North African & Middle Eastern

Bristol

NEW
EL BAHDJA
39 Stokes Croft, BS1 3PY
Tel: 07859 009128
● See Greek & Turkish.

SANDS
95 Queens Rd, Clifton, BS8 1LW
Tel: 0117 973 9734, web: www.sandsrestaurant.co.uk
● The first Lebanese restaurant in Bristol, Sands is doing a fabulous job of introducing and converting us all to their own version of eastern cuisine. You enter the Georgian building through the outdoor terrace with heaters - ideal for pre-dinner olive nibbling while mulling over the vast choice of menu options. Inside, nooks and crannies offer different rooms to lend both privacy for inimate diners and plenty of space for larger parties. Said Venue’s reviewer: ‘Once the mezze was spread out, we began ripping at the flatbread and mopping samples of parsley-rich tabouleh, smooth and smoky babaghanouge and grainy pungent sujiq sausages - the latter’s authenticity particularly pleasing. I was very impressed by ‘lakan bil ajine’, a flatbread spread with finely shredded lamb drenched in lemon juice, as well as the foulmedamas, a hot broad bean stew that was exactly what I’d been hoping for.’ Set menus let you sample the array of spicy, exotic, taste-tingling sensations. Arabian night is fantastically popular: on the last Thur of each month, three courses for £16.95pp, plus the exotic delights of Sands’ resident belly dancer and, if you fancy it, a luxurious smoke of the shisha pipe, served in the garden. Price ALC: mezze/starter £3.95-£5.25/main £11.95-£14.95. Set mezze: lunch £7.95-£9.95pp (min 2 people), dinner £17.95-£18.95 (min 2 people) Wine list HW £12.95 btl, £3.95 gls Open Daily 12noon-2.30pm & 6-11pm. Call ahead for details of disabled access. Private parties of up to 100 welcome.

NEW
SHIRAZ PERSIAN
275 Hotwells Rd, Clifton, BS8 4SF
Tel: 0117 925 5668
● With its buzzing, ethnic, understated ambience, Shiraz Persian (taking over the premises of Kashmir) is already popular with people coming from as far afield as Cardiff to try the authentic menu at this family-run restaurant. Fillet of lamb, juicy steaks and fresh fish are served with rice and fresh salads, with many of the ingredients locally sourced. The current proprietor, with several other ventures in Bristol, brings oodles of experience and takes the time to talk you through the menu and answer any questions – so this is a great place for newbies to Persian food. Though it’s often busy, service doesn’t suffer, and you’re made to feel one of the family. Price ALC: approx £3-£5/approx £8-£14/approx £3-£5 Wine list Good selection of reds & whites. HW £14 btl, £3.50 gls Open Sun-Thur 6-10pm, Fri-Sat 6-10.30pm. No disabled access. Takeaway 10% discount. Parties catered for – call in adv.

NEW
SOUK KITCHEN
277 North St, Southville, BS3 1JP
Tel: 0117 966 6880, web: www.soukkitchen.co.uk
● See World & Pacific Fusion.

Bath

ARABESQUE
Podium Shopping Centre, Northgate St, BA1 5AL
Tel: 01225 481333, web: www.arabesquebath.co.uk
● Imaginative use of MDF, candlelight and gold-braided cushions create a clever bit of theatre in the sort of setting that doesn’t usually inspire drama (above a supermarket in a shopping centre). Authentic Lebanese menus offer plenty of sesame, mint, coriander and parsley complementing smoky meat, spicy fish and plump, chargrilled vegetables. At lunchtime, the fixed-price, unlimited buffet brings hotplates piled high with selections from the main menu: hummus, falafel, very fresh herb-infused salads (including an excellent tabouleh-based selection), garlicky chicken wings, succulent meatballs, hot savoury pastries, chubby little Armenian sausages and perfectly moist stuffed vine leaves. Friendly waiters can help you make the most of the pick’n’mix (think, Middle Eastern tapas). Evenings offer a substantial selection of Lebanese classics such as lahem meshwi, samaka harra and the (more easily translatable) mixed grill. Price Mezze from £3.95/main approx £9-£12/approx £2.50-£3. Serve-yourself, all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet (12noon-3pm): £6.95pp. SD: full mezze range (veggie/non-veggie options): £15.95pp (min 2 people) Wine list HW approx £11 btl Open Daily 12noon-11pm. Good disabled access, with toilet & lifts. Not suitable for very large parties.

CAFE DU GLOBE
1a North Parade, BA1 1LF
Tel: 01225 466437, web: www.cafeduglobe.co.uk
● A large bay window offers excellent people-watching opportunities from this cheery little caff by day (as does a small pavement seating area out front, weather permitting), while, come evening, candlelight and fresh flowers add a romantic spin. It’s open from 10am for morning coffee and 3.30-5pm for afternoon tea, and daytime menus concentrate on shoppers’ fare (pizza, pasta, omelettes, wraps, big salads, toasted sandwiches). Evenings, meanwhile, are largely given over to Moroccan classics, reflecting the owner’s Casablanca roots. The Moroccan mezze platter includes zaalouk, meshouia, shickshouka, hummus, taboulet, falafel, loubia, laada, bakoula, khizzou m’shermal and feta cheese marinated with pesto and olives, served with flatbread. We recommend the lamb tagine with caramelised prunes, slow-cooked in saffron, ginger and cinnamon, sprinkled with roasted almonds and sesame seeds, or the traditional vegetarian couscous with Tunisian harissa and marinated raisins. Kids get their own set menu, and the basement bazaar (handmade Berber jewellery, ceramics, leather slippers, cushions, teapots) helps you to create your own Arabian Nights filmset at home. Price ALC: £4.95-£7.55/£10.25-£15.95/£4.85-£5.25. SL (11.30am-3.30pm): 2 £9.95. SD 2 £13.50 inc gls wine (5-6.30pm): £17.95 (6.30pm-close, exc Sat). Children’s set menu (main, dessert & drink) £4.75 (up to age 8) Wine list HW £13.95 btl Open Daily 10am-10.30pm. Disabled access. Parties welcome - call in adv.

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