Spanish & Portuguese

Bristol

A COZINHA
40 Alfred Place, High Kingsdown, BS2 8HD
Tel: 0117 944 3060
● Cosy, intimate, independent restaurant with a homely feel. Fabulously authentic Portuguese cuisine is conjured up in an open kitchen, while the premises’ Mediterranean brightness evokes the warm south in a commendably unhurried atmosphere. Menu changes constantly, depending on the fresh produce available, but a wonderfully warm welcome always awaits: come for the evening, and you’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. Chef/owner Ian Macfarlane cooks everything himself and his care and dedication shine through. The pricing policy is simple: a set price for one, two or three courses (including bread and olives) and there are no hidden extras. Price SD: 2 £22.75, 3 £28 Wine list Large selection. HW £15.99 btl, £3.95 gls Open Tue-Sat 7pm-late (last food orders Tue-Thur 8.30pm, Fri-Sat 9.30pm), Sun 12noon-3.30pm (prior bookings only). Well-behaved children over 14 welcome. Disabled access possible, but access to toilets difficult. Whole restaurant available for private hire, up to 40, but not usually Fri-Sat.

EL PUERTO
57 Prince St, BS1 4QH
Tel: 0117 925 6014, web: www.el-puerto.co.uk
● Venue’s food editor loves this vibrant, authentic, stylish contemporary tapas bar: ‘We picked and mixed, ordering a bottle of fat Marques de Riscal Reserva (£25), and dunking the complimentary bread in creamy aioli while we waited. By 7.30pm the large room was half-full, cool contemporary Spanish music was banging along. The salad was delicious but the garbanzo dish was truly fabulous, rich spinach and crunchy, soft-centred chickpeas currying favour with all our tastebuds. We each had our highpoints - the crisp, salty skin of grilled sardines, fat alubia beans in tomato sauce, succulent chulatito cutlets, both those ‘specials’ and ‘that spinach’ aka espinacas El Puerto, mulched in cream, cheese and almonds.’ There are a few sturdier dishes, too (steak, sea bass, chicken skewers). Live flamenco every Sun from 7.30pm. Price Tapas £2.95-£6.50, ALC main £11.15-£15.50 Wine list New additions this year, and excellent Spanish wines. HW £13 btl, £3.25 gls Open Sun-Thur 12noon-11pm (kitchen closed 3-5pm), Fri-Sat 12noon-11.30pm. Disabled access. Parties/groups welcome - call in adv.

EL RINCON
298 North St, Southville, BS3 1JU
Tel: 0117 939 3457, web: www.elrincon.gb.com
● With a new dining room out back, El Rincon may finally be able to accommodate the hungry hordes who are after authentic tapas, language lessons or live music in this Beddie gem. Venue’s reviewer spent his birthday there: ‘Like everything else about El Rincon, the new room is unpretentious and comfy, with recycled chairs and tables. Bullfight posters are scattered around the brightly painted walls, with a view into the garden revealing cushions on the steps welcoming the smokers. The ambience is casual, like a friendly dinner party, and we’re quickly served beers, wines and fruit juice to taste as the plates arrive. The staples - plates of manchego cheese, Pamplona chorizo, jamon serrano - were excellent, while the pan amb tomaquet (bread spread with mashed tomato and olive oil) disappeared quickly alongside. The hot stuff was even better, with special praise for round courgettes stuffed with couscous, goat’s cheese and raisins.’ The Spanish Sun lunch is a family-friendly, seemingly endless table of nibbling delights. Price ALC: £5-£7/£7-£9/£4. Wine list Extensive, Spanish selection. HW £8 btl, £2.50 gls Open Wed-Sat 7-10pm, Sun 11am-2pm & 4pm-late (for chocolate & churros). Disabled access - a few steps and no ramp, but staff happy to assist. Parties welcome - call in adv.

LA TASCA
Glass House, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BX
Tel: 0845 129 7623, web: www.latasca.co.uk
● Find warm surroundings, rustic cookware and bright prints and posters in the last of what used to be three Bristol branches of this small franchise. Homecooked dishes made with fresh ingredients include authentic paellas, cooked traditional style in a classic paella pan. The many highlights on offer include fragrant jamon serrano (cured dry ham) from the cool Spanish mountains and rich, creamy manchego cheese (from land of the windmills, La Mancha). Kids get highchairs and their own menu. Price Tapas approx £3-£5/vegetarian, meat or Valencia paella £9.95pp (min 2 sharing)/dessert approx £3. SL: currently £10 (2 people sharing - ring or check website for current offers and to book online) Wine list Good range of wine, sangria, Euro-beers. HW approx £13 btl, £3.50 gls Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm. Good disabled access. Parties of 20+ welcome.

NANDO’S
Aspects Leisure Park, Longwell Green, BS15 9LA Tel: 0117 967 2631
Glass House, Cabot Circus, BS1 3BX Tel: 0117 3763 876
49 Park St, BS1 5NT Tel: 0117 929 9263, hotline: 0800 975 8181
Unit 208, Cribbs Causeway, BS34 5UR Tel: 0117 959 0146, hotline: 0800 975 8181
Web: www.nandos.co.uk
● Nando’s is Portuguese via South Africa, where, apparently, the indigenous South Africans introduced Portuguese sailors to the bird’s eye chilli that became the base of Nando’s famous peri-peri sauce. What started out as a sauce is now a mini fast-food-franchise empire, with Bristol adding its fourth venue last year. Find South African artists on display and world music a go-go. ‘We watched the cleaver-wielding chefs sundering marinated chickens and tossing them on the grill,’ wrote Venue’s reviewer. The open-plan kitchens serve burgers, pitta, salads, steaks and platters to share, especially those comprising their trademark chicken. Food is available to take away, and you can buy sauces to try at home. Children get highchairs and their own special dishes. Price ALC: approx £3/approx £6-£13/approx £3-£4. Party menus, 2-4-1 deals, etc - call or visit website for updates Wine list HW approx £12 btl Open Aspects Leisure Park: daily 11.30am-11.30pm. Cabot Circus: Sun-Thur 12noon-11pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-11.30pm. Park St: Sun-Thur 12noon-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-12midnight. Cribbs Causeway: Mon-Fri 11am-9.30pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Disabled access to Aspects Leisure Park and Cabot Circus via lift. Parties welcome.

Bath

LA FLAMENCA
12a North Parade, BA2 4AL
Tel: 01225 463626, web: www.la-flamenca.com
● A proper, authentic Spanish experience from long-established masters of the art, offering an expansive, extensive but inexpensive range of tapas alongside an ALC paella and salad selection, served in an intimate yet bright and breezy caved-vault environment. White walls, stone floors, clever lighting and a very friendly welcome make for a thoroughly Mediterranean atmosphere. The tapas (chacinas ibericas, queso manchego, pork casserole with wine, onion & green pepper, panfried cod, deep-fried monkfish/calamari, tortilla, garlic chicken, braised mixed vegetables) are tip-top and the restaurant dishes are entirely authentic, with dishes prepared from fresh ingredients and many specially imported from Spain. Live music Sat eve and lessons in conversational Spanish every Wed (call or visit website for details/events) add to the overall olé. Price Tapas £1.75-£5.95, ALC main £10.50-£12.75. Set tapas menu £16.50pp (+£3 inc dessert), adv booking recommended Wine list Extensive, inc specially selected Spanish wines & sherries. HW from approx £12.95 btl Open Mon 5.30-11pm, Tue-Fri 12noon-3pm & 5.30pm-12 midnight, Sat 12noon-1am, Sun 12noon-3pm & 5.30pm-12midnight. Restaurant: ALC Mon-Sat 12noon-3pm & 6.30pm-12midnight (last orders 10.30pm). Tapas: daily 12noon-11pm. No disabled access. Parties of 20+ catered for - call to arrange menus.

LA TASCA
36 Broad St, BA1 5LP
Tel: 01225 466477, web: www.latasca.co.uk
● Funky, popular Spanish-style tapas bar and restaurant. Price/Wine list See Bristol listing Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm. Disabled access possible (one step off street) & access to women’s toilets. Parties of 20+ welcome.

MINIBAR
1 John St, BA1 2JL
Tel: 01225 333323, web: www.bathminibar.com
● Stylishly intimate, one-room affair based around a sparkly, well-stocked bar and a ‘modern Spanish tapas’ menu, with every dish (£5.45-£7/£10) as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. Lunchtime brings posh ciabattas and the like. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm (last food orders).

NANDO’S
Kingsmead Leisure Development, 5-10 James St West, BA1 2DT
Tel: 01225 789901, web: www.nandos.co.uk
● See Bristol listing for full details. Open Sun-Thur 12noon-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-12midnight. Disabled access with lift & toilet. Parties of 20+ welcome.

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