A Sunny Saturday Lunch at Bill's

On our last sunny weekend, it does seem like an age ago, mum and I decided to check out a light lunch in Bill's. Bill's opened up on the Triangle a few months ago and I had heard a couple of mixed reviews about the place. Mum had said the Bath branch was tasty, others had said that there wasn't enough varied choice and the prices were questionable. So armed with information and hunger we arrived for an early lunch. The restaurant was a lot larger than I was expecting and although a little dark inside it was nice and airy and full of decorations to entertain the eye. I decided to go for their elderflower cordial, bit of a fan of the old elderflower, and mum had a ginger beer. 

Inside Bill's

Elderflower Cordial

The elderflower cordial was much more prettily dressed than I was expecting and extra refreshing on a hot day. The weather certainly made us consider our food choices more carefully. We weren't feeling like anything heavy so eventually decided on sharing the mezze board with a side of sweet potato fries. The mezze board was described as a selection of dips, salsa, hummus, babaganouj, marinated olives and halloumi skewers, though you can swap the halloumi for chicken or kofte skewers so we opted for the chicken.

mezze board

sweet potato fries

mezze upclose

A wonderfully bright board arrived at our table, it looked superb and the bread was lovely and warm, sounds obvious but often can be overlooked. Everything was really fresh tasting, mum had never had babaganjouj before and loved it, certainly for me it is the most acceptable form of aubergine, for not the greatest of aubergine fans. The chicken was chunky and juicy and the hummus warming and garlicky. The sweet potato fries were quite nice but in my opinion could have been a bit crispier and needed extra salt. Mum and I definitely had room for pudding so we opted for the peach melba sundae to share.

peach melba sundae

The sundae looked a picture and it wasn't as unhealthy as it appeared as instead of ice cream there was sorbet in the layers which made it all the more refreshing. Having said that my favourite part of the sundae was actually the most unhealthy part, the vanilla flavoured piped cream on top, light as air and dangerously moreish.  Generally speaking it was a tasty lunch, I probably wouldn't choose Bill's for an evening meal but for a lunch it is a lovely venue for snacking and catching up for a chat. The prices aren't too bad either for some things, the mezze board was £9.99, having said that the sweet potato fries were nearly £4 which is just a bit silly. To cut to the chase I would return, the service was friendly and efficient, now they just need to do something about the occasional crazy price. To check out what Bill's has to offer visit their website.

Goodbye Dinner at The Thali Cafe

The other week we had to say farewell to Carla for she was leaving Bristol to return to London. So her final meal was booked and she had chosen the Thali Cafe, the Clifton branch. This would technically only be my second visit to a thali, I once went many moons ago to the first cafe in Montpelier and although it was around 6 -7 years ago I remember it being very tasty. So I was pretty excited about making a return visit. The Thali Cafe (well the Clifton one at least) offers five main thali choices and a couple of sides and starters. I was pretty keen to recreate my first experience so I had already decided to have the Northern thali. This is their signature dish a vegetarian curry assortment including a curry with fried paneer.

Menu peek

decision making

Sarah, Rob, Rich and I decided to share some poppadoms and chutneys for our starters and we all amazingly went for different thalis. Rich picked the lamb kofta thali which was the one that almost swayed me, with spiced meatballs, in a coconut, tomato and cinnamon sauce. Sarah and Rob chose the Mogul thali and the Southern thali. With all the aromatic smells wafting round the restaurant our stomachs were practically growling in protest luckily the arrival of poppadoms and chutneys saved us in time.

chutney selection

You kind of expect to have mango chutney as standard when you order poppadoms and to be honest that is what I generally stick to because I am not a fan of lime pickle and slightly unbothered by raita. However The Thali Cafe offers little twists on the classics which were a welcome change. There was a tomato and tamarind one that reminded me of lime pickle but actually nice, slightly tangy but totally moreish. Even the mango chutney had an added zing with some chilli in it for a kick. As you will probably be able to tell we made short work of our poppadoms and chutneys, we were still hungry but we were now able to wait for our mains without wondering whether to steal some of the food on the table next door to us. 

Kofta Thali

Southern Thali

Northern Thali

Excuse the photo quality the light was not great but you get the general gist of what we ate. I sampled some of the sauce from Rich's lamb kofta thali and it was divine, so aromatic and the cinnamon really came through, this is definitely what I will be sampling next time I visit. Rob's Southern thali was a Goan fish curry but the fish had been coated in crispy crumb which made it a little bit different, it also looked really good. The paneer curry in my vegetarian thali was really light and the sauce was yummy I was impressed. However the winner I think for all of us, the one that stole the show, was the lentil dhal it was creamy and so well flavoured it made me want to make dhal at home and eat it more often. The only thing we all weren't keen on was the vegetable, mainly potato dish which I thought was a bit like a saag, it tasted a bit under seasoned.

I cannot wait to return to one of the thali cafes they are a bit different from what the normal curry house  offers and perfect for Summer because the curry is lighter and does not make you feel like you need to snooze immediately afterwards, dare I say it it almost feels like a healthy curry. Also it is the perfect place to feed vegetarians, vegans and gluten free people all together as it offers options for all. It will definitely be one of the options I offer up to my sister's vegan boyfriend when they next visit Bristol for dinner. So if you haven't already visited one of the cafes of this Bristol institution get thee to a thali cafe now. To view menu options and find out more about their origin story visit their website.

A Friday Sandwich: Mi Casa at The Big Chill

I had heard some good things about food at The Big Chill, some murmurs about burgers and more recently more vocal praise for the Mi Casa Cantina pop up that had taken residence in The Big Chill kitchen. Mi Casa boasts American style big sandwiches, drawing inspiration from the New York deli's and diners across the US. The menu is a mouthwatering feast of deliciousness you can get the famous Reuben sandwich as well as their own version of a club sandwich. I was starving when I arrived so my work friends and I ordered immediately.  I decided to go for the Cantina Club which was pulled chicken, chorizo, smashed avocado. tomato and chipotle aioli on ciabatta. Although I was tempted by the spicy chicken turbo which had southern fried chicken thighs with hot sauce, salad and blue cheese dressing. 

menu peek

retro record wall 

I was so hungry I was close to chewing the plant in front of me on the table, you know when some lunchtimes you are just inexplicably hungry you have to eat everything in sight? It was one of those days, I did muddle over ordering chips as well but with hindsight I was very glad that I didn't. We weren't waiting too long before our lunch made an appearance, the size of my club sandwich was simply huge, but I felt I was more than up to the task of tackling it. 

Cantina Club

Cantina a little closer

Best sandwich I've ever tasted? Quite possibly actually. The chicken was melt in the mouth juicy and the slight heat from the chipotle was perfectly balanced. But I think my favourite part was the chorizo, not just slices of chorizo but it was almost as if chunks of it had been cooked right down to a rich mince. It is quite difficult to describe but it catapulted this sandwich from excellent to heavenly. The spicy chicken turbo which Sharon had without the spicy sauce looked really tasty as well, although the hot sauce on the side (which would have been on the chicken) wasn't quite right but we couldn't put our finger on why. But the fried chicken was crispy and was really complimented by the creamy blue cheese dressing and crisp lettuce. 

Chicken Turbo (with a side of spicy sauce)

commit this logo to memory, it's a sign of tastiness

I would love Mi Casa to stay at The Big Chill, or at least not to far from my work or home locales so I can selfishly have one of their amazing sandwiches whenever I want. For some seriously good sandwiches, and I do mean seriously good, seek ye out Mi Casa you will not regret it. To keep updated on all thinks Mi Casa visit their website. Or to find out more about what The Big Chill has to offer, they have a colourful website of their own too.

Bargain Burgers at Start the Bus

On Tuesdays Start the Bus offers two for one on their home made burgers. The other week we met up with Jayne and Si, who had recommended them highly, after work to try them out. The food is provided by Ruby Jean's Diner, self named 'purveyors of home-cooked Americana' and what a drool worthy menu it is. From New York deli style sandwiches, to fried chicken and banoffee pie it is a feasters dream plus the selection of burger toppings is suitably impressive. After much indecision I decided to go for the burger topped with pulled pork and chilli jam, whilst Rich picked chorizo and halloumi to crown his.

pulled pork topped burger

chorizo and halloumi burger

Rich and I were really impressed with the burgers at Start the Bus. Rich's burger in particular was good because the chorizo topping was thick grilled half sausage pieces rather than just a thin round slice of chorizo.   The pulled pork, the in vogue food of the moment, in my burger was a bit mushy but tasted nice but not sure I would choose it again over some of the other options. The burger patties were meaty and flavoursome and held together well which is not something you see in all burgers. Plus skin on chips often taste a lot nicer than regular chips, and these were no exception, great chips and plenty of them. 

So if you find yourself hungry on Corn Street and fancy a burger check out the fare offered by Ruby Jean's Diner at Start the Bus some high quality burgers with a big taste. I for one will be trying the blue cheese, bacon and avocado one next time plus with 2-4-1 on a Tuesday what could be better? Prices start at £8.95 but do not break the £10 mark. Visit the websites for Start the Bus or Ruby Jean's Diner and check out your burger options. Next blogs to come will be on my sandwich at The Big Chill and our dinner at The Thali Cafe.

Pizzas at Pepe Nero

The other weekend Carla had invited a small group of friends out for one of her farewell to Bristol dinners and she had chosen Pepe Nero. Her Italian half craved a decent pizza and having heard from reliable sources that Pepe Nero offered true authentic Italian pizzas it would be folly to resist the opportunity to visit before she left for London. Pepe Nero can be found on the corner of Bond Street in Broadmead, a site historically held by  Italian restaurants Bottelino's and for a very short time, Fratelli's. 

We headed upstairs to the small seating area, Pepe Nero predominantly operates as a spot for a quick lunch time grab bag and also takeaway in the evening, they will even deliver to your door. They have a wide variety of toppings to choose from including the option for vegan cheese which is definitely something you don't see that often. I went for the crudo and panna pizza; Parma ham and double cream whilst Rich went for the Pepenero; bacon, olives, mushrooms, salami, ham and peppers.

crudo and panna

The Pepenero

Placing the toppings on top of the pizza, instead of cooking them at the same time, the Italian way, I am assured, is rather awesome. You could taste the quality of the deli meats much more easily than if they were cooked in and covered with cheese. I was extremely impressed by the high quality of the pizzas a great deal of topping generosity. The bases were I think the best you can get in Bristol, light and crisp but not dry. I did think the cream stated in my pizza of choice would be more apparent rather than mixed in with the cheese but it was still really indulgent and tasty. 

Crudo and panna upclose

A bargain for under £10 these pizzas are the jewel in the pizza crown, although I still also really like the pizzas at Beerd. The service at Pepe Nero was swift and polite and we were all pretty impressed, and I am looking forward to trying their takeaway service as a little weekend treat. To see what else Pepe Nero has to offer, visit their website.

Pre-Train Refuel at Bone Daddies

Just before we returned to Bristol we had time for a spot of lunch and Kathryn, knowing how much I love all things Japanese, chose a ramen bar that her and Gavin had recently discovered. Bone Daddies is a fairly recent addition to Soho and it describes itself as a rock n roll ramen bar. This is pretty much exactly what it is. We walked through the curtains and were hit with 50s rockabilly and pictures of Japanese rock n rollers on the walls. Being a fan of 50s music and ramen, nothing really could have got this place off to a better start in my book. 

Ramen accoutrements

Everything from hair ties to bibs are available to make your ramen eating experience more enjoyable and less messy I was hungry and ready to order. I settled on a carrot and ginger juice followed by a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, a 20 hour bone broth with pork. Rich decided to crank up the heat with tantanmen, a chicken bone broth with chilli, sesame, pork mince and bok choy. 

carrot & ginger juice, ready for ramen

Tonkotsu ramen

Tantanmen ramen

First impressions were that the portion was huge, the hot clouds of steam rising from the bowls smelled divine and we all dug in cautiously, but greedily. My ramen was so creamy and rich tasting compared to other ramens I have sampled, down to the fact the broth is made from boiled pork bones cooked for many hours the fat breaks down and gives the stock a rich creaminess, rather like milk.  The pork slices melted in the mouth as well and were full of flavour, I can see why some people cite ramen as a good hangover cure, it's hot, nourishing but not too heavy on the stomach. 

Tonkotsu close up

Rich's Tantanmen was really very spicy but also creamy and nutty tasting, it had a wonderful flavour and packed quite the punch, I really liked it but would not have been able to eat an entire bowl of it myself. One of my favourite parts was the quality of the eggs in the ramen. Lovely Clarence Court eggs, very creamy and flavoursome, these made the ramen even more special.

So if you find yourself in London and fancy some ramen head to Bone Daddies, a little pricey at £11 or so for a bowl but it left me surprisingly full for the rest of the day. I wish Bristol had a proper ramen bar, hint to any budding restaurant owners out there, I would be there nearly every week if it did ramen as good as this. To find out more about Bone Daddies visit their website. Upcoming blogs include our visit to Pepenero, burgers from Start the Bus and a sandwich from Mi Casa at The Big Chill bar.

Chicken Katsu Curry Recipe

Chicken katsu curry is one of Rich's favourite meals and I thought the other week, can this be that hard to make? Turns out after some investigating and experimentation with a couple of recipes it isn't technically hard at all, it is just a little time consuming for a week day. Having said that it is definitely worth giving it a shot as the result is pretty close to what we have tasted in various Japanese restaurants that we have visited. 

my first katsu curry

I had some chicken thigh fillets to use up so I cut them in to long strips and then dipped them first seasoned flour, then egg and finally panko breadcrumbs. This was the time consuming part for me, I basically had a lot of strips to triple dip and for some reason it seemed to take for ever. After that part was out the way I got myself started on making up the curry sauce. 

This is what you will need:

1 Tblsp of oil
1 inch of grated fresh ginger
5 whole garlic cloves, crushed or chopped finely
2  Tblsps of plain flour
1  Tblsp medium curry powder
600mls chicken stock
2 teaspoons of honey
1  Tblsp soy sauce
1 teaspoon of garam masala

To make the sauce fry the garlic and ginger up in the oil for a few minutes until they have softened a little then add the flour and curry powder and stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Just like when you make a roux sauce add the stock gradually so to avoid lumps. Then add the honey and the soy sauce and bring to the boil then reduce the heat for 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Finally add the garam masala and put the sauce to one side whilst you fry up your chicken.

Heat up a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Basically I could have made my life a whole lot easier if I had either used chicken breasts or coated the thigh fillets as wholes because I was frying for a long time to get through all those strips, some of which caught a little in frying. Still I have learned something for next time and you can all learn from my mistake! I served this with steamed rice and poured the sauce over the chicken. The end result was worth the effort, this definitely tasted like chicken katsu curry, I was particularly impressed by how accurate the sauce tasted, I will be making this again.

Chicken Katsu, the end result