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

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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

Manchester - Teacup on Thomas St

This is a great wee cafe that we stumbled upon when wandering through the North Quarter, that is, as we found out, owned by Mr Scruff. I squealed with delight.

It's very like Bristol's Boston Tea Party, and like BTP, has a range of different teas to try. I alighted on the rosehip tea, which came in a beautiful, creaky glass pot. This also came with a timer that told you exactly when your tea had finished stewing, and when you could pour it into a second glass teapot. Such a novelty.

This tea was not only beautiful to look at, but it was really delicious, and reminded me of when I used to make perfume as a small child by squeezing rose petals into water. You were also allowed to ask for a water top-up too, which I thought was really kind.

I also had the brownie with pistachios on top which was the best brownie I've had in a while, and my friend had the halloumi and pitta salad. Although this place is a bit pricey, (a cup of tea was about £4), I recommend it for the experience, and who knows, you may even bump into Mr Scruff.

J

Manchester - Almost Famous

When I went to visit a friend in Manchester this weekend, I was taken to the hidden/(sort of) secret burger joint, Almost Famous. Although the entrance is just a small door on a quiet road, you have no chance of missing it; Almost Famous comes complete with queue, and bouncer. This burger place had a queue, and a bouncer, at 5pm. Five in the afternoon.

However, having made it inside, I COMPLETELY see why.

You go up a few flights of stairs, (they make you work for your meal), and enter into a bright and eclectic space that made me so trigger happy I couldn't stop taking photos. The bar wall is as you can see above, and on the opposite wall is a series of fairly bizarre, yet pretty great, quotes (below right).














All the other walls, (it's made of a further two rooms) are clustered with either Banksy, or provocative paintings of 50's style women emerging from sweet wrappers, mustard bottles, and the like.

Our drinks came with names such as 'Bitch Juice' and 'Snap and Tickle', and as if the names, and the fact that they were served in tall jars wasn't edgy enough, they also came complete with glowsticks.

The food was very like Meat Liquor in London, full on, heavy-duty burgers and fries. However, these also came with great names. One burger was called Triple Nom, and if you fancied chicken, you could always get Crack Wings, which were said to be 'Phoking Amazing'. I went for the Rib Roll (pulled pork) and Trailer Trash Fries, both of which were incredible. The fries in particular, as they had a mustard and barbecue and who knows what else sauce poured all over them, and were a-mazing.

After eating ourselves into a food coma, I can honestly say this is the best burger place I have ever been to, and if I am ever back in Manchester again, will demand a visit. (If you can, try and bag a seat on the sofa - this kind of food coma beats the kind at Christmas, and I very nearly nodded off...).


J