Reviews

St Vincent's in Clifton, Bristol - Food Review

Posted on: 2015-03-11

St Vincent's might have only opened up just before Christmas, but it's certainly stamping its mark on the Clifton eaterie set. Exemplary food, cordial staff and deluxe surroundings add up to a totally indulgent experience.

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St Vincent's on The Mall in Clifton Village was formerly The Royal Oak, but punters of that old local, popular boozer wouldn't recognise the place now as it's undergone an expensive and opulently lavish refurbishment. 

Run by Barbara Organiszczak-Wragg and the people who also head The George in Abbots Leigh and Somerset House also in Clifton on Princess Victoria Street, there's no mistaking they're aiming for clientele of the unquestionably affluent persuasion. 

There's a small bar area at the front where you can quaff one of their fine real ales (the perfectly-kept London Lager and London IPA when I visited) and hoist yourself onto one of the leather stools by the window to watch the world go by. Upstairs there's an exclusive bar that serves a selection of rare whiskies, armagnacs and cognacs and a special dining room with a round table for eight people. 

But the emphasis is now squarely on the food and the impressive menu. Or rather menus, because we could choose from three: a brunch, a la carte, and Prix Fixe menus of £12.75 for two courses and £16.50 for three. 

First-class, quality produce such as lobster thermidor delivered fresh from the Cornish coast, steak, caviar and oysters are their specialities, but they cater for all tastes with dishes such as Stilton pie with creamed potato and pork and pastachio terrine. On our visit, my mum and I went for the 3-course Prix Fixe option.

I kicked off with the whipped goats cheese & walnut salad, raw shaved heritage beets, watercress, a small but perfectly formed plate of heavenly indulgent creamy goats cheese with a slice of warm toasted bread and thin slivers of beetroot and caramelised walnuts. Rich but light and packed with flavour it got the meal off to a flying start. My mum opted for the beetroot-infused salmon, which was fresh and flavoursome and complemented well by the mustard salad. 

For mains I headed straight for the 8oz rump steak with fries and on-the-vine cherry tomatoes. The steak was divine, a symphonic, meaty mouthgasm that was well done but still juicy, tender and succulent, while the tomatoes were deliciously sweet and the fries faultlessly thin and crispy. 

My mum's belly of pork with creamy mash was heavenly, the pork cooked to text-book perfection, falling apart with barely a touch of the knife and melt-in-the-mouth topped with an awesome shell of crispy crackling, and working effortlessly with the buttery mash. 

For dessert I made a feverish beeline for the sticky toffee pudding with a scoop of both clotted cream and ice cream. Accompanied by a miniature pan of warm toffee sauce, the dense richness and sweetness was counterbalanced by exquisite vanilla ice cream and clotted cream. Mother's Chantilly-cream filled profiteroles with a a pot of warm chocolate sauce resulted in satisfied outbursts of 'mmmm's' and 'ahhhhhs', testament enough to its decadent deliciousness. 

St Vincent's might have only opened up just before Christmas, but it's certainly stamping its mark on the Clifton eaterie set. With food of this exemplary quality served by cordial staff in such deluxe but warmly comfortable surroundings, it's an all-round winning combination that deserves to go from strength to strength.

5/5

Reviewed by Jamie Caddick for 365Bristol - the leading events and entertainment website in Bristol. 

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