A Moroccan Lunch at St Nicholas Market

The other day Jayne T and I had decided to meet up for lunch on our break. We both work in the centre and St Nick's market is less than five minutes walk for both of us. I have sampled a lot of what the food court at St Nick's has to offer and as the weather was rather inclement we decided something warm was what was needed. It was a choice between Pieminister and Al Bab Mansour, the Moroccan place, we picked the latter as neither of us had been.

Moroccan food is something I enjoy but sample fairly sporadically. Ironically like buses, two posts on this cuisine pop up in the same month after 9 months of nothing, thank goodness we don't have to wait that long for public transport, although sometimes it does feel like it.

Falafel Lunch

Al Bab Mansour, like most of the dine in places under the glass arcade at St Nick's, is small but the turnover of diners is fairly high at lunchtime so chance of getting a seat is basically pot luck. Inside it is beautifully decorated like a soft furnishings stand in a souk it does make you feel like you are a world away just stopping for lunch before going off to haggle a deal with a spice vendor. Jayne chose the falafel whilst I went for the Moroccan chicken.

Moroccan Chicken with Cous Cous

For under £6 (for mine and less for Jayne's) the quality of food you get is fabulous. My Moroccan chicken dish was very hearty, full of lots of veg and flavour, really warmed me up on a grey day, without being too stodgy or unhealthy. Going out for lunch mid week is a bit of a treat for me, I usually bring my own soup to work and spend the hour reading whatever book I have on the go. However I have tried nearly all the places to eat in the glass arcade now, looking forward to revisiting Al Bab Mansour, Caribbean Wrap and Spice Up Your Life again, amongst other places. I am sure a lot of fellow Bristolians have been to Al Bab Mansour so would be good to hear other people's views on it.

A Healing Breakfast at Cafe Cosmopolitan

The other weekend Rich and I were flagging, it was time to do the supermarket run and energy was running on empty. We decided to find something breakfasty and near the shops so after browsing Cotham Hill and considering our usual Deco Lounge we decided to pop up to Cafe Cosmopolitan just up from Richer Sounds. Cosmopolitan almost sits on the fence of the Clifton version of a greasy spoon, although you can be assured this is no Tasty Stop à la North Street, although that is a bit of a guilty pleasure, a story that will have to wait for another day.

The decor is clean and bright with a good amount of outdoor seating. The menu is mostly made up of panini and all day breakfast, we went for the small and large full English, with a tea and coffee. 

Large Full English

My Smaller Full English

 Apart from, what my sister would call butter bombs, warm bread with butter only smeared on the middle like a bomb of butter has fallen on it, the breakfast was really good. Admittedly it was no Rosemarino level breakfast in terms of flavour but as a standard full English I was very happy. The sausages were meaty and of good quality, the bacon and fried egg were perfectly cooked and none of the items were greasy so it didn't feel really unhealthy afterwards. 

Breakfast Extreme Close Up

If you are passing the area and are low on funds but high on hunger check out Cafe Cosmopolitan, a small full English is only £4.95 and a large a mere £1 more and you get a cup of tea or coffee thrown in. Top marks all round.

Pre Holiday Warning

So this weekend we are off to France for my friend Andrea's wedding. The area we are going to, around Bordeaux and Limoges is, I have been slightly reliably informed, known for truffles and fois grois. As I will be enjoying the beautiful weather and reuniting party of all my friends from University I shall also be having blogging withdrawal symptoms. So whilst my wonderful friend Jessie and I try to stop her husband blowing all the Euros on offal, I hope you have some beautiful weather also and some excellent eating adventures of your own, if you find any real gems please send us an email or comment on the blog. 

In the meantime here are two previously unpublished food photographs to make you salivate.

Caesar Salad from Goldbrick House

Wonderful Chicken Curry Special from Spice Up Your Life in St Nicks

Extreme Close up of a Pizza from Beerd

See you on the other side, Bristol I shall miss you, full French report week after next.

A Friday Evening at La Tomatina

It had been raining all week in Bristol, almost continuously, and Friday evening was no exception. I left work and dodged the many puddles to go meet Elly for tapas at newly opened La Tomatina, at the bottom of Park Street. I had booked a table for 5 as I was expecting our Australian friends, who had come down for a weekend visit from London, and Rich was going to bring them down later in the evening.

Damp and with weather blues, I waited for Elly at a table near the patio doors, watching everyone trying to dodge the never ending downpour. Once Elly arrived we decided to order a couple of dishes to go with our drinks as we chatted and waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

Croquettes, Calamari and Patatas Bravas

Chicken and Blue Cheese Croquettes

We ordered cod croquettes, patatas bravas, calamari and chicken and blue cheese croquettes. By far the chicken and blue cheese croquettes were the best thing about the whole evening, food wise. They were crunchy on the outside and wonderfully creamy on the inside. The cod croquettes were alright but no way near as nice as the chicken ones. It would be nice to have some traditional ham croquettes on the menu either instead of or as well as the cod ones. The patatas were pronounced tasty if not quite as spicy as we would have liked, but I have tasted so many different patatas over the years there is no hard and fast rule as to how they should come out.  I found my calamari portion very plentiful for the money but the calamari itself was a little rubbery and lacking in flavour.

Once everyone else arrived we ordered more beer, of which there is a fairly good selection of Spanish lagers  some of which I'd not seen in other Bristol bars before. We then ordered a couple more tapas each, mostly meat based and got stuck into the drinking. On the whole we agreed we liked the atmosphere of La Tomatina it was cosy, relaxed and had the reassuringly familiar sound of Gypsy Kings on in the background. Elly who has lived in a couple of Spanish cities agreed that tapas bars were more enjoyable when they threw themselves into the Spanish feel and culture as well as the food, I tend to agree.

Cured Meats Board

Chorizo with Butter Beans and Shallots 

Patatas with Tomato and Alioli

The patatas again were tasty and the potatoes nice and crispy rather than being soggy, it's nice to have the option of alioli on the menu as well. The cured meats board was good too but as long as you are buying high quality produce you can't really go wrong here. So far so good.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Braised Pork Ribs in Tomato and Herb Sauce

Our main gripe with La Tomatina came with the seasoning, particularly with the meat dishes above and the calamari. As Kathryn remarked, the meatballs were of a good texture but they just seemed to be really bland the same goes for the ribs. It could have possibly have been an off day because it is obvious from some of the dishes the food can be very tasty. I was just very aware of a lack of salt or spice in the meat, Spanish flavours are bold and full on and with some tweaking they will have it right with the rest of the dishes. 

Bristol has a lot of tapas venues around at the moment and if it wants in on the competition fixing these little problems will be simple enough and I look forward to sampling those croquettes again as they were the jewel in their tapas crown.  La Tomatina is a good addition to the bottom of Park Street, if any sun actually comes our way this Summer it will be a nice way to while a few lazy hours in the afternoon. It is good value for money, some other tapas venues have very random portion control which can lead to unexpected hunger pangs, none of that here thank goodness. To check out their menus and upcoming events go to their website.

Post Aquarium Snacking at The Clifton Wine Bar

The day after Rich's birthday weekend we had off and the weather was unexpectedly glorious so we thought as it was a Monday it would be an optimum time to go back to the aquarium whilst it was still quiet. How wrong we were. After paying our entrance fee we headed in to see the place teeming with a school trip full of children. Wide eyed with horror at our peaceful fish viewing being ruined we backed out and had a look round the gallery for a bit. With skill and finesse we managed to move round the aquarium avoiding the school trip but only by missing out on the bay of rays demo.

After skipping breakfast and it being the hour of lunch we pondered where to go for a munch. After throwing around a few ideas Rich decided as we had not yet sampled the food in the Clifton Wine Bar, and it was just up the road from our flat, so we headed up the hill.

Being it was a Monday the pub was pretty empty so we browsed the menu and waiting for something to jump out at us. It was a warm day so we didn't feel like a huge meal each. Starring at fish for a couple of hours had rather influenced our choices.  So we went for one main to share, the breaded whole tail scampi, chunky chips with peas, and some of their tapas snacks. £3.25 each, 3 for £8.95 or 6 for £15.95. We basked in the garden sunshine me with my ice cold Crabbies and Rich with the ever reliable Thatcher's Gold and waited for our food.

Breaded Scampi Tail and Chunky chips

Scampi Up Close and Personal

I know as a little girl I used to adore Nik Naks scampi and lemon flavour I used to eat them in the playground at break and they were always my favourite, until some other kids pointed out how bad they smelled and I felt like I would be a social pariah if I continued to eat them so I gave them up from that point. I don't even think they make that flavour any more. Either way I cannot remember whether I have ever even tried real scampi before, I must have and yet I have no recollection of it. So when I bit into a piece I couldn't quite believe where it had been all my life since the crisps in the playground.

The fish was meaty and flavoursome and the crumb was super crispy. It was definitely love at first bite I couldn't quite believe how tasty it was. The chips were very delicious too and the peas were super sweet and fresh tasting, my mouth is just watering at the memory. The tapas dishes we chose were, deep fried brie wedges with cranberry dip, battered calamari with tartar sauce and mini roast potatoes with gravy dip, it is funny how looking at fish can make you want to eat fish.

Trio of nibbles

Brie Wedges with Cranberry Dip

Battered Calamari Rings with Tartar Sauce

Roast Potatoes with Gravy Dip

First off having roast potatoes with gravy on the menu is a genius idea. Roast potatoes, when done properly, are on par with the meat as my favourite part of a roast. This was amazing the roasties were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and the gravy was thick and flavoursome. Also perfect when you are nursing a delicate head the morning after. Batter is way too heavy for calamari, tempura being the exception. The flavour of the calamari was completely obscured by the coating which was a shame but we found the totally delicious scampi more than appropriate consolation. 

Cooked brie or Camembert is one of my favourite starters, in fact I often bake a Camembert for tapas nights to dip carrots or bread in. We recently had the baked brie at The Bristol Flyer to soak up some wine we'd been having at a friend's birthday drinks, I don't know whether it was the drink talking but it was wonderful. Anyway I digress, the baked brie wedges here were also very nice, cranberry and redcurrant make such a good accompaniments for brie and it's other similar cheese relatives it really cuts through the richness.

All in all I was really surprised by the food at Clifton Wine Bar it was delicious and well cooked, definitely worth a look in, although plan your visit carefully if you aren't a sport fan as they do advertise the sports they show fairly heavily outside. If you are a sport's fan you probably already know and love to hang here. Check out the menu on their website.  

Sunday Burgers at The Burger Joint

Sunday was on the whole pretty sunny, for once. We decided meat was definitely on the cards for lunch, so we meandered around the Triangle and up to Whiteladies til we reached The Burger Joint on Cotham Hill. We have been here on a number of occasions but not since we started the blog.

Always given a superbly warm welcome in The Burger Joint by the ever present and very bubbly waitress, whom has been working there each time we've gone in and always remembers us. She makes it feel like popping out to a friend's for a spot of lunch rather than being at just a restaurant, cannot express how uber she is.

The soft drinks come with free refills and I can tell you from past experience the banoffee milkshake that uber waitress(TM) said she'd experimented in creating herself is definitely worth sampling, although it is not on the menu. Their other milkshakes are awesome as well but tough to get through if you also have a full sized burger, though thankfully they are not as thick and massive as the Rocatillo's milkshake monsters. Seeing as elderflower is my current flavour of the month I went for the elderflower and mint presse, you won't get anything more refreshing on a hot day, fact.

This time I decide to go for something a little different and chose the pork, sage and apple burger whilst Rich went for his usual peri chicken burger but with some different toppings. The great thing about The Burger Joint is that you can have 3 toppings for the bargain price of £1.80 so you can load your burger up with whatever crazy combinations you want.  I went for brie, sliced chorizo and onion rings with mine and Rich went for swiss cheese, peppers and jalapeños.

Pork, sage and apple burger

Pork, sage and apple burger with fries

The pork burger was absolutely delicious, it was moist, they don't stint on the toppings either. There was a nice couple of hunks of brie melted inside. The onion rings I took out and ate separately, probably the best onion rings I've ever sampled they were light, crispy and well flavoured. They buy all their meat from Ruby and White and you can really taste the high quality even in minced pork, it was so meaty and full of flavour. What is also good about their burgers is that they use sourdough buns which feel very light but really hold together better than any bun I've had so far. Despite the hugeness and juicy nature of these burgers the buns did not disintegrate even towards the end.

Generally I prefer a thicker chip rather than fries however with the size of the burgers it is wise to opt for fries because the chips are so chunky they become pretty filling fairly quickly. Although the pork burger was amazing I prefer their standard beef burgers but I was definitely glad I tried something different.

Peri Chicken Burger

Peri Burger Close up

Rich declared his peri burger to be delicious and the chilli's nice and piquant to compliment the chicken and cheese. I can't name a better burger in the city especially one you can get with 3 toppings, 1 side included and two dips for under £10 and with a good soundtrack to eat to, always good music in here. We were definitely two stuffed and happy customers. The plates speak for themselves...

Looking forward to seeing The Burger Joint when it moves to it's new Whiteladies location in about a month, though will miss the very light and airy venue quite a bit. But these guys deserve every success. Go Burgers! For more info and a peak at the menu check out their website

Birthday Eve Lunch at Côte

Meandering through Clifton Village on a not-very-sunny and looking-like-it's-about-to-rain grey day, but enjoying the rare day off from work, we looked for somewhere for lunch that we hadn't been before. And owing to the fact that later in the week for birthday celebrations we'd be spending a lot more, we wanted something nice but that wouldn't break the bank. And so we chose the now not-so-new, but still very shiny and polished Côte.

Now when Côte had opened I remember being quite disappointed. A series of three and four storey flats had been constructed, with the bottom floor across four blocks left empty for potential businesses and when finally Côte stepped in and then opened, it all looked a bit unexciting. And also, to start with, massively crowded. Passing by though on a nice relaxing despite-typical-British-summertime-weather day, and with some good menu options, it seemed like a perfect choice, and we popped inside.

So what is Côte? Basically it's a French-styled Brasserie, offering a decent range of 'French Classics' at a good price - it by no means is a restaurant for that romantic meal for two though, more for an easy-going lunch with friends, the hustle and bustle being friendly and creating a nice atmosphere, but sometimes being just a too noisy and busy for an 'event' dinner. That's not to criticise the establishment in the slightest however as that is essentially what it is aiming for, and it works well, offering a nicely not too formal but still good food dining experience.

Loving the complimentary water bottle

Drinks are the standard for such a venue, with an adequate selection of soft drinks, beers and wines at the expected prices, and the food menu is a good size offering a good choice without giving too much. Lunch though is where Côte scores top points, with a good number of deals, reductions and 'plat rapides'. On this particular day for just over £10 each me and Abby were both able to order a starter and a minute steak with fries, and we were not disappointed in the quality of either at all.

Calamari 

Coarsely shredded duck and pork pate with cornichons

Abby's calamari was delicious and nicely light, while my coarsely shredded duck and pork paté with sour dough bread was both very good but perhaps just a little too much for just me. The main of steak frites too was uniformly top rate, with the fries being perfectly cooked and with a good crisp outside. And the thin minute steak was excellent, with plenty of flavour, a nice soft melty texture and all topped by a garlic butter that complimented both the steak and the fries absolutely brilliantly.

Steak and frites, heavy on the garlic butter

Super crunchy frites, delicious

Pacman on my steak!

So food good, price good, atmosphere good. In fact there is much to like to about Côte, and with little to really criticise. If there is anything to raise as a criticism it would be the service, which actually was frustratingly poor. Upon entering the restaurant the head waitress was very attentive, full of bubbly energy, made us feel welcome and was keen to do as much for us as possible. Sadly for the remainder of our time there we were saddled with a miserably morose waiter who seemed to offer us service as if he was bored with customers, the job, and life in general. Every time he came to the table he looked sour and deliberately grumpy, and his few utterances to us bordered on monosyllabic, all in all helping to briefly suck the enjoyment out of the air each of the three times he came over, he also never once asked how our meals were. At the end of the meal too, the restaurant wasn't particularly busy, and yet he was nowhere to be found. How long do you wait to pay a bill before just walking out? It's a question I've always pondered, and I've waited much longer in some places than we did here, but the place was hardly running at a breakneck pace.

If that seems like ending on a down note, then let me say that I was won round with everything the restaurant had to offer aside from this one wrinkle. It's a great lunch venue, with a good atmosphere, a varied menu, tasty food and much more else besides to like, and it really does offer a nice alternative to a pub lunch if you're feeling lazy in the afternoon, and fancy a friendly and social meal. I'd certainly go there again, and I'd happily recommend it to anyone passing through. 

Check out the menu options here

Lunch and Cake at Bar Chocolat

Saturday was Rich's birthday. We had already booked Hotel du Vin for dinner with his family and so we didn't really want to fill up on much during the day. We strolled on up to the village for a look around for a bite to eat for lunch. Everyone knows that Clifton Village has about two cafes for every shop you would think there would not be the custom for so many. But weekends are crazy busy in Clifton and nearly every place was rammed.

We settled on Bar Chocolat, formerly Me Me Chocolat, as we noticed it now did sandwiches and panini as well as many delicious sounding cakes. I used to find Me Me Chocolat a tiny bit haughty but they seem to have softened the decor a little, popped some smooth jazz on and employed some really lovely staff in the new incarnation.

The panini menu has a few different combinations but all sounding amazing. I went for goats cheese and salami whilst Rich picked chicken, Parma ham and mozzarella.

Panini Central

The ingredients were good quality the flavours were really delicious, although I would have personally put some sun blushed tomatoes or a chutney with the goats cheese. There was a pleasingly large amount of it but as always it is pretty rich and needed something to cut through.

I definitely would recommend popping in to Bar Chocolat for lunch it was relaxing watching the world go by sat in the window, plus they had some beautiful fresh roses on the tables.

It did seem a bit of a crime going to Bar Chocolat without actually having a chocolate or cake but I have my eye on the Victoria sponge and a hot chocolate with cinnamon syrup and the whole works on top. Might even go this weekend as the idea of a cinnamon hot chocolate is making me drool.

**EDIT** Now I can bring you the results of cake from Bar Chocolat.

 Last weekend after getting caught in a downpour after a lovely walk around the downs we made it to the village, myself in particular resembling a drowned rat. As Bar Chocolat was the first cafe we arrived at and keen to avoid more rain we nipped in for a warming drink and a well needed sugar fix. I was keen to sample their hot chocolate so I ordered a regular milk chocolate, with what I thought was all the trimmings and cinnamon syrup. Rich went for their Mississippi Mud Pie whilst I picked the classic Victoria Sponge and in our greed we ordered a scone with jam and cream to share.

Victoria Sponge

Mississippi Mud Pie

The Victoria sponge was pretty good I have to say but I have yet to find one to top my mum's. Every year I request her vanilla sponge with vanilla butter cream for my birthday cake and it is probably my favourite cake, by the way if you are reading this, mummy, you still owe me one for this year, just saying. The mud pie was possibly the richest chocolate dessert I've tried in some time, even for sugar enthusiast Rich, it was a struggle. It was basically a torte the bulk was solid fondant with biscuit base and sides. It was very nice but there is no way you should attempt this cake on your own, unless you are a certified chocolate expert.

Hot chocolate and Scone

Fruit Scone with Jam and Cream

The hot chocolate arrived without any of the extras I had asked for and I can only assume it was because of the noisy coffee machine behind the counter which had previously interrupted my order. Ordinarily I would have contested my wrong order but after seeing the mountain of cakes we had to climb I decided that I didn't need any more sugar on the table.

The hot chocolate was probably the best you'll get in Clifton at least if not Bristol, but willing to be persuaded. It was made with actual melted chocolate compared to powder which most hot chocolates are made from in cafes. Really rich and very chocolatey but fairly sweet I was glad I didn't order a large, I have quite a low tolerance for how much sugar I can take on board but it doesn't mean I love it any less.

The scone was pretty nice but not as good as those you get in Lahloo Pantry, and yes I do prepare my jam and cream the Cornish way, jam first. The cream was not clotted though it was a extra thick double cream which was a little disappointing. All in all definitely go to Bar Chocolat, they have lunch and cakes in spades and you won't be disappointed.

A Quick Lunch at Channings

Channings pub/hotel is 2 minutes from our flat so quite often on a Saturday we will pop in there for a spot of lunch. We have a few favourites which we stick, these reside in the sandwich section of the menu. This time we went for club sandwich stack and chips and the fish finger sandwich also with chips.

Rich and I would argue that they do the best fish finger sandwich we've tasted so far. They have a piece of battered fillet with salad and a bit of mayonnaise. It really is delicious. Apologies in advance for the less than amazing photos on this post, Channings can be a bit dark round the back, which is no bad thing for a pub really.

Fish Finger Sandwich of Kings

Fish Finger Sandwich of Kings

Club Sandwich Stack

Their steak melt is particularly good but I was in the mood for the ultimate fish finger sandwich this time. Their chips are also worth mentioning really fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside, like proper good quality chip shop style. They have a couple of mid week food deals, where you can get a meal from the grill and a glass of wine for under £10, also a curry night on Thursdays.

What I like about Channings is that it is a good standard pub. Big enough space for a catch up with a few friends, home cooked tasty pub food and everyone there seems to be having a good time. This lunch time we saw some lovely old boys watching Trooping the Colour on their big screen, clearly regulars and it was obviously their peaceful haven to relax in.   Although Rich and I did struggle to imagine any other pubs in Bristol screening the parade, it was definitely novel.

It helps that Channings is so close to where we live but it's a good solid pub for friendly meet ups plus their beer garden is pretty large, it is always buzzing in the sunshine. By no means my favourite pub in Bristol but definitely one of the most consistent.

Lunch at Hotel du Vin

Last week I was fortunate enough to receive a truly irresistible invitation. Emily from Bristol Bites asked if I would like to go for lunch at Hotel du Vin.  How could I say no? I pass Hotel du Vin every day on the way to work and have heard excellent things from a few friends, but I have never actually been in myself.

It was one of the nicest lunches I have had in a long while the restaurant itself is beautiful, lots of  wine bottles and pictures to catch your eye plus it is full of lovely natural light. 

Interior of Hotel du Vin

It took me a good long while to decide what to eat, that is the trouble with menu's that are packed with delicious options it takes me ages to pick something. Hotel du Vin has a very reasonable fixed rate lunch menu starting at £9.95 for one course, £12.95 for two and £14.95 for three. Perfect if you fancy a catch up or business meeting in a very wonderful setting you can view the lunch menu online here. On this occasion we decided to order from the main menu which you can also view here.

I chose the Chicken Liver Parfait, Toasted Brioche, Raisin Chutney, with the Duck Confit, Lentils du Puy for my main.

Chicken Liver Parfait

This was a truly delicious and indulgent starter. I am a huge fan of pâté and it's variants, it is always the first thing I pick up for when we go on a picnic, obviously followed by a super fresh baguette. The parfait was as smooth as silk and the raisin chutney was tart enough to cut through the richness. My only complaint was that the parfait size and the brioche piece didn't really match, luckily there was extra bread on the table for me to finish up the rest of the parfait. There was no way I was leaving any of this on my plate.

Duck Confit and Puy Lentils with Pancetta

Duck Confit, and the French feel of our table

My main was rich and hearty I've always wanted to try such a dish and I am very glad I now have. The flavour of the duck was smoky and satisfyingly melt in the mouth. We each had a bowl of Lyonnaise potatoes which was very nice but with such a filling main I could only manage about half of my side dish.

We were both pretty full after two such great courses but after a small pause we decided it would be wrong not to check out the dessert menu. Now had I not had such rich starter and mains I would have plumped for the cheese selection but I decided on my general fall back choice of crème brûlée because none of the other desserts tempted me much, I am much more of a savoury person after all.

Giant Crème Brûlée

Dessert was the biggest crème brûlée I think I have ever ordered it was simply enormous. The caramel top wasn't as hard as some crème brûlée's I've had but it didn't really matter because the dish was hot, comforting, smoothly creamy and full of vanilla pod seeds, very tasty. I actually couldn't finish it though it was  that massive. 

If you go to Hotel du Vin at any point to dine please make sure you check out their superb wine list it is immense and you'll be sure to get a glass of something that you really like. They are the knowledge so take advantage of the skilled sommeliers, we were fortunate enough to get a tour of the cellar from head sommelier Ben and it was magical.

Emily's review can now be found here. Here are a few teaser photos to start you off.

Asparagus with Poached Egg, one of the Specials

As the guest of Bristol Bites this meal was free of charge but did not impact how I felt about the food in any way, I will not be censored after all, but you knew that anyway. Next blog may be on my trip to Leong's Legends a Taiwanese restaurant in China Town but have my special tasting trip to Filini at the Radisson Blu to cover and a possible second look at Cosmo's larger buffet offerings from Rich.