Latest reviews by helenleckie

The Curry House

helenleckie — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:57:35 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 393 Bath Road, BS4 3EU, Bristol, United Kingdom

Tags: indian, Bath Road, Showcase, Avonmeads, arnos vale, helpful staff, Bristol, rare finds, curry

Tasty real curry near plastic pleasure parkI have often walked by Curry House on my way to the bus after leaving Avonmeads Showcase Cinema or the bowling alley. Usually I am full of fast food of the variety that exists in out of town shopping areas: pizza hut, McDonalds. While there's nothing wrong with that, sometimes I wish for something I couldn't get in every town in the westernised world.

I was first enticed by the aroma of the Curry House. The warm smell of Indian spices and marinading chicken and lamb envelopes you on the dark, freezing walk to the bus stop, and its attractively lit windows look like a much better place to wait for the unreliable Number 1 bus.

So anyway, this time I finally remembered about it in advance, and booked a table for Valentine's Day (hard to beat that dinner-and-a-movie date!). We had onion bhajees, poppadums, butter chicken and lamb rogan. Not very adventurous of us, but a good way to compare it to other curry restaurants. The butter chicken was creamy and coconutty, and my husband was pleased that he could taste the butter! I preferred the lamb rogon, which was cooked the right amount, so the lamb was soft, and tasted of lamb, not just a hard, fibrous lump. The onion bhajees were also done well, crispy, and their flat shape helped avoid that floury dough you sometimes get in the middle.

The prices were a little daunting (around Â£9-Â£10 for a main), but this includes rice, which brings the cost down a little. The menu had all the things you might expect, as well as some chef's specialities.

The service was helpful and genuinely friendly, the waiters asking about our Valentine's day, and sharing some of themselves in an appropriate way (I'm sure they would have left us alone if we did not want to talk). The decor is clean and modern, but not in a cold way.

All in all, this place does a decent curry. Nothing experimental and outrageous, just well-cooked food. It's a little on the expensive side, but it's worth it. And there's nothing like it in the area. I would definitely recommend a visit.

PS, I've just seen their website and found out they're award-winning, and they also do kangaroo and quail dishes. I didn't notice them on the menu, but look out for them - perhaps I'm wrong about the non-experimental side!
http://www.curryhouse-bristol.co.uk/index.htm

Bell's Diner

helenleckie — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:57:41 +0000

Rating: 4.0

Location: 1-3 York Road, BS6 5QB, Bristol, United Kingdom

Phone: 0117 924 0357

Website: http://www.bellsdiner.co.uk

Tags: modern, adventurous, british, international, good value

Good Food, but don't believe the hypeI ate here on 5th December 2007. My birthday in fact.

It was a satisfactory birthday meal, although every dessert was Christmas-related, which made me feel a bit less special.

The food is nice, and they tried some adventurous techniques. The chef is of the Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal school of experimental cooking. To me the techniques and slightly odd flavours did not really make them taste too different from a regular dish. On one dish they had slivers of ?was it salmon tartare? with cubes of tea jelly. (I may have this slightly wrong but this is what I remember). Unfortunately the jelly was very mildly flavoured and did not stand up to the strong fish.

It was, however, all very tasty, and reasonably priced for an avant-garde (?sp?) eatery. The a la carte menu averaged about Â£30 per person for three courses, excluding drinks. Speaking of which, I was a little disappointed by the rough fitou we had with our meal, but I have to admit we probably did not pair it very well.

The location causes concern for some, in a back street of Montpelier, but I felt safe enough there, and the ambience inside is welcoming and not at all stuffy.

Cafe Kino

helenleckie — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:42:33 +0000

Rating: 4.7

Location: 3 Ninetree Hill, BS1 3SB, Bristol, United Kingdom

Phone: 0117 924 9200

Website: http://www.cafe-kino.com

Tags: cosy, good brew

Great coffee!Earnestness and good coffee don't often go together, but this is the exception. Great coffee, great ethos. And they are very willing to let groups hold regular meetings there. Only problem is that sometimes they double book themselves.

Falafel King

helenleckie — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:36:04 +0000

Rating: 5.0

Location: Broad Quay, BS1 4DA, Bristol, United Kingdom

Tags: vegetarian, centre, bargain, Bristol, rare finds

Fresh Hot FalafelThink of a late-night middle of town snack cart and you'll think of dodgy kebabs and greasy counters. This place is nothing like that. It's clean, and cooks the falafel fresh each time, so it's hot and crispy.

For those of you who don't know, felafel are balls of chick pea and seasoning, so they're suitable for vegetarians, and actually taste good enough for non-vegetarians (like me) to enjoy.

They are served in a pitta bread, the same as a kebab, and you can have your choice of salad, and put you choice of sauce on yourself.

I also want to mention that they are very kind to homeless people, sometimes giving them free things and letting them hang around as long as they don't cause trouble, and for this I think they should be commended.

It's located in the centre of Bristol, by the docks and the fountain, ideally located for the many bars in the area and has a great view of all that water. Can be a bit windy, as it's exposed, but believe me it's worth it!