Here is my non-conformist
round up of 2017 - enjoy
The good: Sherry –
discovering Pedro Ximinez, with its sweet raisin glory, has improved my life. Please
provide me with recommendations in the comments box on where to entertain my new found hobby of
sherry tasting in Bristol. I have an idea for a sherry bar in Bristol called ’45
wines’ - it will have a menu of forty five fortified wines – you heard it
here first. Investment offers gratefully received.
The bad: The Premier ‘mini
market’ on the corner of Redland Road has a vegetable section with two ‘on the turn’ lemons and a sad, waxed Granny Smith apple. You’re unable to
make card payments under a fiver which is ridiculous when most of the items on
sale are under £5. I can’t believe it’s even managed 2.9 stars on Google Maps.
They don’t even sell local Bristol beers, I have no idea how they are staying
in business.
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| They'll be no argey bhaji here - curried lentil and bhaji dish at the Kensington Arms |
The greedy: The Kensington Arms – I celebrated New Year’s Eve Eve in style at the Kenny and with
some amazing vibrant colour – just would you look at the squash, curried
lentil, bhaji, feta and toasted pine nuts on the plate (see right). The bite to the
lentils with the creamy feta and crunch of the bhaji was a triumphant texture combination.
The service was also ace. Also a massive shout out to Chums pub, round the
corner from The Kenny, a fantastic local with a great landlord!
The good: My uber rating has
significantly increased since moving to Bristol. I think is due to the cabbies
generally being friendlier, a testament to all Bristolians. Another potential
reason is that my alcohol intake has significantly reduced since moving from
working at a central Government department. Make of that what you will.
The bad: Prosecco – when will
it END? Why are there prosecco festivals at Motion - one of the best clubs in
the World? We have some of the best breweries in the UK right here in Bristol
which we should celebrate instead of that cheap fizzy plonk. And of course
there is sherry. Don’t even get me started on the ‘Save Water, Drink Prosecco’
wooden sign that my Mother bought me for Christmas… it will probably get
rejected by the charity shop.
The greedy: Bottles and Books
on Gloucester Road is a prosecco free zone and filled to the brim with amazing
beers from Bristol and beyond, including larger bottles perfect for popping at
parties. Just look at this selection:
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| Selection of beers from Bottles and Books, L-R: Moor Confidence, Wiper and True Milkshake, Left Handed Giant Cheeseburger Cavalry, Ol Christmas Edit, ABC Flat White. |
The good: There are just so many
awesome places to eat in Bristol, and the list of places to visit continues to
grow at a rapid rate: Otira, Rosas, Dela, Bulrush, Bar Buvette, No Man’s Grace,
Box-E, Yume and so many others… There's also an abundance of great places I've eaten at this year that deserve a spot on the good or greedy section of this blog post but I didn't want it to turn into War and Peace: Wilson's, Marmalade Cafe, Bosco Pizzeria, Cargo Cantina, Bravas, Bellita, Emmeline, Thali, the man who sells sticky hazelnut buns at Whiteladies Road market, The Bristol Loaf, Hart's Bakery, The Highbury Vaults, Aroma (my local Chinese takeaway which is hands down the best Chinese takeaway I've ever eaten), and lots more I am struggling to remember right now!
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| Highlight of 2017: Deep fried oysters at Poco |
The bad: Brunch – I penned a poem
about my hatred for brunch as my first post on this very blog. Brunch tends to go hand in hand with bottomless
prosecco. They both need to be binned/taken to the charity shop immediately. I should
probably stop grumbling about brunch as I’ll stop being invited out to eat, but
why can’t we go for dinner instead where there’s more on the menu than toast, eggs
and prosecco.
The greedy: Poco is my reliable
go-to when I have hungry friends visiting Bristol. Located in the heart of
Stokes Croft, opposite the infamous Turbo Island, views out of the window never
fail to disappoint. But the food… Poco’s deep fried oysters were probably my
dish of 2017. So simple, yet so effective. Lightly battered, they just melted
in the mouth. Poco manage to turn greens into a dish in itself, and that’s what
they do so well – clever yet unpretentious dishes that focus on the fresh,
seasonal ingredients and amplify their key characteristics. Also – check out
the English white wine!
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| Tsukemono's deep fried pickles |
The good: I’m not usually one for
a pop-up as I don’t like queues. But the Tsukemono pop-up at The Volunteer
Tavern in October was just magical. Tsukemono’s Japanese soul food was creative
and colourful. The food was fun – deep fried pickles and a kimchi scotch egg were
the highlights, and I look forward to following them around Bristol and
watching them grow. And luckily when I was there, there was no queue!
The bad: The King’s Arms on
Whiteladies Road looks a bit fancy but the crackling they served with my roast
was actually a pork scratching. The crunch couldn’t drown out the thumping loud
dance music they were playing at 1pm on a Sunday. And if I’m going to mean
about anywhere else in Bristol I’ll go for El Puerto tapas restaurant in town,
which served me a blue margarita cocktail and I think someone spilled an entire
jar of paprika into the croquette mix.
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| Fanny Tingle's cream tea |
The greedy: Down an alley in
Totterdown is a magical garden, part of the Bristol Women’s Workshop and Vera
Fallacy’s Floriography flower shop. Fanny Tingle’s cream tea (I’m
not making the name up) was a great afternoon in the marquee. I had the cheese
scones with an incredible homemade chilli jam and a delicious lemon cake filled
to the brim with lemon curd. Simple food done well but also Fanny Tingle is lovely and sure to make you laugh. Fanny Tingle is usually serving tea 2pm-4pm on Saturdays. You
can view the other events happening in the garden here, I’d highly recommend traversing the steepest hill in Europe whilst you’re in the area, too.
So…what’s there to look
forward to in 2018?
- Sherry tasting
- Foraging workshops and avoiding death by mushroom
- Fun with fermentation
- Eating at Bell’s diner for my birthday at the end of January
- Sorting out this website
- Running the Bristol half marathon in September - carb loading every day until then
- The ever ‘exciting’ changes in British and World politics
Fenn
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