Lock House, Portishead
Discussion
The setting is excellent and the food was beautifully cooked and really very good. But to me it seemed a bit too expensive and I think the portion size was too small to justify the price.
We often eat in decent restaurants and I just don't think you should still be hungry after your main course.
You _must_ buy veg with your main as the mains don't come with any as standard and are rather small. You may want to buy extra potato as well.
Lots of much better places to eat in Bristol
(The Lock House is a very good restaurant mind but I just left feeling a bit dissapointed and a lot poorer!)
We often eat in decent restaurants and I just don't think you should still be hungry after your main course.
You _must_ buy veg with your main as the mains don't come with any as standard and are rather small. You may want to buy extra potato as well.
Lots of much better places to eat in Bristol
(The Lock House is a very good restaurant mind but I just left feeling a bit dissapointed and a lot poorer!)
Interesting
I was being a tad dishonest, as I went Saturday
I think I share the same opinion as Sir Clarke - I have no objection to paying high prices for very good food but where they mentioned veg with the main courses (such as puree of celriac, something or other mash, etc) it was a smear rather than a portion (and the wife and I are both small eaters) - so yes, you have no choice but to buy veg and when (for example) lamb shoulder is £19 I think thats beyond the pale.
The portions in general were most deifintely small.
A shame because I rated (as with Sir Clarke) the food I did have (tasted and looked very good), the location, service and atmosphere very highly
Just that at £85+ for 2 courses (main and dessert) with drinks (admittedly 3 drinks each - being glasses of red wine and bottled beer) I didnt feel I received anything like value for money.
SirClarke -
I'd be interested to hear your recommendations for Bristol?
I've tried -
Aqua (very nice, menu a little repetitive though)
San Carlo (superb - love the food and service)
Browns (very nice for a more casual dining experience)
Byzantium (excellent food and very special atmos, though possibly the same portion issue as Loch House)
SevernShed (only had the cheap deal on an early evening, but that was excellent value - good food and service)
City Cafe (great food, good attention to detail on service)
I was being a tad dishonest, as I went Saturday
I think I share the same opinion as Sir Clarke - I have no objection to paying high prices for very good food but where they mentioned veg with the main courses (such as puree of celriac, something or other mash, etc) it was a smear rather than a portion (and the wife and I are both small eaters) - so yes, you have no choice but to buy veg and when (for example) lamb shoulder is £19 I think thats beyond the pale.
The portions in general were most deifintely small.
A shame because I rated (as with Sir Clarke) the food I did have (tasted and looked very good), the location, service and atmosphere very highly
Just that at £85+ for 2 courses (main and dessert) with drinks (admittedly 3 drinks each - being glasses of red wine and bottled beer) I didnt feel I received anything like value for money.
SirClarke -I'd be interested to hear your recommendations for Bristol?
I've tried -
Aqua (very nice, menu a little repetitive though)
San Carlo (superb - love the food and service)
Browns (very nice for a more casual dining experience)
Byzantium (excellent food and very special atmos, though possibly the same portion issue as Loch House)
SevernShed (only had the cheap deal on an early evening, but that was excellent value - good food and service)
City Cafe (great food, good attention to detail on service)
Edited by AngryApples on Tuesday 22 September 07:29
One of my favourite subjects for discussion.
My personal favourite Bristol restaurant, because it's different has a lovely relaxed atmosphere and is nicely hidden away yet very popular with those who know it is Cafe Maitreya (in Easton). Took a group of meat eating friends there for my birthday last year (it's vegetarian) and they all loved it. By contrast I spent my birthday this year in the Lockhouse and it just didn't compare.
http://www.crackerjack.co.uk/bristol/review/cafe-m...
Everything on the menu is so individual and many of the ingredients I've not seen used elsewhere and certainly not in these combinations, can't reccomend it enough:
http://www.cafemaitreya.co.uk/menus/index.htm
After that the other places I think are genuinely very good are:
Bell's Diner - Not cheap but many seem to think it's the best restaurant in Bristol. Haven't been there for a long time but gather the menu has been toned down slightly recently so mean to go again.
http://www.bellsdiner.com/menus.htm
Primrose cafe - Another smaller place, you'll need to book, which is tucked away in Clifton and very warm and homely. It serves really high quality seasonal food, fairly simple and beautifully cooked but better portions than the Lockhouse.
http://www.primrosecafe.co.uk/menu.pdf
El Puerto - Nice tapas style place in the centre on Prince St. With a group of people with open minds it's a great place to eat. Masses of choice and you can just pick and mix and share until you're stuffed.
Taste (for lunch only) in St Nicholas market - Amazingly fresh and quality ingredients (the guy who runs it also supplies Heston Blumenthal and numerous other top chefs and restaurants in London with meat/fish etc). Not cheap but you really can't fault the quality of the cooking or ingredients.
Bordeaux Quay - nice local, organic, fresh ingredients and a nice location with good views over the harbour. All round quality restaurant.
Robin Hood Rertreat (Glos Rd) and The Albion (Clifton) - Both similar style Gastro pubs with hearty meals and sensible prices but still far better than your average pub grub. The chap from the Evening post rates the Albion as the best place to eat in Bristol at the moment. It really is very nice.
Few places I've heard good things about but not had a chance to go to yet:
The living room - a new(ish) restaurant in the centre of the new harbourside area, various friends have been and enjoyed it.
Riverstation - Never got round to going there but it's been a top Bristol restaurant for years and always looks busy.
Dynasty - My ex bosses with was Chinese and they used to go here regularly as apparently it's the restaurant of choice for Chinese living in Bristol who want decent Chinese food.
Ps. I'm so glad I randomly called myself SirClarke as now everytime someone refers to me as Sir it makes me feel terribly important
My personal favourite Bristol restaurant, because it's different has a lovely relaxed atmosphere and is nicely hidden away yet very popular with those who know it is Cafe Maitreya (in Easton). Took a group of meat eating friends there for my birthday last year (it's vegetarian) and they all loved it. By contrast I spent my birthday this year in the Lockhouse and it just didn't compare.
http://www.crackerjack.co.uk/bristol/review/cafe-m...
Everything on the menu is so individual and many of the ingredients I've not seen used elsewhere and certainly not in these combinations, can't reccomend it enough:
http://www.cafemaitreya.co.uk/menus/index.htm
After that the other places I think are genuinely very good are:
Bell's Diner - Not cheap but many seem to think it's the best restaurant in Bristol. Haven't been there for a long time but gather the menu has been toned down slightly recently so mean to go again.
http://www.bellsdiner.com/menus.htm
Primrose cafe - Another smaller place, you'll need to book, which is tucked away in Clifton and very warm and homely. It serves really high quality seasonal food, fairly simple and beautifully cooked but better portions than the Lockhouse.
http://www.primrosecafe.co.uk/menu.pdf
El Puerto - Nice tapas style place in the centre on Prince St. With a group of people with open minds it's a great place to eat. Masses of choice and you can just pick and mix and share until you're stuffed.
Taste (for lunch only) in St Nicholas market - Amazingly fresh and quality ingredients (the guy who runs it also supplies Heston Blumenthal and numerous other top chefs and restaurants in London with meat/fish etc). Not cheap but you really can't fault the quality of the cooking or ingredients.
Bordeaux Quay - nice local, organic, fresh ingredients and a nice location with good views over the harbour. All round quality restaurant.
Robin Hood Rertreat (Glos Rd) and The Albion (Clifton) - Both similar style Gastro pubs with hearty meals and sensible prices but still far better than your average pub grub. The chap from the Evening post rates the Albion as the best place to eat in Bristol at the moment. It really is very nice.
Few places I've heard good things about but not had a chance to go to yet:
The living room - a new(ish) restaurant in the centre of the new harbourside area, various friends have been and enjoyed it.
Riverstation - Never got round to going there but it's been a top Bristol restaurant for years and always looks busy.
Dynasty - My ex bosses with was Chinese and they used to go here regularly as apparently it's the restaurant of choice for Chinese living in Bristol who want decent Chinese food.
Ps. I'm so glad I randomly called myself SirClarke as now everytime someone refers to me as Sir it makes me feel terribly important
SirClarke said:
Bell's Diner - Not cheap but many seem to think it's the best restaurant in Bristol. Haven't been there for a long time but gather the menu has been toned down slightly recently so mean to go again.
http://www.bellsdiner.com/menus.htm
Robin Hood Retreat (Glos Rd) and The Albion (Clifton) - Both similar style Gastro pubs with hearty meals and sensible prices but still far better than your average pub grub. The chap from the Evening post rates the Albion as the best place to eat in Bristol at the moment. It really is very nice.
Bells Diner really is that good IMO. Unusual location, well worth the price. http://www.bellsdiner.com/menus.htm
Robin Hood Retreat (Glos Rd) and The Albion (Clifton) - Both similar style Gastro pubs with hearty meals and sensible prices but still far better than your average pub grub. The chap from the Evening post rates the Albion as the best place to eat in Bristol at the moment. It really is very nice.
Robin Hood is also fantastic, although I didn't find The Albion that special. Have eaten at The Kensington too (same team as The Albion) and was unimpressed.
Would also add to the list:
The Bentley, Clifton Village. Set in a fantastic building, not many people seem to know about this place, but the service matched the food, excellent.
Fishers, Clifton Village. Reasonably priced, have eaten there dozens of times and never had a bad meal.
Max's Italian Bistro, Worral Road (off Blackboy Hill).
Greens Dining Room, Zetland Road.
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