century).

And nor did I invent this one: that was KitchenAid. But I did bring your attention to it: a 14cm vacuum drawer, which you can either have free-standing or built into your kitchen units, and which helps bring professional kitchen cooking techniques into your home. It’s one-third of the Chef Touch System, which is a proper multi-tasking triple-threat. When

KitchenAid’s new Vacuum 14cm Drawer costs from £2,200; kitchenaid.co.uk

you add this vacuum drawer to the existing shock freezer (for extra-fast chilling and freezing) and steam oven (for cooking and reheating), you have the perfect home sous-vide system.

And why would I want any of that?

To totally upgrade your cooking, of course! Chef Touch is designed to bring sous-vide cooking out of restaurants and into home kitchens, and – because it preserves nutrients and maintains more of each ingredient’s original texture – it makes your finished

dishes especially juicy and tender.

Vacuum-sealed dishes keep for longer: eight times better than a normal fridge, and three times a regular freezer, even. This thing seals its pouches with a residual pressure of 5Mbar inside – that’s compared to the more everyday vacuum sealers that only manage 350-500Mbar.

I’ve no idea what you said just then.

Basically, the lower the number, the better – 5Mbar is 99.9% of the possible achievable vacuum level.

I’m guessing it’s not cheap.

Er, no. It’s [mumble mumble].

What’s that?

[Mumble mumble] Come on!

Okay, okay, it’s £2,200. At least.

(It’s 50 quid more for a black one.)

And for the full set, you’ll need the steam oven and shock freezer too, both similarly not-cheap. So yeah, you’re only going to get one if you’re putting together a very posh new kitchen. If you’re feeling flush, though, I reckon the upgrade to your cooking is worth it.

THIS MONTH DRAWERING + RETAIL THERAPY + BLUE IN THE FACE

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House Call

MOdeRN LOve ONCE SMALL, DARK AND STUCK IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY, THIS KITCHEN IS NOW A BRIGHT, OPEN-PLAN EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY STYLE WO RDS BY J ES S ICA CARTE R P H OTO S BY N IC C I PE E T

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S U P P E R C L U B

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H O U S E

B

efore Anna Clements moved into her south Bristol house in 2011, it hadn’t been on the market for almost a century. It was last bought in 1926 and the couple that moved in stayed there the rest of their lives, their daughter then calling it home until well after the turn of the millennium.

With the same family having occupied the house for all that time, there had been no thorough overhaul at any point to account for other owners’ tastes or new trends.

“Literally nothing had been changed,” Anna tells us. “There were wires running on top of the walls from when the house first got electricity, washstands and basins from when there were no sinks, gas lights on the walls – even an air raid shelter in the garden from the war. We found flags that we think were from the coronation in the attic as well.”

While lots has changed since Anna, her husband Matt and their children have been living here (the dark wallpaper has gone, there’s a proper kitchen sink and the lino on the bedroom floors – yep, used to be a thing – is no more) they’ve kept a few of those old features. There’s still a gas lamp on the wall on the landing and most of the lovely old fireplaces remain, for instance, although the electrical wires have been chased into the walls now.

The original kitchen took up just a sliver of the space now designated to cooking and eating. It was a tiny galley-style set up at the back of the house, behind a separate dining room. Stage one was opening that space up to create a kitchen-diner, which happened about a year after Anna moved in. Then, three years ago, an extension was built to roughly double the size of the room,

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which is now bright, airy and spacious, with white walls and big sliding glass doors that open up onto the still sizable garden.

“I had a really good idea of what I wanted the kitchen to be like,” says Anna. “I used Pinterest a lot and pinned loads of kitchens that I really liked, but there was one that I kept coming back to. It was the matt black cupboards – plain with plain handles – that I loved, but I couldn’t find them anywhere here. Things have changed since then – it was four years ago we started planning – but there just wasn’t very much choice or any affordable bespoke options at the time.”

Luckily, Anna eventually found a business where she could customise her cupboards – choose the door, finish and paint colour.

(Elsewhere on her wishlist was an island, white marble worktop and warming drawer.)

Of course, much of the mise-en-scene is made up of items from Anna’s lifestyle shop, Mon Pote, which is on North Street in Bedminster. A treasure trove of beautifully designed, timeless homeware, it’s a compact space but really makes the most of the square meterage with a host of items from lovely glazed crockery to stone plant pots and elegant shelving.

Anna founded the business, originally solely an online trader, about four years ago – but had no previous experience of the industry before then.

“I used to be a solicitor, but I never really loved it. It took a while for me to work out what I wanted to do instead, though. I eventually left my job in 2013 and set up the website a year later.

“At first I really had no idea of what I should be buying – so I used to get in stock for the shop just on the basis that if no ones buys it, I’ll have it!”

CRUMBSMAG.COM

CELEBRATE A SUSTAINABLE SUMMER WITH FRANK WATER! Win a fabulous refill bundle worth around £100 from reusable product pioneers, Klean Kanteen & safe water charity, FRANK Water.

This amazing prize includes a FRANK Water x Klean Kanteen bottle (532ml); a TKPro plastic-free thermal Klean Kanteen flask (750ml); a Pack of Klean Kanteen reusable straws and a Klean Kanteen ‘Unicorn’ Kid Classic Sport bottle (355ml).

To be in with a chance of winning, simply post a picture to Instagram of FRANK Water at a festival, in a cafe or restaurant (find us at Boston Tea Party and Pieminister among other stockists) or at a swim, run or other fundraising event.

Tag @frank_water_charity + #frankwatersustainablesummer We’ll announce the winner in early September!

FRANK Water’s vision is of a water secure world in which everyone has sustainable access to safe water.

Registered charity no. 1121273 www.frankwater.com

H O U S E

C A L L

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL Name: Anna Clements.

Hometown: Bristol.

Occupations: Owner of lifestyle and interiors shop, Mon Pote.

Must-have kitchen item: My Smeg fridge. My other half wasn’t too keen but, as I bought it out of my own wages, he couldn’t really argue!

Favourite kitchen hack: Using frozen scampi to make quick versions of the fish tacos we had on holiday in the Florida Keys.

Secret kitchen skill: I always make pizza dough from scratch. I use the recipe in Delia’s How to Cook: Book One. You love the taste of... Tarragon – especially in béarnaise sauce.

Coffee or tea? Green tea to start the day, followed by a coffee.

Beer or cider? It has to be cider.

Go-to recipe: Butter chicken. I’ve sort of made up my own recipe over the years. It’s such great comfort food.

Guilty pleasure: I have a really sweet tooth, so the kids never get to finish their Halloween sweets as they always mysteriously disappear...

A food you couldn’t live without: I guess my staple ingredient has to be pasta.

Unexpected item in your kitchen cupboard: Discarded tubs of make-your-own slime.

The style of your kitchen in three words: Modern, sleek and simple.

Your kitchen is awesome because... We got to design it ourselves and include all our wish-list bits. It ticks all the boxes for our family.

If you could change one thing about it, it would be… Putting in brass taps instead of black. But I already replaced chrome for black and broke the sink in the process!

One thing your kitchen is used for that doesn’t involve food: Working – I like to sit up at the breakfast bar with my laptop. I also use the kitchen as a backdrop for product photos for my website.

This is clearly a woman with good taste, then, as the website turned into a popular shop, well known for its contemporary but pared-back elegance, with an Instagram account, curated by Anna, with almost 14,000 followers.

“Eventually I started to learn what sells and what range you need – I got more business-minded and also used Instagram to pick up on styles and trends.

“There’s a lovely range of House Doctor dinnerware in right now – I have the plates myself because I think they’re so beautiful: rich tones and lovely textures.”

Anna shows us some lovely dark green plates, glazed with a crackled effect and nicely thick and weighty – “You can put any food on them and it looks good!”

Some of the best sellers at the shop in terms of kitchenware are the HK Living glazed mugs, which are ’70s-inspired and come in mid-century colours – think beige, browns and greens.

“They’ve actually got another range of ceramics coming out in September which are great,” says Anna. “They’ve gone much further with their colours.”

Elsewhere in this Bristol kitchen are white-and-wood bar stools from Oskar on Whiteladies Road, pieces from Hay in Bath and a little bit from online shop Made, which is where the great matt-black light fitting came from.

There’s a lot of inspiration to be had in this room. Let’s just say my dream kitchen is really taking shape – in my head, if not in reality. monpote.co.uk

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K I T C H E N

A R M O U R Y

The Want List IT’S THE COLOUR OF THE SUMMER SKY, SO WE’RE EMBRACING BLUE IN THE KITCHEN, TOO

Bath Blue Rose Mug, £12 Decorated with an original 1960s pattern, this Bath mug will be a treat for your tea. Find it at Stokes Croft China. prscshop.co.uk

Blue Agate Cheese Board, £68 No pattern is the same, no shade replicated. Each of Anthropologie’s agate cheese boards really is one of a kind and is deliciously finished with a gilded edge. anthropologie.com

Large Dinard Tablecloth, £195 Made from 100-percent linen, this rustic-style, fringed fabric will see your table clothed with real style.

Find it in OKA, Bath. oka.com

Oval Bowl, £4 This ceramic Nordic-style bowl is just waiting to be filled with snacks. Find it at The Futon Company in Bristol. futoncompany.co.uk

Bristol Blue Gin Glass, £48 If you’re going to sip a local gin, treat it to a truly Bristol glass.

Gotta love this traditionally made number, from the Bristol Blue Glass shop. bristol-glass.co.uk

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Would you like to work in Media Sales?

We are always looking to hear from talented individuals who would like to work for MediaClash, presenting advertising opportunities and marketing solutions across our portfolio of fantastic magazines and events. We are a growing business and anticipate there being various opportunities over the next few months.

If you would like to join our continuing success story please email your CV to steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk or give us a call anytime on 01225 475827 for a chat about the company, our magazines and available positions.

www.mediaclash.co.uk

A TASTE OF SUMMER Beer gardens and courtyards in the City and beyond!

Butcombe pubs and inns have Summer covered with outside dining areas, pop up BBQs, gin gardens and more.

Whether it’s a trip to your local or exploring somewhere new there’s a pub garden for everyone with Butcombe...

From the relaxing Methuen Arms in Corsham to the lively Pig and Fiddle in Bath, the spectacular view of the Quarrymans Arms to the new-look Pelican in Chew Magna. Make the most of the weather and join us for a spot of al fresco this Summer.

The Ostrich, Bristol 0117 927 6411 ostrich@butcombepubs.com

The Cottage, Bristol 01179 215256 cottage@butcombepubs.com

The Pelican, Chew Magna 01275 331777 pelican@butcombepubs.com

The Pig & Fiddle, Bath 0122 546 0868 pigandfiddle@butcombepubs.com

The Quarrymans Arms, Corsham 01225 743569 quarrymansarms@butcombepubs.com

The Methuen Arms, Corsham 01249 717060 methuen@butcombepubs.com

Visit butcombe.com for a full list of all our pubs

MA INs HIGHLIGHTS

EATING-OUT INSPO, INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AND FOOD PIONEERs

55 ROW YOUR BOAT

48 ENDLESS LOVE

WE FIND OUT THE SECRETS BEHIND SOME OF OUR LONGESTSTANDING RESTAURANTS

GET DOWN TO THE RIVER FOR GREAT FOOD AND WATERSIDE VIEWS

INCLUDING!

9

OLD-FAITHFUL RESTAURANTS OVER A DECADE OLD

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The Cowshed is celebrating its 10th birthday this year

LOVE YOU LONG TIME

THE RESTAURANT GAME IS TOUGHER THAN EVER – SO WHAT DO THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME ON OUR LOCAL FOOD SCENE THINK THEY GOT RIGHT, ASKS JESSICA CARTER?

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W

ith the constant new restaurant openings we’re lucky enough to witness on the streets of Bath and Bristol, it’s sometimes easy to allow the mainstays, the old faithfuls, the stalwarts of the local restaurant scene to slip to the back of our minds.

This year saw the end of an era when Bell’s Diner – the famous Picton Street restaurant that was founded in 1976 – closed for good.

Sniffle. (It’s not all bad, though, as the site is now in the hands of the Pasta Loco team who, we’re understandably confident, are going to bring it back to life with style.)

This got us to thinking about our local long-serving gaffs. During their runs, they’ve witnessed dining-out habits change and evolve – and have clearly been able to decipher to some degree what it is that they need to do to keep up, to future-proof their business, and keep customers coming back.

Arne Ringner has seen the landscape evolve significantly, having been in the restaurant trade for more than 30 years, founding Glassboat back in 1986.

“The trade was rather different then,” he tells us. “We were maybe only half a dozen places of some quality and reputation in Bristol – I am now thinking of Michaels in Hotwells Road, Harveys in Denmark Street, Jamesons, Markwicks and Howards, to mention some. It was fun, different, and the quality of vintage wine much better.”

M A I N S

Wilks has held a Michelin star in Redland for six years now

But, lo, times change. Customers change.

Indeed, the way we use restaurants is certainly not the same as how we did during the boom of the ’80s – something the ebb and flow of the economy has played a huge part in.

“The demise of the banking and financial services industry has had great impact,” Arne says. “These groups knew how to do lunch. Three hours and a bottle of Muscadet each was the norm for a good lunch in the ’80s and ’90s. Nowadays, most lunch trade is made up of the occasional solicitors taking clients out and the passing-by long-weekend tourist. But there is a glimmer of younger professionals coming out for lunch again – although for pleasure and not business.”

The wine-soaked corporate meals that once dominated restaurant dining rooms meant there was an everyday demand for high-end food and refined settings. And the price tag? Not important – these meals were being whacked nonchalantly on the expense accounts of large businesses.

As this practice began to subside (whimper) and the UK hit recessions in the early ’90s and 2000s, a market for more affordable, casual venues emerged – places where families can go out for dinner and young people can hang out over food. Historically, diners generally had the choice of white-tableclothed fine dining or standard pub fare, but not a lot in between.

Thus, a decade ago, Adam Denton founded The Cowshed out of a desire to create a restaurant in Bristol that combined an informal setting with an emphasis on “quality, local produce and excellent service,” he tells us. And he wasn’t the only one to cotton onto this need. Big brands seized the opportunity to fill that casualdining niche and their chain restaurants quickly proliferated. The first branch of Jamie’s Italian – arguably the blueprint of casual dining chains – opened just before The Cowshed, and many more followed.

While these restaurants deserve to be celebrated for allowing eating out to become more attainable for the masses, there was perhaps a precariousness created by the speed at which they multiplied in a quickly evolving market, and there have been several chain closures lately. “The chains over-expanded and are realising that now, as are several big chef names who haven’t found ‘little old Bath’ as easy to conquer as they thought,” says Alison Golden, who has been a chef since 1977 and opened The Circus Restaurant in Bath in 2008.

GOOD NEIGHBOURS

The faces of local neighbourhoods have seen plenty of transformations in the last decade when it comes to the culinary landscape. One notable area that looks very

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different now in terms of its food and drink offering is Stokes Croft, which has been home to Poco since 2011.

“The neighbourhood’s changed a lot – and continues to,” says co-owner Ben Pryor.

“We’ve seen a lot of new businesses come – and some of them go again too – while we’ve been here, with one or two chains having tried their hand without much luck.

But we’ve also found ourselves with some really inspiring neighbours too. In many ways, along with The Canteen over the road, we were the first to establish in this part of town; if you look around now, though, there are countless amazing options.”

Chandos Road, too – home to Wilsons, Otira, No Man’s Grace (until recently) and Wilks – has steadily grown into a dining destination among residential streets.

Christine Vayssade founded Wilks with husband and chef James Wilkins in 2012 – when “there was not much going on, to be honest,” she says. “Seven years down the line, Chandos Road is transformed – it is one of the best streets in Bristol for good food and we are all independent businesses. It’s a vibrant, gorgeous road with a tremendous offering for foodies.

“In Bristol, the variety and the quality of the restaurants has really evolved in the last five years; there is a real dynamism. Young, well-trained chefs have moved to Bristol and opened their own places.”

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 09:00 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00 | Sunday to Monday: 09:00 - 15:00

M A I N S

WHAT WE REALLY, REALLY WANT

Diners’ behaviours have evolved alongside the restaurant landscape (let’s not get too caught up in chickens and eggs) and we’re just not looking for the same things from our meals out that we used to. It’s important, then, that restaurateurs stay one step ahead.

This is an endeavour that Sam Fryer of Rosemarino in Clifton, in part, attributes the restaurant’s nine years of success to.

“We were one of the first to offer all-day breakfasts and brunches,” he says. “This is still one of the most popular elements of our business, even though it is now well catered for in Bristol,” he says. “We were also one of only a few Italian concepts at the time where pizza isn’t the main focus, preferring a menu which changes frequently and showcases the best of regional Italian cuisine as the seasons change.”

This focus on seasonality and quality of ingredients is something Alison Golden also considers to be the key to happy customers.

It’s a consumer expectation that has evolved noticeably over the last handful of years.

“When we first opened, people couldn’t understand why we’d change our menu so often. Now they get the seasonality aspect.

Diners also like to know the provenance of ingredients; the Our Suppliers page of our website gets thousands of hits, and people are also happy to pay a little extra to have a local craft beer or white wine from Devon.”

Indeed, the interest we take in the stories behind our food is one of the key characteristics of this generation of diner – we’ve experienced “a huge awakening in our awareness of quality and provenance,” says Ben Pryor. Vague and insincere menu messaging about locally sourced ingredients isn’t satisfying many customers any more; we want stories, names and places. In short, we want ethical control over our decisions.

Thing is, we still want a bargain, an’ all (don’t ask for much, do we?), and those two things don’t exactly go hand in hand.

“Customers do need to be real about the cost of good produce – there are many charlatans out there,” says Adam Denton.

“But, at the same time, restaurants need to make sure quality remains high and service spot on when there is so much great choice.”

Indeed, our heightened knowledge of good food, coupled with the rising numbers of places to eat out, means that restaurants have had to up their game to compete. And not just in terms of the food on the plate, but the service, the setting, the atmosphere – it’s kind of a package deal.

Rosemarino got in early on the brunch thing, and has never looked back

STICKING POINT

Despite 2019 diners being a tougher crowd, there’s a decent number of local joints that have really stood the test of time, despite the well-reported rise in business rates and rents they’re having to endure. What it is about them that’s kept their place in customers’ good books, though, could be any number of things – and changes from restaurant to restaurant.

“For us, getting a Michelin star was the best thing that could have happened in terms of publicity – and it makes an incredible difference every day,” says Christine from Wilks. “Talking about staying power is difficult, but we listen to our guests’ feedback every day, we adapt quickly to situations, and we keep pushing forward trying to improve all aspects of our offering...”

That kind of quick adaptability and timely response to feedback – securing that all-important repeat custom – is something that only indie restaurants are usually capable of (it becomes much harder when there are many levels of management to go through, as is often the case with chains).

“Being a truly ‘neighbourhood’ restaurant with staying power requires a focus on maintaining loyal customers – this has always been one of our main priorities,” says Sam Fryer. “And we will continue to be flexible with our concept. Finding a niche in such a crowded market is a challenge, and it’s easy to be over-precious with your concept.

Getting feedback from your clientele is so

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GOLDEN OLDIES

Some more long-standing eateries for you check out in Bath and Bristol!

WOODS (Bath) opened in 1979 MUD DOCK (Bristol) has been going since 1994 CASAMIA (Bristol) began life in 1999 MARTINI (Bath) was founded in 2000 FISHERS (Bristol) opened in 2001 TOBACCO FACTORY CAFÉ BAR (Bristol) launched in 2001

important, as these could be the regulars that sustain you for years to come.”

For Ben Pryor, the focus is on his staff as much as the customer, though.

“Our restaurant functions because we have a passionate, skilful and heartfelt team who believe in and love what they do. If our team are happy then our restaurant works, the food and service are at their best and our customers have the best experience.

If you have the right culture, I believe that communicates to customers, promotes loyalty and gives staying power.”

marKetpLace

To advertise call 01225 475800

R U : 9’ YO ER S1 FF D B O OR UM % T R 10 IRS E ‘C F T O U

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THE

CAKERY CUSTOM MADE CAKES

Clifton’s Independent Greengrocer

Gluten free dairy fr , ee & vegan options

07891211852 | 01225 684936 21 Claverton buildings, Bath BA2 4LD b   thecakery-@hotmail.com | thecakerybath.co.uk

Quality produce that is seasonal and local where possible.

Varieties and prices that you often won’t find in the supermarkets.

Open Monday to Saturday 9-6, Sunday 11-4 6, Boyces Avenue, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4AA | 0117 9706777

SAMPLE MENU heritage tomatoes, goats curd, romesco, basil

£7.00

organic courgette, labneh, hazelnut & cumin

£8.00

provençale style fish soup, rouille, croutons

£8.50

chicken liver parfait, apricot & chamomile jelly

£8.50

grilled aubergine, sweetcorn, girolle mushroom, pearl barley

£14.00

tamworth pork belly, confit fennel, caper, oregano

£19.50

sea trout, summer vegetables, jersey royals, butter sauce

£20.00

whole market fish, mussel butter, wilted chard

(market price)

almond tart, poached apricot, vanilla ice cream

£6.50

grilled fig, yoghurt cream, shortbread £6.50 chocolate fondant, almond praline, caramel ice cream

£8.50

selection of artisan cheeses £12.00

GLASSBOAT Monday – Saturday: Lunch: 12pm – 2.45pm | Dinner: 5.30pm – 9.45pm Sunday: Lunch: 12pm – 4pm | Dinner: closed Glassboat, Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4SB 0117 332 3971 | www.glassboat.co.uk | f a

Spoke and Stringer in the sunshine

View of the harbour from Broken Dock

Riverstation’s famous vista

Sun yourself on the terrace at Severnshed

RIVeR Of CheeRS DON’T JUST DIP YOUR TOES, DIVE INTO THE BEST OF BATH AND (ESPECIALLY!) BRISTOL’S RIVERSIDE RESTAURANTS FOR GREAT FOOD AND BELTING VIEWS, SAYS EMMA CULLEN

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Spoke and Stringer sits right on the Harbour Inlet

You can enjoy river views from inside Riverstation

Did we mention Broken Dock does a killer roast?

Adelina Yard is in the cobbled Old City

Watch boats on the river from The Pump House

Tuck in on the top deck at Grain Barge

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M M A I N S

ADELINA YARD

If it’s fine dining with a river view you’re after, Adelina Yard is spot-on. Located on historic Welsh Back and surrounded by moored houseboats, it’s sophisticated but relaxed. Wines are picked carefully to offer imaginative matches to the dailychanging menus (there’s a great-value set lunch, as well as a la carte and multi-course tasting options). Dishes are seasonal and feature local ingredients and creative twists. The quality is out of this world, but that’s unsurprising with two formidable chefs at the helm, both with Michelin-star experience. Adelina Yard is a place where the atmosphere calms your mind and the food heightens your senses. adelinayard.com

THE BATHWICK BOATMAN

Bring those oars up and climb ashore for some delicious grub in the old rowing clubhouse. The Bathwick Boatman is located above Bath’s Victorian boating station, where you can hire rowing boats to take out on the river for the day. Whether you’ve worked up an appetite on the water or just fancy dining with a view, The Boatman offers stunning food – rustic and seasonal with an elegant flourish – and a selection of refreshing wines, ciders and beers. It’s been run by the same family since 2007 – and their passion still shows. bathwickboatman.com

BROKEN DOCK

The owner-run Broken Dock sits on the Harbour Inlet, with cool industrial style and outdoor seating at the water’s edge. It’s a failsafe destination on a warm summer’s day but, truthfully, it’s great at all times of year for anything from a quick morning coffee to a leisurely weekend brunch, Sunday lunch or evening meal. The wall of windows not only lets light stream into the restaurant but also opens out onto the terrace where you can happily bask in the sun for hours (don’t forget the sun cream, folks), should it make one of its occasional appearances. It’s tucked out of the way, but still an easy stroll into the city centre. Oh, er, did we mention that view? brokendock.co.uk

GRAIN BARGE

I like big boats and I cannot lie – especially when there are drinks on deck. Grain Barge is a Bristol institution that really comes into its own in summer. The top deck is open and accessible for full relaxation and sunworshipping, with brightly coloured shades providing cooler spots too. Below, stairs lead down into the cosy restaurant that has full, panoramic views across the river to

Bristol Marina. It’s craft beers all round here, although there’s plenty of local cider and wine on the go, too. Food, meanwhile, is made using the kitchen’s own produce from their smallholding just south of the city. grainbarge.com

LEFT HANDED GIANT BREWPUB

If you’ve walked through Castle Park recently, you’ll have noticed most of the population of Bristol spilling out onto the waterside alfresco area at Left Handed Giant. It’s no overstatement to say that this is one of the most buzzing new openings we’ve seen of late. And that’s for any number of reasons, amongst which are the awesome brews, the veggie and vegan food by Mission Pizza, the views and the Bristol vibes that you inevitably get from a venue that’s been crowdfunded, is run by local indies, and is housed in a building with 250-years of brewing history. lefthandedgiant.com

PONTE VECCHIO

Perched next to Pulteney Bridge and literally right on the banks of the River Avon, Ponte Vecchio is Bath’s own homage to authentic fine Italian dining. On the menu are pizza, pasta and traditional Italian main courses made with both local and speciality imported ingredients. An inviting and social restaurant, it’s a winner for get-togethers with family or friends and has a first-floor outdoor terrace, if you want to get up close to those views. The friendly team here welcome everyone with that all-embracing Italian hospitality – it’s the real deal. pontevecchiobath.com

THE PUMP HOUSE

Known far and wide for having Bristol’s largest selection of gins, The Pump House is surely the place to head for a riverside G and T? It got its name because it used to be an old pumping station – although we like it best as it is now, a pub with an awesome view. If you’re lucky, you might catch sight of the nearby bridge swinging to let The Matthew sail past. For those walking around the docks, this is the perfect halfway spot for a tipple and little smackerel of something to eat; don’t let the gins totally distract you – the food here is award-winning for a reason. the-pumphouse.com

RIVERSTATION

No doubt one of Bristol’s best-known and well-loved restaurants on the water’s edge, Riverstation is perfectly positioned to enjoy a little repast with a great vista. With

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aspects out towards St Mary Redcliffe and positioned opposite the Redcliffe Caves, it’s one of those rare spots that will make you feel like you’re on holiday in your own city.

Full-height windows face out over the river, as do the terrace and balcony, which catch the sun perfectly and are the ideal setting for chilled Prosecco and sharing plates. Not that hungry? Settle in with a cocktail while you watch the sun set. You can even arrive by river to the restaurant’s own pontoon. riverstation.co.uk

SEVERNSHED

This long-established restaurant sits on the water’s edge with fabulous views onto the pastel-coloured houses that Bristol is famous for. Cocktails are a speciality and there’s a medley of shaken, stirred and muddled concoctions on the go. When it comes to food, cheese comes from The Bristol Cheesemonger, bread from Pinkmans, pasta from Little Hollows... You get the picture. With front-of-house pro Ben Porter and chef Ross Gibbens (both formerly of Wellborne) having recently taken the helm, the offering has been rejuvenated, making now an ideal time to revisit this mainstay. severnshedrestaurant.co.uk

SPOKE AND STRINGER

This Australian-inspired spot is named in honour of the outdoor pursuits of cycling (hence spoke) and surfing (ergo stringer), and sits on the Harbour Inlet, right across the river from the famous ss Great Britain.

This restaurant, café, bar, deli and lifestyle shop has the full culinary works covered, from brunch and lunch to evening meals and tapas. There’s even the option to relieve any sun-addled brains from decision making and let the chef choose a selection of seasonal favourites for you. The sun hits the Inlet most of the day, and if you can’t get a table, the team are more than happy to serve you a refreshing bev to sip out on the waterside. spokeandstringer.com

FLOAT YOUR BOAT!!

Want to arrive in style? Bristol Ferry runs a regular water bus service, stopping at the likes of The Pump House, The Cottage, Welsh Back (near Adelina Yard) and Wapping Wharf, so you can enjoy the views from the river before touching down on dry land to tuck in at a different vantage point. Check out the timetable online. bristolferry.com

Situated on the edge of the historic Floating Har bour, The Pump House provides the perfect venue for any occasion!

While away your afternoon in the sun trap garden, pop to the bar to sample one of their 400 strong collection of gins or book a special occasion in the outstandingly beautiful mezzanine restaurant.

NEW CLIFTON SEAFOOD SHOP AT CARGO 2, WAPPING WHARF, BRISTOL We have daily deliveries from the South Coast and beyond. We sell Oysters, Mussels, Squid, Sashimi, Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel, Sea Bass, Scallops, Lemon Sole, Monkfish and lots more!

Come along and visit us at, you can also pre-order and pick up your order from the shop.

T he P ump H ouse info@the-pumphouse.com 01179272229

Cargo 2, Museum Street, Wapping Wharf, Bristol, BS1 6WE Rozzy: +44 (0) 7399 549295 Sam: +44 (0) 7794 480833 cliftonseafoodcompany.com

This salmon sashimi was properly melt-inthe-mouth – try it at Seven Lucky Gods

AFTERS

NEW RESTAURANTS DEVOURED, NEW CAFÉS FREQUENTED, NEW BARS CRAWLED, AND WHAT WE THOUGHT OF THEM

HIGHLIGHTS

E M O S R O F Y K C 60 LU -STY LE BAR

NEW TOKYO ODS IS FULL G SEVEN LUCKYURPRISES OF S

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JAPANESE SMALL PLATES (WHAT? WE ) WERE HUNGRY!

K I R S T I E YOU NG

HO WE FIND OU' TNEWEST OWNERS OF GRAPES SETTLING IN ARE

64 SECONDED!ING

INCLUDING!

C O O L TO KYO - S T Y L E JOINTS

SEVEN LUCKY GODS THE HYDE AND CO GROUP HAS GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN, CONCEIVING A NOVEL VENUE THAT JESSICA CARTER DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT SHE WAS MISSING...

J K IRS T IE YO UNG

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ust like the transformation of boozer to gastropub, Japanese Izakaya bars evolved from sake houses into places to grab traditional dishes to eat with your chosen poison. These relaxed, social Japanese bars started to gain momentum in the UK maybe three or four years ago and Bristol has welcomed two of its own recently. First, Larkin Cen’s Woky Ko: Kaiju and now – next door, as fate would have it – Seven Lucky Gods has been launched by the local trio behind the Hyde and Co group.

These guys have proven themselves adept in the past at spotting popular, slightly niche concepts with real Bristolian potential – think speakeasy cocktail bars, for starters – and they seem to have done it again.

Up on the first floor at Cargo 2, Seven Lucky Gods emanates some pretty cool urban vibes. Red underlighting illuminates the natural-edged wooden bar tables that wrap around the kitchen, and the space is filled by music that’s cranked up a touch more than you’d usually expect, although not so much you have to shout over your sushi. (That said, I’ve since heard it being pumped out a little louder, late evening.)

To drink, I’m a nanosecond away from ordering an Asahi (which comes on draught here) to quench my post-work thirst, but then catch a glimpse of the cocktails – of which there are seven, named after the virtues associated with those aforementioned gods.

Seeing as it’s been curated by Imbibe’s Bartender of the Year for 2019 – Dan Bovey from sister site Hyde and Co – and taking into account this group’s rep in the drinks sphere, it would be an oversight to skip these concoctions. I kick off, then, with a coupe glass of the slightly sour and refreshing Joy – gin, shiso, lime, falernum and Lillet Blanc.

The food menu is arranged into five clusters of small plates. Snacks (edamame beans et al) precede food cooked over the robata charcoal grill (home to the yakitori), then there’s sushi and sashimi, fried stuff (I’m paraphrasing the original document here), and veg. It’s been curated by the group’s long-serving

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executive chef Todd Francis and is cooked by a team of cool, young chefs, who have literally nowhere to hide in the very open kitchen. Good job, then, that they have no reason to shy away from attention – not with food like this.

Edamame beans (£3.50) come with charred pods, blackened in places and coated with fiery shichimi and lemon, while the chicken katsu arancini (£4.50) is suitably stodgy with plump rice and thick curry sauce.

From the grill arrives nasu dengaku (£5.50) – sticky miso charred aubergine – topped with a tangle of pickled vegetable laces and sesame. The aubergine is a spot-on vehicle for the sweet caramelisation from the grill and the gratifyingly umami flavour from the miso, allowing both to shine in its loose, silky flesh.

Really great stuff.

The salmon sashimi (£6) looks all artsy in a smooth and weighty charcoal-coloured bowl, and the peachy meat is so feather-soft and delicate it almost feels like it dissolves on my tongue. Easy work on the gnashers, that one. Tofu, fried and lightly crisp on outside, is nice and loose within and almost bursts in the mouth – it comes with sweet tomato, pickled ginger and miso yuzu mayo for a super fresh effect (£7), although, when sat next to the other plates, sort of fades into the background a little.

Korean fried chicken has been done now, right?

Well, before you decide your life needs to move on from the millennial incarnation of KFC, try the version these guys are knocking out (£6). The tender, juicy meat is coated with a robust and crunchy batter, itself slicked with a sticky, vibrant red sauce that gives off a slow-burning but confident kick of fire.

The most surprising attendee of our dinnertime assembly soon made itself known as the spell-check hating Iberico katsu sando. (Honestly, I just had to retype that four times.) It might look just like a sandwich made with a thinly sliced white tin loaf, but get it in your gob before you cast any preconceptions.

Super light and tender pork tenderloin slices (no chewy fat, just blushing pink meat) are coated in

breadcrumbs and fried until golden. The meat is joined in the bread by white cabbage for crunch and dark, flavoursome tonkatsu sauce (£10). The sandwiches are cut into fingers, a la afternoon teas.

Fun vibes, great-quality food (which also has a good sense of humour and novelty attitude – although not enough to outshine the delicious flavours) and a comprehensive drinks menu make this Wapping Wharf newcomer a favourite, for me.

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Seven Lucky Gods, Cargo2, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1 4RW; 0117 929 1310; 7luckygods.com

E L E G A N T P U B - R E S TA U R A N T S

THE BUNCH OF GRAPES

OH, THE GOOD LOOKS, THE CHARM, THE ATTENTIVENESS… NO, JESSICA CARTER ISN’T TALKING ABOUT HER LUNCH DATE, BUT THIS SPOT-ON BRADFORD-ON-AVON RESTAURANT

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b

radford-on-Avon is somehow under the radar of lots of Bristol folk, despite it being a rather painless 35-minute journey by train. (Yes, I’m aware I just put ‘painless’ and ‘train’ in the same sentence, which is more than GWR deserves, many would argue.) Bath residents are much more in the know, though, about this gorgeous Wiltshire town, being that bit closer to it and seemingly already having a bit of a thing for handsome landscapes and olde-worlde architecture.

If you’ve not been, expect historic Bath-stone buildings, a pretty river and canal, plenty of little antique shops and (now we’re really talking) some rather decent restaurants and pubs.

Even on the dullest, greyest of days this place looks effortlessly charming. Not that we experience it like

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that on this trip; the glorious summer sun is, in fact, smiling kindly on us.

The Bunch of Grapes – taken over by chef-owner Tony Casey last summer – stands three storeys high on one of the corners of Silver Street, the road that winds its way through the town and over the river. Inside, I don’t notice too much that’s changed aesthetically – it was always a really tasteful space, all weathered varnished wood, charcoal hues and dim lighting, with the bar area on the ground floor and extra restaurant space above. Elegant and cosy.

Tony arrived here from many years spent cooking in Bath and Bristol and brings with him a solid rep.

He has headed up respected kitchens like that of The Chequers and The Pump House, cooked at Lucknam Park and run his own supper club at Green Bird Café, so his food is familiar to many around these parts.

First: drinks. They’re taken happily seriously here, and there’s a long list of cocktails as well as plenty of wines and beers. In fact, so good was the range of craft brews that my lunch date went all in with a little flight of three local numbers.

There is a great-value set lunch menu – think three courses for £22.50 – as well as an all-out seven-course tasting option for £55. It was bang in the middle we decided to plonk ourselves though, ordering from the a la carte.

The tuna starter (£8.25) arrives as small mounds of raw meat, joined by cubes of watermelon, discs of cucumber and a peppering of edible flowers. A small jug of gazpacho is poured at the table, the chilled soup refreshing and layered with delicate flavour.

Meanwhile, M’s asparagus dish (£10.50) consists of three chunky spears, beautifully cooked to retain just enough crunch, and what looks like a little cushion or pouffe. This is actually, we find upon initial

investigation, slivers of pickled mooli – the AngloIndian name for a mild Asian winter radish – sat on top of a pile of dressed semi-sweet white crabmeat.

Brown crab mayonnaise is dotted around, and there is a hint of chilli heat in there somewhere, too. A fresh, bright taste of the seashore, this.

Lamb (£22.50) comes three ways – neatly trimmed rack, shredded shoulder (shaped into cuboids, breadcrumbed and fried) and soft sweetbreads. Lamb is often too heavy and rich for hot weather – the sun is properly beating down on this early July day – but the ensemble that sits in front of me is perfectly pitched, with a sharp and nicely acidic tomato dressing (summery in flavour and able to cut through the rich meat), cubes of pleasantly pokey mint jelly and lots of plump and vibrant fresh peas and beans.

The hake (£20.50), meanwhile, sees a good fillet of flakey white fish – skin on and nicely charred – surrounded by, sitting on and covered in sprigs of samphire, a few red and green grapes and cockles, a little potato and small florets of roasted cauliflower.

What makes the whole dish, though, is the notso-small jug of crab bisque. Creamy, luxurious and just intense enough, with that amazing deep spicy aftertaste, it is happily slurped straight from the spoon by my unapologetic date.

Pud is a soft and spongy sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce (£6.50) and an arrangement of strawberry, miso ice cream, chilled yoghurt and meringue (£7.50). A really thoughtful combination of textures, tastes and temperatures.

The Bunch of Grapes is a real treat, with a relaxed, pub-esque atmosphere and rather special culinary offering. And all of that is here to be enjoyed amongst the aesthetic delights of its historic rural town, perched on the edge of the Cotswolds. Ideal.

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The Bunch of Grapes, 14 Silver Street, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1JY; 01225 938088; thebunchofgrapes.com

y

ou’re suspended somewhere between the city and the sky in the dining room of the Second Floor Restaurant, housed inside Harvey Nichols, the full-length windows affording views of the clouds overhead and the concrete below.

It’s all decadent gold and peach in here – it feels almost as if you’re inside a glass of Champagne, E notes, as we survey the surroundings. There’s something rather ’80s about it, too – thanks to that colour palate as well as the cool retro-style chairs and metallic banquettes – but ’80s of the nostalgic, glam kind as opposed to the what-were-we-thinking sort.

I’ve been here a couple of times before, so am feeling some real anticipation; Leiths-trained executive head chef Louise McCrimmon has been heading up the kitchen here since the restaurant’s inception in 2008 and her food is delicate, fresh and full of well-balanced harmonies of flavour and texture.

First, a bundle of delicate handpicked Cornish crab meat (£9) comes arranged on a disc of silky avocado alongside dollops of orange mango purée.

The lime and coriander dressing and tiny flecks of chilli boost the freshness and bolster the flavours, while tiny, crisp charcoal-coloured tacos offer their services in scooping mouthfuls of it up. Finished with micro coriander leaves, it’s a really thoughtful – not to mention attractive – starter.

E settles on the tortellini to start (£8.50). The delicate and neatly folded pasta parcels are stuffed with spinach and goat’s cheese and served with plump orange tomatoes. A fragrant consommé is poured over them in front of us at the table, intensifying the fresh summer flavours.

An assembly of tempura broccoli (greens still count if they’re battered, right?), bok choy and peanut sambal is next, dressed with a perfectly pitched

U N D E R R AT E D R E S TA U R A N T S

SECOND FLOOR RESTAURANT HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT AMONG THE EVER-BUZZING URBAN SHOPPING QUARTER OF CENTRAL BRISTOL ARE A GOLDEN DINING ROOM AND REFINED, SKILLED COOKING, SAYS JESSICA CARTER

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chilli sauce (from the vegetarian set menu; three courses for £22). This dish was faultless on every level, E concluded, with each mouthful distinct from the previous one, the savoury, salty, sweet and fiery characteristics alternating in prominence.

The organic Stream Farm-raised chicken main (£24) involves three different preparations of the bird. The breast is rolled and sliced into pearly white discs of tender meat, while a wing is given a deliciously sticky-sweet glaze, and there’s a brittle shard of crunchy skin to get my teeth into as well.

Underneath the meat is a heap of lush springtime greenery – spinach, fresh peas and beans, and long, slim asparagus spears. A tarragon sauce pools around that lot, light enough to not overpower the mild, fresh flavours, but rich enough to add another dimension. I could have done with more of it, truth be told.

On the side – and if you’re foregoing starters you may well want something to bolster your mains – are whole roast new potatoes (£4) with a caramelised onion and sherry topping that I would quite like jarred up for my own personal use, please.

Call me the fun police, but I’m usually a bit of a stickler for not having two of the same dishes on the table when I go out to eat. When you put the words ‘peanut’, ‘butter’ and ‘parfait’ together on a menu, though, are there any other options to consider?

Turning my back on my principles (which is, you’ll be unsurprised to learn, a regular occurrence), I echo E’s selection in a heartbeat.

And I regret nothing. The smooth, cold parfait (£7) is sandwiched between two peanut shortbread biscuits for the classiest version of an ice cream sandwich going. The shortbread was just crumbly enough to relent under a spoon (who am I kidding? I mean teeth – I picked this bad boy up with my hands and bit straight into it like I knew it wanted me to), meaning the filling wasn’t forced out the sides and the stack held together easily. The poor sphere of

chocolate mousse that it came with was rather neglected, to be honest, although it was silky and rich and I’m sure would be the star of the dish for someone else.

We watch as the sky changes from grey and stormy to blue and sunny then back again – weather that’s as telling of the summer season as our thoughtfully composed dishes. Harvey Nichols’ restaurant isn’t somewhere just for shoppers to refuel, it deserves to be a destination in its own right – especially considering the inviting price tag on the set menu, which offers three courses for £22. In keeping with the high standards of the a la carte, it’s a bit of a steal – only one you won’t get chased out of the department store for.

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Second Floor Restaurant, Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street, Bristol BS1 3BZ; 0117 916 8898; harveynichols.com

L I T T L E

B L A C K

B O O K

dAN ROSSER

THE CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF BATH’S SOON-TO-OPEN OYSTER SHELL FISH AND CHIP SHOP (SISTER OF THE SCALLOP SHELL) DOESN’T LIVE ON SEAFOOD AND POTATOES ALONE, YOU KNOW...

BREAKFAST? I love going to Marco Pierre White’s house in the woods, Rudloe Arms, for breakfast. It’s simple but fantastic quality. My favourite dish is poached eggs on crumpets with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce.

BEST BREW? I often grab a coffee or tea from Society Café on the corner of Kingsmead Square. The coffee is consistently good and I always have a slice of the carrot cake – that’s if they haven’t already sold out!

SUNDAY LUNCH? The Pig near Bath. After working all week it’s really nice to chill out in the grounds of the house and share a meal with family and friends.

QUICK PINT? I often grab a drink straight after work, so it has to be The New Inn on Monmouth Place, which is right next door to The Scallop Shell. It’s a nice pub with good atmosphere, local punters and great beer.

WITH THE FAMILY? The King William Inn, Tunley. It’s a modern country pub cooking traditional old classics – we often head here on a weeknight for food and a quick beer.

SOMETHING SWEET? My niece Lexie always takes me to Sweet Little Things, which she loves. It’s independent and great for cakes and afternoon tea.

SUPER SERVICE? I’ve always been a big fan of Mai Thai, both when it was situated in the city centre and now it’s relocated to Chelsea Road. I go for great Thai food cooked by owners Billy and Noo, served by lovely staff.

HIDDEN GEM? Ma Cuisine is an amazing little neighbourhood bistro in Larkhall. It’s about simple, classic French cookery at its very best, run by Christophe Lacroix and his family.

ONE TO WATCH? The Oyster Shell, of course! I can’t wait to get started with our new venture and hope the people of Bath will love what we are trying to achieve in our new takeaway.

ON THE HIT LIST? Little French in Bristol. I met chef Freddy on a truffle trip three years ago and I’ve already heard great things about his new place.

FAVOURITE GROCERY STORE? I like to visit the lads selling fruit and veg in Kingsmead Square. It feels very oldschool and it’s great to see what they have brought from the morning market and what’s in season.

SPECIALITY SHOP? Nibble’s Cheeses. I discovered Stephane’s stall last Christmas in the Guildhall Market. I went with my dad as a friend had recommended him and he has a fantastic range of top-quality cheese, which he’s so passionate about. thescallopshell.co.uk

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Quick! Now add this little lot to your contacts book...

Rudloe Arms, Corsham SN13 0PA; rudloearms.com Society Café, Bath BA1 2AB; society-cafe.com The Pig near Bath, Pensford BS39 4NS; thepighotel.com The New Inn, Bath BA1 2AY; newinnbath.co.uk King William Inn, Bath BA2 0EB: kingwilliaminn.co.uk Sweet Little Things, Bath BA1 1UQ; facebook.com/sltbath Mai Thai, Bath BA1 3DU; maithaibath.co.uk Ma Cuisine, Bath BA1 6RT; macuisine.co.uk Little French, Bristol BS6 7QB; littlefrench.co.uk Nibble’s Cheese, Bath BA2 4AW; nibblescheese.co.uk

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