Bristol food Feb:Layout 1
25/1/12
13:36
Page 40
FOOD&DRINK
A TABLE FOR TWO ristol is well known for its excellent culinary scene in which even the most particular of tastebuds finds satisfaction, but can the same be said for the most particular of partners? A truly romantic place to dine can be elusive so we at The Bristol Magazine have relieved you of what can be a long and laborious search by assembling a collection of some tried-and-tested local restaurants perfect for enjoying with your special someone this Valentine’s Day. • Bordeaux Quay With impressive views across Bristol Harbourside, this elegant restaurant is celebrated for its blend of provincial European cooking alongside seasonal south west ingredients all served in its stylish first floor setting. Sip one of the delicious original cocktails created by the restaurant’s own mixologist, Andy Fisher, in the upstairs wine bar prior to ordering, before heading up to the spacious restaurant. Browse over the diverse à la carte menu while watching boats bob serenely in the harbour and choose a bottle from the excellent wine list. • Flinty Red A hidden gem in the heart of Cotham Hill the intimate setting of this Michelin-starred restaurant is perfect for couples in search of a little privacy. Its daily-changing menu features unique, surprising yet delicious combinations such as braised octopus with salted turnip and even grilled ox tongue. To make it a really a romantic evening order a collection of smaller plates that can be shared comfortably between two with the more exotic samples providing plenty of vibrant dinner discussion, perhaps the perfect antidote to first date awkwardness. • San Carlo This self-claimed “highly lavish Italian venue” is an ideal romantic spot for those who prefer an air of exclusivity with their supper and boasts itself as the destination for famous faces visiting the city. The indulgent décor features mirrored walls and indoor hanging baskets while the à la carte menu is bursting with choices. The Italian ambiance doesn’t end at the food however and everyone involved in the restaurant, from servers to chefs to management, is Italian. Perfect for a romantic trip to the Mediterranean without even leaving the city centre. • Prego You can’t beat an authentic Italian restaurant with its heady scents of delicious food cooking to make your hungry date happy. Prego, in Westbury Park on the edges of Henleaze, is a friendly venue which
Takeaway for two Carluccio’s in Quakers Friars has taken the hard work out of wooing your loved one by creating a takeaway feast for two. The hamper, which costs £35, includes a selection of focaccia with baby cherry tomatoes, Puglian olives and Italian sliced meats; a sharing course of fresh wild boar tortellini with fresh Parmigiano, and heart-shaped truffles for dessert. It comes with instructions on how to prepare and present the meal, a bottle of prosecco and an edible chocolate rose. Or, from Monday 13 to Friday 17 February lovers can eat in at Carluccio’s. Created to share with the apple of your eye at £25 per person, the four-course feast includes a antipasto of chargrilled pepper and caper bruschetta, beetroot tortellini with a light butter sauce and a choice of main courses. Finish on a sweet note with a trio of Italian desserts to share – a white chocolate panna cotta, a raspberry tart and profiteroles in a white chocolate sauce.
Guilt-free indulgence Enjoy a treat that won’t break the bank at the award-winning Second Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols, which is offering diners a three course meal for £20 for two. Running until Wednesday February 29 (excluding Valentine’s Day), this special promotion is available Monday to Thursday lunchtimes and Tuesday to Thursday evenings from the Prix Fixe menu. Booking is essential, tel: 0117 916 8898 or email: reception.bristol@harveynichols.com.
GOING THE WHOLE HOG In keeping with our ‘waste-not, want-not’ times, Flinty Red restaurant is hosting its third nose to tail supper on Tuesday 21 February, featuring consummate professional butchers from Buxton Butchers and half a pig. The restaurant’s kitchens will cook the beast, nose to tail, as the evening unfolds and accompanied by appropriate wine. Chef and business partner Matthew Williamson, said: “It’s a brilliant oppportunity to show our customers the esteem we have for one of our most important suppliers.The pudding course always provokes a bit of a conundrum.”
40 The Bristol Magazine
|
February 2012
© The Walt Disney Company
B
DISNEY DELIGHT: The Lady and the Tramp
serves up lovingly cooked pasta, ragu, pizza and its own in-house specialities. Cosy up over a bottle of red and a bowl or two of reasonably priced fresh pasta just like an Italian mamma used to make and you’ll soon feel at home. • Goldbrick House For luxury and immaculate presentation served in a great location there are few places better than Goldbrick House to take that special someone. Spread over two floors, the restaurant is spacious without losing its intimate atmosphere and the menu, featuring the delicious ‘pig in a pot’ and a mouth-watering 28-day aged rib eye steak, is all served as beautifully as if it were appearing in an art gallery. As a pre or post-dinner treat take yourself on an exotic ‘daiquiri flight’ courtesy of the restaurant’s bar and let your tastebuds take a holiday with three globally themed cocktails. • The Clifton Sausage A further addition to romantic Clifton Village’s already wide selection of restaurants, the Clifton Sausage welcomes you in with its warm, bustling atmosphere and heartening British cuisine. Always popular with the locals this is an ideal choice for those who like their romantic evenings atmospheric and lively with great food. The pine tables, candles and warm yellow walls are ideal as respite from the bitter weather outside and on quieter nights guests can retreat to the cosy bar after dinner looking out onto this beautiful part of Bristol with a glass of bubbly. Megan Tatum
Cookery workshops take the stress out of entertaining The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy from Clifton and Nailsea Electrical in Gloucester Road have joined forces to launch a cookery school. The 102 Cookery School will be based at Nailsea Electricalʼs showroom. Barbora Stiess, director of The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy, will be offering a range of courses from March onwards. Students will be able to watch Barbora – who studied at the Leithʼs School of Food and Wine in London and received Michelin starred training under Michael Caine – before making the dishes themselves.
She says: “Cook books are great – I have around 1,000 – but they only give basic instructions and donʼt give guidance on how to react to the unexpected or how to fix things that do not go perfectly. I donʼt eat to live, I live to eat and cook and feed people. Dinner parties should not be stressful, but luxurious, exciting and most of all fun offering wine tasting.” Contact Barbora on tel: 0117 973 2823 or email mail@thedevilledegg.com or visit www.thedevilledegg.com or www.nailseaelectrical.co.uk