I have to start this with the usual disclaimer that this I don’t claim this to be authentic, so don’t set your Italian nonnas on me. This recipe came out of a chat with an internet friend of mine where we spent a good few hours swapping our favourite methods for creating our best meals and it dawned on me I hadn’t done a “proper” ragu in a long time. Roasted shin bone The beauty of this freezer staple is it costs little to make and is so rich a little goes a long way. This batch has done me 6 small portions of lasagne and 3 large portions ready to be defrosted and stirred into pasta. I picked ..read more

Belly Laughs has quickly become the hottest ticketed event in Bristol combining creator Mark Olvers love of making people laugh and eating whilst doing it. Lots of us have found ourselves jostling for a good spot whilst stood in some of Bristol’s best-loved and more eclectic restaurants and bars, jaws still chewing whilst watching some tip-top comedy. This year is no different except instead of standing upstairs at Small Bar, eating Wings Diner and having an argument about whether gnocchi is pasta or a dumpling (i won), you can be sat in your living room with a takeaway of your choice. Togethe ..read more

Growing up in a market town in the West Midlands meant that East Asian food was often compromised of fried things covered in a pink sugary sauce. Whilst my parents dined on what felt like exotic Singapore noodles, chicken with cashews and spicy squid, us kids would be eating glorified chicken nuggets, fried rice and spring rolls with plenty of prawn crackers. I think we can all agree that whilst delicious, these menu choices are not a true reflection of the incredible food offered in China and beyond and it took far too long for me to realise. With moving to a large, multicultural city came th ..read more

Would it even be December if there wasn’t a host of loosely Christmas themed novelty menus on offer? I will gladly admit that I adore a Christmas twist on anything, sandwiches, burgers, small plate offerings, you name it, I crave it. So as a mental reminder for me and a list for you, here are a few of my top picks for dining out festively in Bristol this December! Mellee’s Kitchen @ Nectar House I already raved about these guys in a previous post and I am totally excited about them coming back with a festive menu! Not only does it look great and has brought a bit of a modern twist on the tradi ..read more

“Tapas Sunday Roast, what the hell is that when it’s at home” huffed and puffed a few members of the Sunday Roast Club when Bristol Spirit’s latest pop up was announced. Personally, I thought it was pretty self-explanatory but you come to expect a level of cynicism and rudeness from that group more often than not. Pouty roasters aside, the idea is genius. The traditional roast is separated into its best bits, roast potatoes, Granny Cool marmalade roasted carrots, slow-cooked lamb etc and guests can pick and choose between two the bits they like. The dishes are predominantly vegan and veggie o ..read more

I would hope that you all would know that when it comes to food, I will happily put most things into my mouth. I have a write up coming soon about sharing half a pigs head with friends in a local pub, I will try almost anything once. But something I haven’t ever gotten on with is a pork scratching. These fatty, often hairy and foisty smelling pub snacks almost always guarantee me wrinkling my nose up in disgust and refusing to put one anywhere near my face. I had a good laugh with a friend recently who had only ever heard about pork scratchings on Eastenders and curious bought some from a petr ..read more

I doubt there is anything more contentious than opinions on roast dinners. Most of you will have your favourites, homemade or eaten out and most of you will FIGHT TO THE DEATH to explain why their favourite is the only one worth having. So, just to add to the confusion, I am lobbing another fantastic roast into the scrum. The Vittoria, as mentioned before, has a new kitchen team in (you can find their IG here) and they really know their gravy. With Vittoria staff looking after patrons with bottomless Bloody Mary’s for £5 and a selection of fine beers and cocktails upfront, the true Sunday mag ..read more

Once upon a time, I went to The Vittoria and had some great food cooked by the wonderful Chris and Jos kitchen. The roast dinner especially was an event, food piled high, all the trimmings, plus more trimmings and everything cooked perfectly. Since they’ve gone and opened their own place, The Vittoria has changed hands and now has the team behind Dantes Food has taken over the kitchen and woo boy I think we are in for a treat. The Sunday menu is simple, three options and dessert plus the chance to drink Bloody Mary’s all darn day for only £5. That bone marrow option is already making me drool ..read more

Seven years strong, Bristol beer week was there before the big Craft Beer Festival lot had even tried their first IPA. 2019 brings the return of an integral part of the beer calendar with Steve organising an open doors day on the September the 14th. Breweries will be flinging open the warehouse doors for pints pouring, chats with staff and a general nosey about for those interested in where their beer comes from and who brews it. Picture – Bristol Beer Week A full list of events is still to be published but already planned is a celebrating women in beer night with Good Chemistry and their pub ..read more

There is magic that runs through the foodie lay lines to Chandos Road. I believe they start at Cotham Hill, run through Hampton Road and finish at The Kensington Arms. These lay lines have sprouted some of Bristol’s best hotspots for food and drink including my new favourite, Snobby’s wine bar. The name is off-putting to a degree, but once you get chatting to owner Nick Bethell, you realise it’s a jolly pisstake on the wine scene and himself. With a CV in wine that stretches 8 years and a stint as the assistant manager at The Shakespeare in Redland, we knew we would be in good hands.  A ..read more