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/

Brace and Browns – Whiteladies Road, Bristol

There has certainly been a raft of praise for Brace and Browns since its bar and kitchen opened for business back in the Spring. So, when the Best Foodie Friend (BFF) and I encountered a spanner in the works in terms of the venue for our next natter and nosh-up, it was the first to spring to mind as an alternative. Fast-forward to the evening in question and it's fair to say that we were really rather excited to be checking out Brace and Browns consistently complimented cuisine for ourselves...

Date and Time: Friday 3^rd September 2011, 19:30

Name of Establishment: Brace and Browns*

Location: 43 Whiteladies Road, Bristol

Reason for Visit: Dinner and drinks with the BFF (yes...we do this a lot!)

In order to reach the peace and quiet of Brace and Browns' inside space, the BFF and I initially had to fight our way through the buzz of the typical Friday-night merry-makers who, warming themselves beneath heat lamps, had flocked to this venue's popular decked exterior terrace, (no doubt to make the most of the fading evening sunshine). Having never visited 'Deasons' (the sites former occupant), I suppose you could say that I had a clean slate when it came to any preconceptions regarding how the interior had been utilised. Consequently, I can report (without comparison nor contrast) that the décor has been classically arranged with deep reds and browns that tie the rich hues of the furniture, as well as the wooden expanse of the flooring, in with the intended colour-scheme. A distinct focus on well-known British branding, plus, food and drink manufacturers from the past are interestingly amalgamated within a tasteful feature-wall – the subtle soundtrack also seemed to adhere to this 'years gone by' theme; ranging from a generous helping of 60's Motown to The Beautiful South! Furthermore, the framed Marmite pop-art was considered a great touch and, as lovers as opposed to haters, the BFF and I enjoyed the view from where we sat! Service was efficient and friendly and although our table was waited by a number of servers, proved systematically well-informed and polite. 

Brace and Browns' Feature Wall

On to the food and the BFF and I felt somewhat compelled to sample a selection of morsels from the Tapas menu which we had heard so much about prior to our visit. The originality and imagination behind this array of mini-plates proved fresh and exciting and, although predominantly British, has also been inspired from cuisine from around the globe. Despite discovering that the 'famous' Yorkshire pudding' was no longer on the menu, there was certainly plenty to choose from. Split into four categories of; meat, fish, vegetarian and sweet treats, the dishes are priced at one for £3, three for £8 and four for £10. Alternatively, you can opt to have everything the menu has to offer for a reasonable £60 – great if you're dining as part of a large group or...have a hollow leg! Moving on...the BFF and I decided to choose six dishes in total, two each and two to share. I chose the chicken skewers with a satay peanut sauce which, beautifully presented with a flourish of tiny pink (and I hope edible) leaves, were succulent and flavoursome. My second dish was the cauliflower and parmesan bhajis which were generously portioned and crisply textured with a drizzle of curried cream – just divine. The BFF was equally as impressed with the dishes she chose; the pork belly with a cider and apple chutney was reportedly very tasty and albeit proving a little chewy, was complimented perfectly by the chutney with its tangy sweetness. Her second dish, the halloumi, was exactly as described on the menu – perfectly grilled. We shared the pesto and tomato schiaccialella which, described as 'fancy Italian bread', consisted of two crisped pizza rounds with an amazingly juicy, not to mention vibrant, topping. Lastly, it would have been rude to ignore the 'treats' section of the menu and so for pudding, the BFF and I shared the mini scones with vanilla clotted cream and jam. Now, I can confidently say that the cream was not clotted, (more so a light whipping cream) but it was a pleasant accompaniment nevertheless with the vanilla's distinctive flavour a delicate delight with every mouthful. 

Tapas Board

Besides Tapas, there is a great assortment of Gastropub-style grub to choose from; burgers, risottos and salads all feature here but it was the Chef's omelettes that particularly caught my eye – at only £6 there are three options including honey glazed ham and smoked cheese or wild mushroom and spinach – simple yet delicious; especially, if the quality of the ingredients sourced for the Tapas dishes are anything to go by. In addition to this, I can't document the cuisine at Brace and Browns without mentioning their Sunday roasts and, on the last Sunday of every Month you are even invited to flip a coin for a chance to enjoy your dinner for free, (normally £12.50). However, the Brace and Browns' Sunday roast has been alluded to as one of the best in the central Bristol area and thus, I certainly intend to find out for myself whether this is the case with or without a lucky coin toss!

Back to the evening at hand and to wash down our meal, the BFF and I both chose a glass of vino; she, a Sauvignon Blanc and I, a Pinot Grigio, both of which lapped at a rather sizeable glass for just £3. I think as a larger party, a jug of Pimms may have gone down rather well and, although I didn't check out the line-up on this occasion, I did hear the unmistakable whizz of a cocktail shaker implying that there is indeed a wide range of tipples – some of which I will indubitably have to sample upon my next visit!

Overall, a great evening – classy surroundings, service which was commendably on-the-ball for a busy Friday-night and dishes which are well-presented, adequately portioned and scrumptious to say the least! I love that Brace and Browns have redesigned the concept of Tapas; drawing on aspects from the great cuisine of Blighty and beyond as opposed to simply sticking to the usual Spanish-related suspects. The appeal of diversity coupled with the option of feasting on as little or as much as you wish makes, in my view, for a winning combination and is ideal for the indecisive among us (myself included) who consequently, can try a little of everything! With this in mind, I can’t wait for my next visit - no wonder the praise for this venue has been consistent, I shall be undoubtedly be echoing what others have said for anyone who will listen!

And now for the second opinion...

The BFF gave Brace and Browns 9/10 and in three words, described her experience as 'diverse’, ‘imaginative’ and ‘delicious’.

References:

*http://braceandbrowns.co.uk/

Bar Humbug - Whiteladies Road, Bristol

So just when I claim that Greek cuisine is so very difficult to come-by in Bristol I stumble upon another venue where it features rather fittingly on the menu; which, in this case, takes its inspiration from the chef's Mediterranean-come-North African background. I'm talking about Bar Humbug, a venue which, to date, I have only ever frequented for a cocktail or two and yet, this particular evening saw The Boy, Best Foodie Friend (BFF) and I roaming the streets of Cotham for somewhere suitable in which to ease our various Bank Holiday inflicted fatigues in the form of reasonably-priced and nourishing nosh – incidentally, this is where we ended up!

Date and Time: Monday 29^th August 2011, 18:45

Name of Establishment: Bar Humbug*

Location: 89 Whiteladies Road, Bristol

Reason for Visit: Impromptu dining with two of my favourite people.

With the preferable outside space fully occupied, our party of three headed in to Bar Humbug's cave-like interior and whilst the squishy sofa-style seating and low tables lit with coloured neon lights were somewhat appealing, we retreated further to the area behind the bar whereby a sturdy arrangement of furniture seemed rather more suitable for our culinary intentions. Here, the lighting picks up a fraction and the wallpaper, swirled with deep metallic hues (with that Alice in Wonderland-style intrigue), is accented with thickly- framed mirrors of varying sizes. This quirky haze, (which just as easily could have been cast-off as dingy) was really rather comforting given our unanimous state of malaise and yet, the soundtrack overhead did little to remedy this; in particular, Jeff's Buckley's rendition of 'Hallelujah', albeit a classic, almost pushed us beyond effective communication altogether!

On to the food and that aforementioned menu which successfully muddles dishes from the continent and beyond; think Moroccan Tagine, Spanish Seafood Paella and Turkish-style Mezze. And, with one course offered at six pounds and two for eight, it certainly wont break the bank, (and thus, the only attribute of this venue that one could relate to Dicken's Scrooge is its name!) After a great deal of indecision, our orders were placed with the casual-mannered chap behind the bar and although admittedly we paid separately, it was obvious that we were together (in that, we were actually the venue's only inhabitants at this time) and so, when our dishes materialised in intervals, it made for a kind of disjointed experience. Furthermore, the food itself was a little hit and miss; both The Boy and the BFF opted to start with the Fresh Falafel Salad which was generously plated and reportedly, full of flavour. Despite, the falafels themselves proving a little dry and crumbly, the salad, appropriately Mediterranean in terms of its content, comprised an exciting (not to mention, colourful) array of ingredients; the simplicity of juicy tomato complimented the twang of feta and distinct saltiness of marinated olives and despite a rogue gherkin or two which seemed a little out-of-place, the dish screamed of sun-drenched beach-side lunches! This was finished with a drizzle of creamy Tzatziki; it's cool palate-cleanser the perfect accompaniment to such a multitude of contrasting tastes and textures.

Starter

I went for a main course only, sulking somewhat that the two courses constituted a starter and a main and not a main and dessert! And so, the salmon and dill fish-cakes made an entrance and, accompanied with fries, salad and roasted Mediterranean vegetables (which disappointingly constituted just two slices of grilled aubergine), it really was a mixed bag; from satisfyingly tasty to bordering inedible. Whilst I enjoyed what we shall coin the house salad, (as it was exactly as described above) the fries were extremely salty and the balsamic which had been randomly puddled on the plate seemed unnecessary. The fish-cake itself was a little lack-lustre; on one hand, its arrangement had been perfectly executed with a crisp exterior encasing a smooth, palatable filling and yet it lacked its principle (fishy) ingredient. Consequently, scrimping on the characteristically pink flakiness of the salmon made for a rather bland and colourless finish – I think without the addition of an ample dollop of sweet chilli jam, the dish would have proved an almighty flop. That said, the chicken panini and hot mezze platter (charged at a £1 supplement) were well-received by The Boy and BFF respectfully. The panini (so much more than its description had first implied) combined succulent Moroccan-spiced chicken, melted cheese, Tahini spread (made from crushed sesame seeds) and, as per my main, a helping of sweet chilli jam - this was polished in record time so there was no doubt that this dish secured The Boy's approval! Furthermore, The BFF's mezze platter created a fair bit of food envy (especially on my part); beautifully presented and featuring the likes of (skewered) char-grilled chicken, a coarse and wonderfully garlicky houmous, feta cheese and a crisp samosa, this was notably excellent value for money. The BFF commented that the pumpkin dip was a winner for her with its smooth, moreish sweetness although the falafels were again a little dry and the cinnamon cous cous unappealingly under-seasoned. It is also to be noted that the house salad featured heavily in both The Boy and BFF's dishes and although this had been commended thus far, was received a little less enthusiastically given its unfaltering course-to-course appearance. We also couldn't help but notice the occasional 'ding' sounding from the kitchen which we suspiciously likened to the sound of a microwave – although this could have merely been the timely, and entirely innocent, call for service.

Chicken Panini

Salmon and Dill Fish-Cakes

Mezze Platter

With plates cleared, our table admitted defeat for the evening and bypassed dessert. For the record, there are two to choose from; chocolate brownie or baklava - both (at £3.50) are home-made and served with vanilla ice cream as well as the curiously titled 'cream sauce'. As alluded to in my last post, baklava is a particular favourite of mine so no doubt I will be back to test-run their version at some point. As for drinks, it will come as no surprise that given our fragile state, we didn't opt to indulge alcoholically either and yet, I can suggest from previous experience that cocktails here are well-prepared and amply measured; putting the usual suspects to one side, perhaps give the 'Grannyhumbug's Crumble' (£6) a go as, sweet and spicy, it muddles Tuaca (vanilla citrus liqueur) with cinnamon, fresh lime, apple juice and crushed ice – a treat indeed!

I can conclude that, friendly, laid-back service coupled with the chilled vibe of this eclectic space was, on this occasion, exactly what we were looking for – OK, so it was a little dreary in terms of its décor and choice of lighting but this was offset by the relaxed attitude that seemed to radiate from every corner. In terms of the cuisine, there were indubitably a few sticking points and yet, the menu really is promising; the three of us agreed that that the multi-continental flair brought to its line-up made for an interesting selection and therefore, difficult decisions all-round regarding what to choose! Add to this, great value for money and an ample, (albeit a little unsynchronised) delivery of well-presented and generously portioned fare and you've already conquered half the battle. I really think that a few tweaks here and there; namely to the dishes authenticity, over-complexity and most importantly the quality of the ingredients sourced, could really make a difference. Accordingly, aspects of the menu earlier referred to as 'lack-lustre' could instead be given the potential to shine.

And now for a second…and third opinion... (well, I could hardly choose between them, could I?!)

The Boy gave Bar Humbug 7/10 and in three words, summed up his experience as 'variety, value and flair'.

The BFF gave Bar Humbug 6/10 and in three words summed up her experience as 'serviceable’, ‘cheap’, yet ‘bland',

References:

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

Planet Pizza – Whiteladies Road, Bristol

As regular readers of the blog will know, The Boy and I love a good pizza. Consequently, Monday evening’s cancelled dinner plans led us to improvise somewhat and instead, rendezvous at the Whiteladies Road branch of Planet Pizza where we hoped we'd find just that...

Date and Time: Monday 4th July 2011, 18:45

Name of Establishment: Planet Pizza*

Location: 83 Whiteladies Road, Bristol

Reason for Visit: Impromptu start-of-the-week treat!

Initially, I couldn't decide whether I enjoyed the infantile arrangement of the menu or felt a little patronised by it. This is a venue that has taken its theme to a new level of thorough; from the rocket cut-outs and cosmic blue fairy lighting that adorn its cave-like interior to the circular, galactically-inspired doodled menu on which pizzas are named after elements within our solar system – Uranus anyone?!

Planet Pizza's Menu

Opting to sit amidst the outside buzz on the pub-style benches, The Boy and I were brought a jug of iced water at our request (well, it was a school-night!) We proceeded to peruse the menu, delighting in its apt content, (the design-your-own ‘plan-it’ pizza and rocket salad were personal favourites) and after a short wait, our pizzas arrived, his; the 9-inch Meteorite and mine; the 9-inch Mars. From five until seven Sunday to Wednesday, pizzas are buy-one-get-one-free but outside of these margins, there is also a two-for-one-deal available courtesy of 'Voucher Cloud'* – hardly astronomical pricing I'm sure you'll agree! Furthermore, it can be said that the pizzas themselves are satisfying and tasty with an abundance of toppings. The Mars combines herb-infused sausage, spicy pepperoni and red onions which, creating rich bursts of flavour, are complimented by fresh-tasting tomato and oregano as well as the cooling pull of mozzarella cheese – yum!

Pizza - Mars

The Boy's pizza can only be described as a meat fest – straddled with enough carnivorous matter to sink a (space) ship and luckily, constituting ingredients of a good quality. Featuring ham, chorizo, salami, pepperoni and sausage as well as the punchy heat of jalapeño peppers, this pizza certainly kept The Boy on his toes!

Pizza - The Meteorite

I think that the only sticking point in regards to the food was the style of the pizza bases which were comparable to ‘Chicago Town’ in terms of their crisped batter effect and yet, rather than being light on the palate, proved to be quite the opposite; heavily textured and oily. In fact, both The Boy and I were glad that we had not opted for the 12-inch equivalent because, as it was, we both left nursing very full stomachs! It is also to be noted that service here is a little aloof, polite enough but in my opinion, not completely in keeping with the 'playful' ambiance that this venue tries so hard to achieve, (seriously, I almost expected to be served by a smiley someone in a NASA jumpsuit!)

In conclusion, I wouldn't banish this restaurant to a black hole but neither was it a shooting star. Being of a fickle temperament, I decided that I was in favour of its child-like quirk after all, (especially when the bill arrived weighted with an ample measure of jelly beans) and considering how lightly we’d been hit in the pocket, The Boy and I certainly left feeling fed! In my view, the quality of the toppings carried Planet Pizza into the realms of acceptable and if this hadn't have been the case, I'm not sure I'd consider coming back. After all, there are a multitude of pizza restaurants to choose from in Bristol’s City Centre, although I'm pretty sure that Planet Pizza is the only one that offers such a far-out approach to Italian cuisine.

Wouldn't Flying Saucers be more appropriate?!

And now for the male opinion...

The Boy gave Planet Pizza a rating of 6/10 and in three words, described his meal as 'stodgy yet satisfying'.

References:

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

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