Bristol - Grillstock Smokehouse

Once again, I apologise for leaving it so long between posts, but there's been a lot going on! One massive change is the fact that we are both now graduands (Huzzah!); that blissful state of limbo between end of exams and the impending sense of responsibility signalled by graduation.

I was walking along the Triangle with a friend when we both spotted a new restaurant that had popped up; my compadre, another foodie-enthusiast suggested we go visit the next day for lunch. However, that evening I had plans to see a friend's band at the Coronation Tap... for all those aware of the Cori Tap, as it's affectionately known, can probably see where this is going. For those not in the know - the pub serves 10-12% cider tasting like apple juice. Lethal.

In hindsight, organising work experience in a GP's surgery for the following day was probably not the greatest idea... Thankfully I made it to the surgery on time looking surprisingly suave, albeit swaying slightly and undoubtedly smelling of alcohol. Now further sleep-deprived, I stumbled back up to the Triangle, encouraged only by the overwhelming excitement of a hearty meat-filled lunch.

Waiting outside for my friend to arrive, I was greeted by a charming lady with a tray full of pots of miscellaneous meats to taste - pulled pork, beef brisket, burnt ends, spicy sausages and more. It felt a bit strange tasting the food before I was due to go in and buy it, but at least then I could select what I wanted more easily.

Originally a festival, Grillstock has decided to set up a base in Bristol and I'm so glad they did because this place is incredible. Based heavily on America's deep south, with a single seated bar for diners, with a central trough of assorted sauces and condiments running along it and chefs resembling truckers, with peaked caps, all beardy and tattooed, the menu is one massive smorgasbord of delicious, slow-roasted, barbequed meats. As our orders arrived on trays pilled high with food, my hangover almost vanished in an instant. Vegetarians look away now.

Mmmmm.... meaty meaty goodness.

My order, a mountain of mixed meats, topped with cheese and sauces all fitted into a bun almost defeated me, although I'll admit my stomach was not in the best of states. My friend ordered a pulled pork plate and an additional hotdog topped with jalapenos. Both were delicious, although maybe a touch on the pricey side.

Definitely one of the best new places in Bristol to eat at the moment - go visit. Plus, you get to drink out of those epic Jeremiah Weed glasses, making you feel even more awesome, and for the toughest amongst you, they even have a man vs. food-esque challenge dubbed 'The Grand Champion' which grants you a free t-shirt and bottle of BBQ sauce should you choose to take on the meat feast and successfully complete it.

And now to bear the combined grunt of a hangover and a food coma.

A

Bristol - Shake Wrap and Roll

Most people that know me will know how much of a procrastinator I am and today was no different. After sleeping in, packing my bag for a weekend in London, and tidying my room it was clear no work was getting done today. So food presented the last bastion of distraction, and for all you edgy folk out on Gloucester Road, this one's a real gem.

Hard to miss, Shake Wrap and Roll colourfully occupies a central position along one of Bristol's busiest roads. What first drew me to SW&R were actually free vouchers I picked up in Freshers Week (yeh, it pays to actually look at all the free stuff that get's forced down your throat - excuse the pun!) and I've been a fairly frequent visitor since.

I imagine most Bristol-dwellers will have heard of the amazingness that is Magic Roll, however, SW&R certainly gives it a good run for its money. Essentially the same concept, what SW&R offers that differs is the much bigger range of ingredients and, in my opinion, bigger wraps, all for the same price - what's not to like! (both Magic Roll and SW&R have hoiked up their prices recently, but I think they now both cost the same). Nice range of meat options, including a personal favourite of mine - brie and bacon, and unrestricted choice of the available salad fillings and interesting sauces. All locally-sourced (so tempted to write 'sauced', but one pun's enough) and home-made ingredients and served by welcoming, knowledgable staff make this a must-visit to anyone in the area. B-e-a-utiful!

I actually took a photo this time!

A

Bristol - Cafe Poco

Cafe Poco is a great wee tapas bar that's found opposite the Canteen on Gloucester Road. The kitchen is placed much like a bar, in the middle of the room, and all down one side of the wood panelling is a huge array of fresh fruit and veg. I occasionally saw the chef wander out and deliberate over for it while, before plucking a unpeeled beetroot from the pile.

The menu had a huge variety of both hot and cold tapas, (as well as puddings), and it was all written on a massive blackboard on the back wall. Up on here they also had what sounded like foraged juices - namely Dandelion and Burdock, and Apple and Rhubarb. I alighted on the latter, which was delicious, as although the apple made it sweet the rhubarb then made it zingy, and it has spurred me to make rhubarb crumble very soon.

We ordered a lot of food... We got the traditional warm hummus with flatbreads, the manchego and membrillo, beetroot, butternut squash and chickpeas, and the pork belly.

It was all delicious. And always like with tapas, although I have suspicions that it won't fill me up, the act of picking and choosing and the slow way in which you approach your meal means that it always does. The hummus was probably my favourite part, and was fairly similar to that at Yalla Yalla, which had me holla-ing from the rooftops. (A review for which was written in January). However, the pork belly was a close contender, as it was cooked with lime and fennel and had the best crackling ever.

We then seriously indulged, getting a chilli hot chocolate each and sharing a pomegranate molasses brownie. The chilli in the hot chocolate had a proper kick and when I drained the mug my face may have shown momentary alarm as the chilli residue invaded my mouth. This was, however, only momentary, and subsided swiftly to a warming, pleasant feeling. The brownie had the pomegranate molasses inside it, and not just as a topping, which slightly baffled us with the first few bites - we couldn't work out what that errant taste was - but with creme fraiche it really worked, and made it a moist and yummy brownie with a twist.

As ever, if you order wildly it could end up a tad on the expensive side, but with dishes ranging from £2 to £4/5, it really needn't be too much. It was a really lovely meal and a perfect stop-off if you're on your way to the Canteen. Us third years, however, were far too tired and boring for any of that, and come 10.30, decided it was time to trot off to bed.

J

Bristol - The Bristolian

I heard about The Bristolian a while ago from a friend, and so we wandered down to Gloucester Road yesterday to check it out. To give you some bearings, it's over the road from Kino Cafe and the Arts Cafe, and its prettily lighted front looked old fashioned and inviting on that cold, cold evening. Inside is, as ever - as I am learning in these rambles around Bristol restaurants - incredibly welcoming and friendly.

They serve a range of food, from salad-y goodies in the glass counter and gluten free cakes and shortbreads on top, to a series of (yep, gluten free) breakfasts. The main Bristolian one has everything except the mushrooms! Perfect! The supper menu was quite small, and although it had great dishes they were quite expensive, particularly the starters/tapas as most came in at about £7.

We both alighted on the chorizo quesadillas, which came with onion, aubergine, courgette, pepper, cheese, and a homemade salsa and guacamole. These were pretty tricky to eat, (although I developed the knack), but were really delicious, and so filling.

I would definitely recommend The Bristolian, and hope to return sometime soon to try one of these mushroom-free breakfasts.

J

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thought I would add a bit to this!
'The Bristolian', lighting up a dark alley deep in the heart of Stokes Croft, is aptly named for it exemplifies what Bristol is all about - quirkiness, independence, and amazing, locally-sourced food.

The quesedillas immediately stood out to us both on the rather limited menu, albeit containing many delicious-sounding meals. After toying with the prospect of a fondue-esque option as a starter, I decided to stick with the quesedilla (which, despite multiple attempts I still can't seem to pronounce properly) thinking it was a type of burrito/tortilla/enchilada-type meal.

I was rather caught by surprise at what turned up. As the photo shows, they are nothing like enchiladas... I wondered how such minimal food could fill me up, but what seemed like barely anything had my hearty appetite quashed. A rather messy meal ensued with Little J mastering the technique to avoid the quesedillas failing apart - me not so much and now my trousers have a nasty compromising stain on the thigh. Can't take me anywhere.

Although the place is a little cramped and I was rather nervous about leaning my head against the wall which was adorned with candles at hair-burning height, it is absolutely worth a visit. They offer a great range of alternative hot-chocolate flavours, including cinnamon, chilli, and mint, and the breakfasts look very appetising. They even have a 'Bristolian Challenge', which is a £12 massive pile of breakfast foods and has most certainly been pushed near the top of my bucketlist of things to do before leaving Bristol.

Go visit! It's also close to the Croft and The Canteen, so if you're heading to a gig and looking for some pre-mosh munch, maybe check it out.

A

Bristol - The Burger Joint

So it's a well known establishment on Whiteladies that probably doesn't need my telling you about it, but I went the other day and loved it, so here goes.

The Burger Joint is bright and cosy, with incredibly friendly staff and the best 'create your own burger' system to date. On sitting down you are presented with a pencil and a pad of paper, on which you tick off the different components of your meal. What kind of burger do you fancy? Beef? Lamb and Mint? Oh chicken was it? Tick the chicken. It truly felt like I was playing a culinary game of Cluedo, and it made the experience fun, and stirred in me feelings from childhood.

You then proceed to tick off your choices from the vast array of toppings (of which one is 80p and three is £1.75 I think, however, including the option of adding two would have been ideal). Then on to sauces, who knew there were so many (although don't be a rookie and tick ketchup - it's sitting by you on the table), then dips, and finally sides. Phew.

Has all this ticking and musing made you hungry? Then never fear, as the meal that is to come will definitely fill you up. The burgers are generous and the sides, (we both had sweet potato chips) even more so. As ever, I ended up with a doggie bag, and a great lunch the next day.

J

Bristol - Pieminister (St Nicholas Street)

Woah! It's been ages since I last posted. Sorry about that. I've been inundated with various bits of work. To distract myself from working, I decided to check out a hallmark of the Bristol food scene - Pieminister. I first heard about the company a few years back when a task on The Apprentice required the contestants to create their own pie shops as judged by Pieminister execs.

Heading down into the centre of town, I was excited by the prospect of a good old-fashioned pie with all the trimmings - mash, gravy, the whole works. However, the map on my phone placed the arrow in a vague block grey area - St Nicholas' Street Market - the labarinth itself. Originally expecting a proper shop, what I didn't realise was that it was a stall in the heart of one of Bristol's busiest markets.

Eventually finding it, picking up some free falafel on the way from another stand, I set about scanning the menu to see what was on offer. A huge range of pastries awaits you, and they don't shy away from showing all the awards they've won with stickers adorning the glass display cases. So many choices. So many extra little delights to add to already difficult decision of which pie to choose.

I went for a simple choice - the Freeranger. Chicken, ham, and cheese. I couldn't resist adding on mash and gravy too. The rather cramped stall measures roughly 3m x 6m, not much bigger than my Bristol cupboard bedroom, yet still they manage to fit in tables and benches as well as ovens and display cases. It felt similar to a festival tent, but cleaner and with fewer drunkards, instead, a whole range of people from all walks of life had gathered there, attracted by the lure of award-winning pies; mothers with their children, business men on their lunch break, elderly couples. Clearly there is a pie for everyone.

Once again, I couldn't help myself and dove straight in without thinking to take a photo first. So here's one from Google:

With crispy pastry and overflowing with filling it was fairly satisfying, but it just wasn't really enough and the gravy and mash and the pie in general were distinctly average. Not quite the stuff of legends. I've got a massive appetite - hence the existence of this blog - so I left feeling a little disappointed, picking up another free falafel ball on the way back.

Maybe it was an off day? Maybe I made the wrong choice of pie and trimmings? There were loads of other options afterall.

I will probably return again, but at the cost of £6 (pie, mash, and gravy, to eat in) I may have to alter my choices for next time. One positive though - I did find a place that does amazing falafels...

A

Bristol - Urban Wood (First meal together!)

Big A and Little J finally have their first proper blog meal out together…huzzah! 

J: So I arrived first, being ever early, and had to prop up the bar with a solitary glass of red while I waited for A to appear. I did, however, have company in the form of a downhearted businessman-type next to me; yet erase any images of the bar from ‘Cheers’ from your mind, (a very old reference there), as Urban Wood is actually a small and fairly eclectic restaurant. The place is aglow with fairy lights in the windows and with candles bedecking nearly every surface. A large feature of the place is the wax-dripped candelabrum that is set in between the front room of the restaurant, and the back room, separated by the large open bay window. We went on a Monday, which, by pure chance, happened to be 2-4-1 on burgers, and so we both jumped right on it. 

A: I’d never even heard of Urban Wood before Little J suggested it, but what a find! Self-proclaimed ‘Bristol’s best kept secret’, they had a lot to live up to, and they didn’t fail us. With a wealth of tempting choices on the menu, all at reasonable prices, we settled for the burgers filled with chorizo, bacon and cheese, topped with a fried egg, and some olives and sun-dried tomatoes as apéritifs. Arriving fairly promptly, we tucked in. Delicious. Hints of apple complemented the beef from the burgers, which was just extraordinary, putting it on par with my favourite burgers, courtesy of Boston Tea Party and The Mall Pub. My only qualm would be the inclusion of the devil’s food – rocket; but actually, the salad was made almost bearable by an interesting dressing. 

J: What A has ceased to mention is the slightly awkward incident that set both bar staff running. When going to pour some ketchup, (see offending bottle in below image), he dropped it with a bang into the mayo, splattering that on the table, and in turn knocking over the candle, which promptly fizzed out. Watching that bizarre chain of events I half expected a mouse-trap to come tottering down. 

A: ...and what J has failed to mention is her inability to judge how much salt is too much salt, leaving me to polish off what she couldn’t finish (most of it...). This place is definitely worth a visit, especially on a Monday - £5 for a burger is such a deal! Although, I did feel slightly conned that they charged us for the olives and sundried tomatoes separately, when the menu definitely tricked me into thinking otherwise... and £3 for a pint of coke was a bit of a surprise too. However, the quality of the food and the nice, almost homely atmosphere certainly made up for these trivial setbacks. Go and make use of the deal if you get the chance!

A & J

Bristol - Bravas

I've wandered past Bravas on Cotham Hill many a time now, and yet have always strolled past without a second glance. For some reason, it always looked too grown-up, and tapas always seemed to be more student friendly at Las Iguanas, round the corner. Until today. It's a buzzy bar/restaurant with an authentic spanish feel, all of which you can get the gist of by just peering in. But oh boy, the food was good.

We each had a lime and juniper berry G&T, which looked terribly pretty with lime rind curls and juniper berries in amongst the ice, but alas, I have no photo. In fact, I have only one photo of the meal, as I was enjoying it far too much to get my phone out. The one photo I have is of the grilled lamb with this hazelnut and parsley sauce, which was just great.

However, the dishes that absolutely stole the show and which, if you do go, you must get, are the fried aubergine with molasses, and the Iberico pork. The aubergine came cut up like little frites and had this sweet honey and molasses sauce all over it, which was peculiar, but amazing. Oh, but the pork. The waiter had warned us it would be good - something to do with a different curing and cooking process etc - we ended up ordering another plate.

It did all slightly add up and so was on the expensive side, but we figured that if we hadn't got drinks, and had chosen fewer dishes, it would have been just perfect.

J

Bristol - Mesushi.org

Mesushi is one of the most fantastic discoveries that I've made while at Bristol and it is, wait for it - a sushi delivery company. Although this all sounds very 'Sex and the City' and rather frivolous, let me assure you, this place is cheap. After all, Bristol is a far cry from New York, and I am but a lowly student.

They deliver on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, at both lunch and supper times. So, instead of giving in to a Dominos when the cupboard is bare, or trying to scrape butter onto a cracker like in that Flora advert from years ago, try this place out. It could only cost you £3.80. Oh that's right. Eight pieces of salmon and surimi sushi rolls fetch in at £3.80, and the addition of salmon nigiri takes it up to only £4.99. It's an exciting thing to have delivered and breaks up the monotony of what can become 'student food'.

They're terribly lovely too. I embarrassingly owed them I think £1.70 once, as my friend who I was eating with had not arrived yet with her money, and so I had to go sprinting all over the house looking for any house mates with loose change. This was never going to happen, and so the man kindly gave me an 'I owe U'. (I write this debt free).

This is also a great place to turn to, as in shunning larger take-away empires, you are also helping out a small local business. Enjoy.

J

Bristol - Maximillion's Deli

A few weeks ago, my friend went to this place and offered me a bite of the roll he bought. One bite and I was sold. It was incredible - certainly the best 'bite to eat' I'd had in a while. So I made it my mission to find this place.

Snuck away, just beyond the beautifully colourful Nelson Street (the 'grafitti street'), it looked like any old humble cafe from the outside. Stepping inside, you're surrounded by food everywhere. There's just so much of it.

 

Shamelessly, I'll admit to having looked up 'Bristol food challenges' a while back in lieu of an English-equivalent to Man vs. Food and this was one of the results that came up. Here's why.

Firstly the roll presented to you is about as big as a human head, and that's not even hyperbolic. You're then offered 'meat' or 'non-meat' and, as a self-respecting man, obviously I chose the former. Then this is the catch - you then get 5 'sides', as they refer to them ('toppings' to normal people). You've got the standard ones - various types of cheese, cuts of meat, chillis, assorted veg. Then it gets a bit more strange - scotch eggs, different pasta salads, numerous potato salads. Potato freaking salad ...in a roll. Carb overload. It had to be done though.

There were probably around 40, maybe 50 sides to choose from. The very kind server told me that I should "come back on a weekday and [they] have sooo much more". I'm intrigued to see what other wonderful things they can think about putting in a sandwich. You could spend years trying out all the different combinations and unlike most places, they don't cut you short on the portions either - almost as if they want to get rid of their ingredients.

So I chose an unusual combination of pork with stuffing, filled with cheese, jalapenos, some sort of chilli salad creation, salami, and a curried potato salad. Costing a measely £3.50 for a roll as a big as my head. I'd say that's a bargain and a half.

Sitting down to eat it (you would have to sit down to eat one of these bad boys), I took in what is positively best described as a 'man-wich' - the highly generous portions made it almost as tall as it was wide, even Joey Tribbiani would be contemplating sharing one of these. But there was no sharing today. For such a strange mixture of ingredients and flavours, it was incredibly tasty. I couldn't put it down. Although slightly wary that on this occasion my eyes may have been bigger than my stomach, I powered through - a significant achievement if I do say so myself.

I will definitely be returning when my stomach feels ready to take on the challenge again. I'm also shocked at how few have heard about this remarkable place. Go and try it out!

A

P.S. Once again, I've forgotten to get photos (obviously couldn't put the tasty thing down long enough to be able to), but next time I will!

Bristol - Kookoo Cafe

This wee Persian restaurant situated at a far flung corner of Gloucester Road is, I would say, totally worth the trek. 

And a trek it is. Although a trek that is admittedly partly my fault... I foolishly left my bag there, which resulted in us walking the entirety of Gloucester Road three times in one evening. I may never have done D of E, but I honestly feel I can now put down Bronze Award on my C.V. 

Anyway, the place is small but bright, and incredibly welcoming. A small bouncy man greeted and seated us, and then plied us with Persian teas and a starter of aubergine, egg (?) and tomato. Although we were at first dubious at the inclusion of egg, it was actually a delicious dip that came with yummy flatbreads.

The tea was served in teapots that were on stands above a tea light to keep them warm, and was drunk out of teeny cut glass cups. Much more exciting than your average cuppa.

Kookoo cafe has a different dish each day of the week, and being a wednesday, I alighted upon a lamb stew. However, this was no ordinary stew, and was in fact a whole lamb shank, with a huge mound of saffron and ordinary rice - understated amazing-ness. There was so much food that we both left merrily swinging blue and white striped bags with tomorrows lunch in. A lunch which I am very much looking forward to. 

J

Coming soon - Fallout Burger Challenge

Yes, that's right - the Fallout Pizza Burger Challenge at Atomic Burger, Bristol. I'm going to attempt it.

It's £25. It's 3 stacked burgers, cheese, and mini-pizzas for buns. And it's very very very hot.

Containing 2 of the hottest chillis known to man, you have to be over 18 to take the challenge and you have to sign a legally binding contract saying you agree to it. The challenge also requires that you wear protective gloves throughout.

Never one to turn down a food challenge, I see this as my Everest. Prepping myself on XXX-hot peri peri sauce from Nandos will seem like Ben Nevis in comparison.

Bring it.

A

You'll never guess what happened at our first meal...

So first, to set the scene.

It was midday, and we decided to go to one of our favourite haunts, MochaMocha, on St Michael's Hill, for lunch. (They do a great coffee and pastry deal for £2.50 before 10am which is a fantastic motivation to help get you to the library early).

We were perusing the sandwiches, (a personal fave is their Bacon, Brie and Cranberry Sauce panini, it never fails), when I casually glance to my right to see who is beside me. It's Peter Andre. The one and only.

How odd.


I was of course more excited than my 'How odd' suggests, but we (or rather I, A wasn't that bothered), tried to remain calm, and we went to sit down after ordering. Then, lo and behold, the door opens about a minute later, and who wanders in in? Bill Bailey. Again, the one and only.


This was the most baffling thing that's possibly ever happened to us and of course, we jumped at the chance to get photos. So here they are...

(Food will be the focus of the next blog however, I promise).

















J