Rose and Crown, Wick

Tuesday night had come around again and that could only mean one thing...it was date night and committed to keeping this new-found tradition alive, The Boy and I decided to shun the bright lights of the City Centre in favour of an old-school style 'Gastropub' which, recommended by our parents, is nestled within the picturesque village of Wick...

Date and Time: Tuesday 27^th September 2011, 17:45

Name of Establishment: Rose and Crown

Location: 44 High Street, Wick, Bristol

Reason for Visit: Date Night...Part Two

Part of the Chef and Brewer Company,* the Rose and Crown is one of those traditional country pubs in which you cosy up to your nearest and dearest, A beautiful listed establishment built in the 16^th century and steeped in local history, (apparently John Gulley, the first bare-knuckle fighter in the Country used to call this place home), it is quaint and quirky with exposed wooden beams, low ceilings (in places so low that you have to stoop a little to pass – yes even me, at a petite 5'4''!) and when it’s cold enough, a roaring open fire.

Staff are polite and efficient and although we were a little miffed that table-service had been implemented shortly after The Boy and I had placed our order at the bar, we were satisfied that our questions and concerns were addressed, for the most part, with a positive, can-do attitude. However, it would be fair to say that there was a degree of defensiveness as soon as the etiquette slipped in the face of adversity. Unfortunately, the concerns I am referring to were fundamentally associated with The Boy’s main course and for that reason, I have decided to split this review in two and allow The Boy to run with his unique interpretation of the dish that he had been served.

First though, my review of the 'Chorizo Chicken' (£9.75) which constituted a juicy grilled chicken breast under which nestled a chunky slice of chorizo sausage and under that, an enormous heap of sweet potato mash. Now, I'll admit that I'm easily pleased when it comes to sweet potato as it is without a doubt, one of my favourite vegetables and this variety did not disappoint proving smooth, creamy and well-seasoned with a beautiful spicy warmth that it had taken from the chorizo. Furthermore, with crisp green beans and the cleansing coolness of sour cream, the dish really had an interesting arrangement of contrasting tastes and textures and in fact, the only element that didn't particularly appeal was the sweet chilli drizzle which had, in my view, a rather abrasive after-taste. That said, I can conclude that this was a delicious and well-executed dish.

Chorizo Chicken

Whilst we're on a high, it is worth noting that the Rose and Crown offer an ample range of tipples; all the usual suspects as well as a seasonally influenced line-up of wines, an ever-changing range of guest cask ales and even a cocktail menu! In addition to this, suggested food and drink pairings have been noted throughout the menu which seemed to indicate the thought that had been given to its content and the ingredients sourced for each dish. With this in mind, I'm ashamed to reveal that I unimaginatively opted for a crisp Chardonnay (a snip though at under £3 for 175ml) whereas The Boy chose an Italian bottled larger – the perhaps lesser sourced, Birra Moretti which he commented made a refreshing change to Peroni. 

And now for the bad news....After finding that his ‘Gourmet Burger’ (£9.50) had been plated without the advertised bacon, ‘classic burger dip’ and with just two small onion rings limply strewn on the edge of the plate, The Boy was far from impressed. This, plus the salad which appeared a little lack-lustre to say the least and the quality of the dish overall brought about this review…

“When one pays restaurant price for pub grub...in a pub, you'd expect at the very least to get food of a high standard and maybe you might get the chance to say, 'hmm, it's almost like we went to a restaurant.' Unfortunately, when my 'Gourmet' burger arrived, the first thing I picked up, before my cutlery, was the menu...just to check that it didn't say J D Wetherspoon on it! But alas, I wasn't mistaken, just disappointed. Although I hadn't said, nor been asked how I wanted my 'steak burger' cooked, if I had done I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have said, 'burnt on both sides, oozing with grease and plenty of salt please'! Now, I'm no cretin, I've had burgers in many pubs and restaurants from Cornwall to Sheffield and fantastic food has been enjoyed at The Rose and Crown previously – they do a cracking Sunday roast I can tell you. What I believe has happened here is what I like to call 'FSS' or, 'Fluctuating Standards Syndrome' which many establishments suffer when they try to accommodate every food-related want imaginable. But it really shouldn't be a case of choose badly and 'unlucky mate!' It's an evening meal I'm after, not the lottery...that said, I wish I had lucked-out and had Sammy's plate!”

Gourmet Burger

And so, two very different experiences, some rather serious food envy and a spot of sulking demonstrated by The Boy which meant that we didn't stick around for dessert! Upon expressing his initial dissatisfaction with the composition of the ‘Gourmet Burger’ the staff agreed to charge for the standard burger (£7.75) instead. Despite further discovering the burger itself was lacking (albeit edible), The Boy decided to write off the experience and made a mental note to order something a little less mainstream in the event of a return visit. And so, I was really hoping to be able to urge you to deviate from what the City Centre has to offer and dine somewhere a little off the beaten track and although The Boy’s review isn’t exactly glowing, don't let it put you off completely. I think that The Rose and Crown just need to concentrate on perfecting fewer dishes; the notion of quality over quantity which The Boy also alluded to amidst his rather scathing comments. At present there are just so many options; pub favourites, burgers and steaks, fish dishes, Chef Recommendations and Specials – thus, a multitude of ingredients and combinations to work with and therefore plenty of potential for mistakes to be made. That said, it's a triumph when they get it right, evidenced by my main course which was fresh, flavoursome and generously portioned. Thus, somewhat hit and miss; worth the risk in my view (for the country-bumpkin setting and the aforementioned Sunday Roasts if nothing else) but not if you have to bust a gut to get here...a shame as in my opinion, the margin for potential far outweighs the margin created for error...

References:

*http://www.chefandbrewer.com

*http://www.chefandbrewer.com/pub-food/Rose-Crown-Wick/pid-C3394

To note, the Rose and Crown offer lunchtime and evening deals and from 5:00pm, two courses are £9.99 and three, £11.99. Their Thursday Curry Night, Friday Fish Night and Sunday Roast are also very well attended.

Piazza di Roma – Whiteladies Road (Blackboy Hill), Bristol

On a breezy Spring evening many moons ago, The Boy chose Piazza di Roma as the setting for our first date...and so, it seemed rather appropriate to pay this cutesy Italian bistro a visit upon the agreed reinstatement of 'date night'; a concept intended to remedy the distinct lack of 'quality time' spent of late as a result of increasingly conflicting work schedules. Thus, effort induced a tidy dress code (dusty skater-shoes discarded for one night only) and that boy-woos-girl formula that this venue suitably allows for.

Date and Time: Tuesday 20^th September 2011, 19:00

Name of Establishment: Piazza di Roma*

Location: 178 Whiteladies Road (Blackboy Hill), Bristol

Reason for visit: Date Night....Revisited!

Piazza di Roma has a distinctly homely feel to it; intimate and traditionally arranged from the solid simplicity of the furniture to the red, green and white of the wipe-clean tablecloths. However, it's indubitably the finishing touches that give this space its character; fairy lights twinkle from where they have been tastefully wound, tea-lights flicker from within the rouged glass containers set upon each table and an Italian-themed soundtrack plays out subtly overhead. The Boy and I chose the table-for-two nearest the window so that we could watch the world go by and although this proved a little cramped, looking out onto the rainy street (albeit punctuated with a number of pedestrians miserably sporting the drowned-rat effect) was somewhat in keeping with the romantic ambiance we had hoped would be achieved. 

On to the food and principally steered by Sicilian Chef, Mometo El Bakkali, the menu comprises an ample selection of traditional Italian cuisine. It is also headed with the claim that ingredients are sourced from ‘the best that Italy and Bristol have to offer’ and hence, the promise of authenticity coupled with the quality of locally-sourced fare both appealed and set the bar rather high in terms of our expectations. Furthermore, when it comes to value for money, the early-bird deal whereby two courses amount to just £10.95 (available before 7:45pm), certainly ticks the box and with prior knowledge that portion sizes here are not for the faint-hearted, The Boy and I knew to share a starter (which incidentally made for enough room to also go-halves on a dessert!) We opted for the bruscetta which arrived promptly alongside our chosen tipples; he the Valpolicella Classico, which, as a personal favourite, was positively-received and I, the Soave which established a fresh and creamy finish - just lovely. That, in addition to the crisply textured, well-seasoned and beautifully presented execution of the starter, made for a cracking start - diced juicy tomato muddled with its sun-dried counterpart had been complimented with the unmistakable fragrance of fresh basil and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Supplemented with a side-salad which had been scattered with several varieties of olive, the interesting variation of tastes and textures were perfectly balanced in this dish.

Bruscetta

That said, I felt that ‘secondis’ arrived a little too hastily; The Boy hardly having the time to pop the last olive into his mouth before the plate was whisked away and our main courses set down in front of us. I created my own pizza and guided by my stomach, chose to top the mozzarella and home-made tomato, basil and oregano sauce with dolcelatte and prosciutto de Parma ham, (not the most uniform combination I will admit but I can certainly vouch for the fact that it worked – resulting in rich bursts of flavour accented largely by the twang of blue cheese). In addition to this, I learned that Piazza di Roma’s pizza bases are made from scratch and stone-baked on the premises daily which consequently, constituted a thin and crispy crust – just delicious! The Boy chose the Paglia e Fieno all’Alfredo which he reported was wonderfully flavoursome; the earthy tendencies of the mushroom married well with the simplicity of the pan-fried ham and indulgence of the creamy cheese sauce. His only complaint was that the caramelised red onion was a little lacking in terms of its quantity but, with so much going on in this dish, it wasn’t greatly missed!

My Indulgently Created Pizza

Paglia e Fieno all’Alfredo

Given the calibre of the previous two courses, The Boy and I were a little disappointed with dessert; we had chosen to treat ourselves to the chocolate fudge cake which unfortunately, didn’t have the home-made authenticity of what had been sampled thus far. Attractively plated and decadently warmed-through, the cake itself was light with a good measure of filling and yet, it just didn’t have the wow factor that I would typically sacrifice the extensive calorie-count for! Besides, the ice cream, although liberally portioned, was not of the best quality – a shame considering some of the lovely alternatives that I’m sure could have been sourced in keeping with the original ‘best from Italy and Bristol’ assertion. That said, the visit certainly wasn’t thwarted by a mediocre pudding and The Boy and I will undoubtedly return to Piazza di Roma...though perhaps sticking with a tralatitious Italian sweet may glean a more desirable outcome...(tiramisu anyone?!)

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Overall, an enjoyable evening – The Boy and I felt relaxed and comfortable for the duration of our visit and definitely left feeling fed. Service is polite, accommodating and although not particularly chatty (I do like a good old chin-wag), it would be really unfair to fault the professional yet friendly demeanour that our server consistently demonstrated. The cuisine is reasonably-priced, well-presented, fresh and tasty and chocolate fudge cake aside, I loved the genuine feel to the dishes we ordered. Thus, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Piazza di Roma…perhaps suggesting that the proof is not always in the pudding!

And now for the male opinion...

The Boy gave Piazza di Roma a rating of 9/10 and in three words, described this venue as, 'plated with passion'.

References:

*http://www.piazzadiroma.co.uk/