April Digest: Bristol food and drink news
Two Bristol restaurants are in the UK's top 100
Afternoon Saucers! I need your help with something. In May, I am going to be publishing a big, two-parter investigation. It’s particularly meaty, and I am looking for a few volunteers who might read it before it goes out to the general public. I’m looking for people who are keen to help me make the piece the best it can be, which means sense-checking, making sure it is fair and by spotting any spelling and grammar errors. If you’re interested and wouldn’t mind sharing an hour or two of your time, please email me with a line or two about who you are and why you’d like to help. Thank you! Now on with the news…. ~ Meg.
The news
Wilsons and Dongnae have both once again made the list of the top 100 restaurants in the country according to the National Restaurant Awards. We don’t yet know what position they’re in; the full list will be revealed at the awards in June.
After 42 years of running the business, founder and managing director Phil Haughton is stepping away from Better Food to spend more time making pottery, reading, writing, walking and supporting Heart of BS13 charity as chair. The business, which has four branches in Bristol, will now be run by Craig Hawthorn who has been closely involved with the Better Food for some time.
Admittedly it’s not Bristol news, but he’s one of us so I am including it anyway. Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, former chef-owner of Casamia, Paco Tapas and Pi Shop, has been announced as the new head chef of Gareth Ward’s restaurant Gwen in the small Welsh village of Machynlleth. In an interview with Code Hospitality, Pete shared that “the food is going to be “me”. When I describe my food, it’s “no rules cooking”. Just because I’m standing in nature, doesn’t mean I’m only going to cook from this part of the land. I love flavour. Joining the Ynyshir family, everything is about flavour; we’re obsessed by ingredients. We are looking to do almost a mini version of what they’re doing at Ynyshir, so we’ll probably do multiple courses at the front then I’ll take people back and they’ll finish off with all the sweets in the front again”. Sounds like it’ll be worth the three hour drive.
Press
The Go To Food Podcast has been in town. Dan O’Regan was interviewed for an episode in his restaurant Lapin, and Jan Ostle laid bare his incredible career in Wilson’s Bread Shop. Both episodes can be listened to on all normal listening platforms for anyone interested in an insight into the world of running restaurants.
Lapin has also been reviewed by The Telegraph’s restaurant critic William Sitwell. Sitwell, who owns his own restaurant which is a blatant conflict of interest, thought that the front of house at Lapin weren’t smiley enough and that there was too much sauce on his asparagus. He praised the wine list and his main of entrecôte with bone marrow. This review irritates me no end, partly because I do not like William Sitwell and partly because it’s full of glaring inconsistencies. He states: ‘the asparagus came in a blanket of hazelnuts next to a huge dollop of sauce gribiche. It made me wonder if the chef didn’t trust the quality of the green spears, choosing instead to smother them, almost in shame’. If the asparagus is next to the sauce, pray tell William — how is it smothered? To be honest, I am not remotely surprised that the front of house weren’t smiling, as I too would be most displeased to have Sitwell rock up on my doorstep.
Three Bristol cafes have been named among the top in the UK. Dareshack, Radical Roasters and Sweven have all been recognised in the inaugural list of the UK’s Best Coffee Shops, which itself acts as a gateway to the World’s 100 Best Coffee shops. The three Bristol cafes are now eligible to compete in Europe’s 100 Best Coffee Shops — good luck to them!
Closures
After 18 years, The Green Man pub in Kingsdown has closed. Sharing on Instagram, the management revealed that they had been asked to hand back the keys and do not know what the future holds for this beloved local boozer. The Green Man went out with a bang the weekend just gone, with many turning out to bid the pub farewell to the soundtrack of pints being poured and live music.
In further pub-based news, Gourmet Warriors have finished their residency at The Gallimaufry on Gloucester Road. Hungry pub-goers can order Pizzucci from up the road to be delivered to their table in the meanwhile as the Gallimaufry team hunt for their next pop-up. Read The Bristol Sauce review of Gourmet Warriors at The Gallimaufry.
New openings
Sonny Stores have opened a pop-up branch in Psychopomp on St Michael’s Hill, serving small plates designed to pair with the distillery’s cocktails. While it originally opened as quite a small operation, this week the kitchen is closed for renovations to make it bigger and better, to move the loos and improve the decking. Sounds like an already great thing is about to get even better.
Pyschopomp’s previous bedfellows Interlude Coffee teased the opening of its new shop on Instagram a couple of weeks ago, and it looks awfully like it may be opening at 51 Colston Street in what was previously skateboarding shop Fifty Fifty.
Toby Gritton, previous chef-owner of The Pump House and before that the Bird in Hand in Long Ashton, is opening a restaurant in Clevedon.
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