FOOD & DRINK
FOOD OF LOVE
AMUSES BOUCHES
Our 10 tips for romantic repasts this Valentine’s Day
James Whetlor
OTIRA Leap right in and 1 try the tasting menu – expect inventive New Zealand flavours. Chandos Rd; 0117 973 3669
© TOM GOLD
CLIFTON LIDO Who can 2 resist a lover who pays for a dip, a massage and dinner?
Oakfield Place; 0117 933 9530
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BOX-E Incredibly high standard of food in intimate surroundings. Only room for 14 diners so book early for 14 Feb. Cargo 1; hello@boxebristol.com
UNDER THE STARS Lovers 4 set adrift on a cute boat. Tasty tapas served and often a bit of music. Narrow Quay; 0117 929 8392
PACO TAPAS Dark and 5 moody Michelin-starred tapas bar, the sharing plates will keep things convivial. Lower Guinea Street; 0117 925 7021
BULRUSH The tasting 6 menu is fun in this whitewashed-brick eatery.
Modern British. Cotham Road; 0117 329 0990
BRAVAS Classic Spanish 7 small plates. All soft lighting and romance. Cotham Hill; 0117 329 6887
BIRCH It’s local and 8 seasonal and in Southville. Away from the madding crowd. Raleigh Road; 0117 902 8326
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THE ETHICUREAN Celebrate the produce from the restaurant’s bounteous walled garden. Dribble-worthy. Wrington; 01934 863713
PASTA RIPIENA What’s 10 more romantic than freshly stuffed pasta? Screams quality in food and service. St Stephens St; 0117 329 3131
Gill Mellor
JAMES AND GILL COOK UP A STORM
Cabrito Goat Meat co-founder James Whetlor and award-winning food writer and author Gill Meller are cooking a five-course dinner at Flour & Ash, in Bristol, on 11 and 12 February. Having been friends for years and worked together at River Cottage on the Dorset/ Devon borders, James and Gill share a similar cooking style and philosophy. The pair will be cooking dishes from Gill’s latest cookbook Time, published by Quadrille Places are £38 per person for a set menu, excluding drinks, and can be reserved www.wefifo.com WARM YOUR COCKLES AT HARVEY NICHOLS
The Second Floor Restaurant is luring people in with a great two- or three-course Winter Dining offer including cocktail. The menu has seasonal dishes including roasted guinea fowl leg or tamarindspiced chickpeas with coconut rice and pomegranate yoghurt. Pudding comes in the form of a pineapple upside-down cake with a spiced rum caramel or a dark chocolate mousse with coffee cream. Priced at £18 for two courses and £20 for three. Available until 28 February, excluding 14 February. 0117 916 8898
The skilled and experienced team is promising fresh, innovative and artisanal food – and we can’t wait! – so let’s just all strum our fingers on the counter for, what, six to eight weeks until its doors fling open. See you there! FISHMONGER REELS IN NEW CATCH
Clifton Seafood Company has moved into a standalone shipping container at the far end of Cargo 2. A fishmonger par excellence, sourcing seafood from all over the south west and beyond, directors Rozzy Turner and Jonny Glanvill opened their new venture in mid December. Rozzy says: “We’ve been interested in Cargo since it opened and love the atmosphere and community feel amongst the traders. At the moment we supply restaurants throughout Somerset and Bristol and for a while we have wanted to open a little fish shop to expand our business into retail. Wapping Wharf feels like the perfect home and feel we will fit into the community very well.” www.cliftonseafoodcompany.com
VIVA MEXICO
There’ll soon be a new Mexican restaurant in town and it’s set to be brilliant.Masa & Mezcal will open this Spring under the guardianship of Imogen and Kieran Waite (of Bravas, Gambas and Cargo Cantina fame) and Mexican-born Carlos Rivas, current chef at aforementioned Bravas.
Rozzy and Jonny sell fresh fish xxxxxxx from a shipping container in Cargo
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 45