# nice eating in the centre?



## PHo (Oct 23, 2005)

heya all, my bird has not long moved to bristol n i was gunna take her out for a nice meal, any really nice places in the centre which will cost no more than about 40 quid each????

thx


PHo // Sawyer


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## fat hamster (Oct 23, 2005)

PHo said:
			
		

> my bird


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## WasGeri (Oct 23, 2005)

You could take 'bird' to San Carlo in Corn Street. It's lovely. Or Marco's, which is in St Nicholas Street (entrance on the steps up from Baldwin Street). They're both Italian. Marco's do a wonderful chicken with peppers.


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## Zaskar (Oct 23, 2005)

Jameson's opposite the BRI is a real proper restaurant with a real chef that will fit your budget if you dont drink the wine.  I think it is the best eaterie in bristol and the only one with a real resaurant atmosphere, you really feel special there.

Lockside in hotwells has a very odd location but does excellent food at very sensible prices in a contemporary modern atmosphere.  A bit too cafe like for a real romantic one but good value.  I often go there for brekki or lunch.

Dusk is near the library and is a great place for steaks.  They do other meals but steaks is the big thing there and thier meat is always excellent.  The ambience is sexy too with dark woods and sexy waitresses (last time I went).

Those are my three current favs.  For me to impress a lady it has to be jameson's but watch your budget.....


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## WasGeri (Oct 23, 2005)

The food at Jamesons is good but not plentiful, and the service is nothing special. Last time I went there the wine was corked, and I'm sure they charged us for it *and* the replacement bottle.


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## gentlegreen (Oct 23, 2005)

Budokan near Colston Hall / Christmas Steps - yum 

(Japanese / "Pan Asian")

http://www.wcities.com/en/record/98,115597/41/record.html


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## astral (Oct 23, 2005)

I like Sands up on the triangle and the olive shed is nice as well.  Had a lovely lunch at the Severn Shed a couple of months back, and a really nice dinner at the glass boat last year, but I think that's changed hands recently as I've heard some less that great things about it.


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## Zaskar (Oct 23, 2005)

Geri said:
			
		

> The food at Jamesons is good but not plentiful, and the service is nothing special. Last time I went there the wine was corked, and I'm sure they charged us for it *and* the replacement bottle.


I am shocked and suprised, I agree the food is not plentifull, but it is a real resurant, it does not aim to stuff but to give pleasure through the glory of the food.

Befor I stopped drinknig I always found the wine great and the service excellent without being oily.  I still think it is head and shoulders above nearly all other bristol eateries.

Edit

Oh yea avoid that wammagama place on the triangle, it is terrible in all respects and always full of wanky student types.  It has the ambience of a McDonalds, pot noodle food and bench seats that give you piles.


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## Shirl (Oct 23, 2005)

Just out of interest, do you Bristol folks go out en mass for curries etc. like the Brixton folks do?


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## easy g (Oct 23, 2005)

gentlegreen said:
			
		

> Budokan near Colston Hall / Christmas Steps - yum
> 
> (Japanese / "Pan Asian")



menu sounds good whenever I walk past...

a mate of mine treats him and her to a meal at a place in Montpelier every so often...he swears it's the best food he's ever had (a little pricey though I think), it's called summat like Be summatorother...any ideas??


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## WasGeri (Oct 23, 2005)

Shirl said:
			
		

> Just out of interest, do you Bristol folks go out en mass for curries etc. like the Brixton folks do?



We have been known to partake of a curry occasionally


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## Sunspots (Oct 23, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> a mate of mine treats him and her to a meal at a place in Montpelier every so often...he swears it's the best food he's ever had (a little pricey though I think), it's called summat like Be summatorother...any ideas??



Bell's Diner?


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## Sunspots (Oct 23, 2005)

Sunspots said:
			
		

> Bell's Diner?



I've never been in there, but I enjoyed my visit to The One Stop Thali Cafe* across the road.

*_But that was 4 years ago.  It might well have changed since then!_


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## WasGeri (Oct 23, 2005)

There used to be a restaurant in Picton Street run by Keith Valle - it's not there anymore but for the life of me I can't remember what it was called. Does anybody remember it? I had the most gorgeous chocolate pudding I've ever tasted in there.


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## crossfire (Oct 23, 2005)

Cafe Rendevous is alright


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## bristol_citizen (Oct 23, 2005)

A lot of these places - Jamesons, Glass Boat, Dusk, Bells, Severn Shed, Olive Shed etc - are gonna cost you a lot more than 40 quid (unless you forego booze and starters and/or dessert).
Forty quid in town will get you a decent meal in one of the Italians (already mentioned), one of the fairly ordinary Indians or Budokan or another noodle place.
The only other place I can think of  for that price is The Spyglass (next boat along from The Glass Boat) but is it still open?


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## PHo (Oct 23, 2005)

fat hamster said:
			
		

>



lol ok, my girlfriend/aquaintance/otherhalf/betterhalf etc etc etc....dotdotdot


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## PHo (Oct 23, 2005)

bristol_citizen said:
			
		

> A lot of these places - Jamesons, Glass Boat, Dusk, Bells, Severn Shed, Olive Shed etc - are gonna cost you a lot more than 40 quid (unless you forego booze and starters and/or dessert).
> Forty quid in town will get you a decent meal in one of the Italians (already mentioned), one of the fairly ordinary Indians or Budokan or another noodle place.
> The only other place I can think of  for that price is The Spyglass (next boat along from The Glass Boat) but is it still open?



well 40quid each, dont mind paying bout 100quid for the both of us if its worth it tbh, just making sure if i do spend that much that its gonna be worth it.


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## bristol_citizen (Oct 23, 2005)

PHo said:
			
		

> well 40quid each, dont mind paying bout 100quid for the both of us if its worth it tbh, just making sure if i do spend that much that its gonna be worth it.



Oh well in that case Bristol's yer oyster. I'd go for either The Olive Shed, River Station or Hotel du Vin personally.


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## kalidarkone (Oct 24, 2005)

The mud dock has a lovely menu at the moment


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## WasGeri (Oct 24, 2005)

bristol_citizen said:
			
		

> AThe only other place I can think of  for that price is The Spyglass (next boat along from The Glass Boat) but is it still open?



Closed for the winter, I think.

PHo - if you really want to push the boat out, take her to Hotel du Vin. It's a bit scarily posh but they do a wicked Creme Caramel! 




not that I am obsessed with deserts or anything


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## fractionMan (Oct 24, 2005)

Sands is really nice, not too pricey and great for sharing. (well, the one in bath is).


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## J77 (Oct 24, 2005)

Hotel de Vin's touted in some places as one of the best restaurant in the UK - and it is nice in there 

Loch Fyne's also very nice (smack bang in the centre) - excellent service.

My gf always wants to go to Howards (bit out of centre at end of docks) but I'm not too keen on small restaurants...

edit: only the HdeV will be more than 40 quid a head (and some of their wines cost hundreds) - nearly every other place I know in Bristol has entrees below 20 quid.


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## WasGeri (Oct 24, 2005)

J77 said:
			
		

> Hotel de Vin's touted in some places as one of the best restaurant in the UK - and it is nice in there



It has a very nice ambience but I wouldn't say the food is the best I've ever eaten. It's decent, but not outstanding - in my opinion, anyway.


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## easy g (Oct 24, 2005)

Sunspots said:
			
		

> Bell's Diner?



Bell's Diner...that's it

he swears by it...and he likes his tucker 

(I'm looking forward to going back to the one-stop thali sooner rather than later!)


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## bristol_citizen (Oct 24, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> Bell's Diner...that's it
> 
> he swears by it...and he likes his tucker
> 
> (I'm looking forward to going back to the one-stop thali sooner rather than later!)



Unfortunately Chris Wickes at Bell's Diner went all Heston Blumenthal a couple of years back. If you like very small portions of weird food it's great. Otherwise...

Mind you last time we went there Mrs Citizen had a staple in her food. It was great, we got loads of free booze and had a real laugh. It really cheered the night up as it was well po-faced in there.


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## DaveCinzano (Oct 24, 2005)

Geri said:
			
		

> not that I am obsessed with deserts or anything


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## J77 (Oct 24, 2005)

bristol_citizen said:
			
		

> Unfortunately Chris Wickes at Bell's Diner went all Heston Blumenthal a couple of years back. If you like very small portions of weird food it's great. Otherwise...


I saw they have a snazzy new-look logo as well


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## J77 (Oct 24, 2005)

Geri said:
			
		

> It has a very nice ambience but I wouldn't say the food is the best I've ever eaten. It's decent, but not outstanding - in my opinion, anyway.


Yeah - I think the general setting, the big room plus the cigar bar, make it stand out from other restaurants - I like spacious restaurants - the food's second on my priority list


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## bristol_citizen (Oct 24, 2005)

J77 said:
			
		

> Yeah - I think the general setting, the big room plus the cigar bar, make it stand out from other restaurants - I like spacious restaurants - the food's second on my priority list



They do a good line in Absinthe cocktails too!


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## Zaskar (Oct 27, 2005)

Bells Diner ? Not for me.
Hotel Du Vin, as Geri says, best atmosphere by miles, well sexy and special but for me also the food aint quite up to the standard of some of the others mentioned.  I think Jamesons does better nosh but for the whole romantic thing I would choose hotel dv .


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