Brasserie Blanc in Bristol
Posted on: 26 Jun 2016On what has become typical for this year’s ‘summer’ last week I found myself walking through Cabot Circus shopping centre in alternating drizzle and sunshine in search of the newly refurbished and opened Brasserie Blanc.
Brasserie Blanc, owned by the formidable French chef Raymond Blanc, has it's home in the Grade 1 listed Quaker Friary. Its actually been there for years but now, after a painstaking and very expensive refurbishment, it feels like something new and shiny and special. Despite being one of 18 Brasserie Blanc sites around the country, this place does not feel like a chain. It feels like a fine dining restaurant.
We arrived to see a mass of people sat in the outdoor seating under large umbrellas, listening to a tasteful acoustic duo. Walking through the impressive doors, we faced a bright and airy dining room with a set of wrought iron stairs opposite, leading up to a mezzanine level which runs the whole length of the building. Crisp clean white walls, simple light fittings and beautifully laid tables made the whole thing feel very special.
Through the course of the evening, we sampled many canapés, designed to reflect items from the current seasonal menu. Raymond Blanc, owner of the formidable and two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and chef superstar is a well known face in this country. You’d expect anywhere with his name on to serve excellent food, chain or not. Under the watchful eye of group executive chef Clive Fretwell (who incidentally, was at one time head chef at Le Manoir), the kitchen produced some stunning canapés for us to try. Award winning oysters with a red wine vinegar and shallot dressing, snails, potted shrimp, crab with avocado, scallops with potato and a red pepper pesto. For vegetarians – beetroot and goat’s cheese, blinis with pea and feta. Every morsel was delicious (bar the blinis which were a little bland) and we found our eyes following the waiters around as they passed with more and more plates filled with little goodies. My favourite had to be the steak tartare though –- mixed with chives and served with Dijon mustard on a thin bruschetta slice. Delicious. I had several of those.
.jpg "Award winning oysters with a red wine vinegar and shallot dressing at Brasserie Blanc in Bristol")
To drink, we started with champagne, followed by a delicious blackberry mocktail for me, a gin cocktail with cucumber, apple juice and lime for Dave. I can see that this would be a great place to sit and have a cocktail or two, from the outside bar, as you watch the world walk past.
Head upstairs and hidden behind the original benches looking down into the room are cute little tables for two. On another side, a run of dark leather booths, intimately lit and very inviting. Everything felt tasteful and designed to reflect the history of the building. Chatting with Paul, the Operations Manager it’s clear that the refurbishment was a painstaking task. Due to the building’s listed status (apparently in the same category as Stonehenge in terms of historical importance) everything had to be done in certain ways. For example, the large pillars had to be painted in a certain paint, the one running through the bar had to be clad to protect it from damage. Scaffolding had to be put up on the outside to allow access to the inside walls. In all, quite a challenge, but clearly one which has been met and excelled.
Brasserie Blanc is a chain done very well. A perfect date night venue, a perfect weekend treat for friends. If money is tight, look out for their early dining fixed price menu. If not, push the boat out and go straight in for the steak tartare followed by king scallops and a bottle of bubbly French champagne. You deserve it.
For more information or to book please visit www.brasserieblanc.com/restaurants/bristol or telephone 0117 9102410. Brasserie Blanc Bristol is located at The Friary Building, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3DF.
This feature has been written by Alex Ryder, a.k.a Gingey Bites. For more fantastic features please visit her website at www.gingeybites.com.
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Gingey Bites is in reality, Alex Ryder, a 5ft nothing greedy girl from the Midlands who now calls Bristol home. With a big love of cooking and eating out both locally and further afield, she’s a champion for independents with eyes almost as big as her (ever growing) pot belly. Keep up to date with her blog at www.gingeybites.com.
