Bulrush
Bristol
Don't let the muted sign and slightly scruffy interior fool you, chef-owner George Livesey's Cotham bolthole is a must-visit for any serious foodie. Occupying a former greengrocer's, the main dining area is long and thin, with an open kitchen at the back. Cream walls, obtrusive radiators and some rather tired-looking lino don't scream fine dining, but who cares when the cooking is this good? A veteran of St John and Club Gascon, Livesey's endlessly inventive and never-less-than 'scrumptious' modern British food with Scandi and Japanese twists makes for joyful eating. The relaxed, happy vibe is channelled by staff who are warm and enthusiastic. Tasting menus, from six to nine courses, start with a bang: think chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) infused with Jerusalem artichoke under a pile of crispy artichoke shreds; a bite-sized crab tart in perfectly crisp brik pastry decorated with tiny mauve flowers (almost too pretty to eat); and a pink-peppercorn macaron filled with creamy duck liver parfait, so small and perfectly formed it could be an arty miniature. Later on, humble ingredients shine brightly in, say, a showstopping bowl of kuri squash with fermented barley, yuzu, pumpkin-seed foam and BBQ cabbage sauce. Meat, when it appears, is celebrated from nose to tail – perhaps in a dish of roast and barbecued duck leg, breast and heart with black bean and chervil root purée, fermented peach and an astonishingly light and crunchy Parker House roll, topped with mushroom garum and dessicated duck heart crumb. Dessert courses, of which there are many, range from the comforting to the esoteric. A confection of candied shimeji mushrooms, dark Manjari chocolate and fig-leaf ice cream is an education in flavour pairings that will leave your taste buds pondering for days. Choosing from the relatively short wine list may leave you looking enviously at those who have opted for the surprisingly good-value wine flight but, either way, you won't be disappointed.
