| Browns |
|
• Sat outside Browns is the perfect place to be when work’s over on 2011’s first hot Friday. A cool Clifton crowd basks on rapidly filling steps as crisp, chilled lagers and expertly made cocktails welcome the weekend in style. Through the open front door, ceiling fans spin above singularly classy surroundings as Ella Fitzgerald drifts through the air. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful bar. A bold, expansive space, quadrant booths and circular tables bring liquid lines; greenery dotted throughout creates a colonial, timeless mood enhanced by attentive waiting staff – take a bow, Franck. Venue has used it for interviews, hot dates and to impress Parisian and Cheshire mates; irrespective of the occasion, there’s a great sense of it, especially when the baby grand’s getting tinkled. Feel a million dollars without spending them via money-saving discount dining, but if there’s celebrating to be done the champagnes await. Those eating indoors range from babes in arms to retired couples while out on the pavement, fashionable latecomers look for familiar faces while checking their arrival has been noticed. The year’s most glorious – and anticipated – hour is being celebrated and savoured. When it shines, Browns is golden. (Words Simon Fry; pics Mark Simmons) 
    The information Beer Old Speckled Hen. £3.55. Cider Aspall. £3.80. Wine 34 red, 26 white. From: £3.70 gls/£13.45 btl. Food Served Mon-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 10am-10pm. Mediterranean/English/European. Crab, crayfish & coriander fishcakes £10.95, steak, mushroom & Guinness pie £10.95, fish & chips £10.95, steak frites £12.95, meat platter £13.95. Offers Include prix fixe menu Mon-Sat 12noon-7pm one course from £7.95, two from £11.95. BROWNS 38 QUEENS RD, CLIFTON, BRISTOL, BS8 1RE, WEB: WWW.BROWNS-RESTAURANTS.CO.UK OPEN MON-WED 9AM-11PM, THUR-SAT 9AM-12MIDNIGHT, SUN 10AM-10.30PM.
Copyright Simon Fry 2011; pics copyright Mark Simmons 2011, http://www.marksimmonsphotography.com
|
Reviews
All Things Moroccan
There’s pop-up restaurants and then there’s the ‘All Things…’ experience. In essence the…
25.04.2012
READ MORE
The Botanist
Bar meets restaurant at this friendly Clifton bolthole that does a fine line in fish You…
20.04.2012
READ MORE
Tasting Room
The imaginative seasonal menus at this bistro restaurant above Bath’s buzzing wine shop…
17.04.2012
READ MORE
Jacks Bar & Brasserie
Tony Benjamin finds everything fresh, flavoursome and at a fair price at this Bristol…
22.03.2012
READ MORE
The Assembly Inn
Melissa Blease test-drives the proper-pub glories of the new-look Abbey Ales inn that’s…
22.03.2012
READ MORE
The Prince of Wales
Raise a glass to absent friends, happy days, the banoffee pie and an imaginative menu at…
22.03.2012
READ MORE
The Wheatsheaf
Kitchen god Eddy Raines serves up perfection on a plate at this country pub near Bath…
22.03.2012
READ MORE
Menu Gordon Jones
No formal menu, a tiny venue and fantastical gourmet thrills all night? Melissa Blease…
16.02.2012
READ MORE
Gascoyne Place
For those of us who live within the Eating Out West borders, it’s easy to think we know…
08.02.2012
READ MORE
Lahloo Pantry
It’s easy to find tea in Bristol. From street vendors and independent shops to…
24.01.2012
READ MORE
Siam Harbourside
Tony Benjamin finds out how Hotwells’ long-established Thai eatery is shaping up under…
19.01.2012
READ MORE
The Olive Tree
If your night out at this fine-dining hotel restaurant in Bath isn’t the stuff that…
19.01.2012
READ MORE
Côte - Bath
You can’t go wrong with the simple, freshly prepared bistro fare at this chic French…
19.01.2012
READ MORE
Jackson @ The Richmond
The Richmond Arms is one of those hidden gem pubs that, though most definitely not…
17.01.2012
READ MORE
The Chequers
When the gods invented gastropubs, this thoroughly decent, ultra-welcoming Bath hostelry…
16.12.2011
READ MORE
Za Za Bazaar
The fixed-price buffet journey around the globe at this bustling Harbourside eatery is…
16.12.2011
READ MORE
Rocinantes (pop-up night)
Talk about reeling back the years – this pop-up night at the excellent 40a Alfred Place…
02.12.2011
READ MORE
Jamie’s Italian
A welcome alternative to turkey’n’trimmings festive fare that satisfies rather than…
28.11.2011
READ MORE
Brace & Browns
Has Tony Benjamin bitten off more than he can chew at this welcoming new Whiteladies Road…
22.11.2011
READ MORE
The River Canteen
You’ll find Melissa Blease soaking up the weir views as she sings the chef’s praises at…
22.11.2011
READ MORE
Maitreya Social
The popular veggie restaurant stirs new blood and a daytime vibe into the Easton mix New…
22.11.2011
READ MORE
The Mint Room
A master of the art dishes up the very best innovative modern Indian cuisine at this new…
22.11.2011
READ MORE
The Clifton Sausage
Tony Benjamin is almost moved to lyricism by the bread and butter pudding at this mecca…
20.10.2011
READ MORE
Bistro La Barrique
Melissa Blease gets a wintry glow at this good-value, laidback French bistro The sun has…
20.10.2011
READ MORE
The Muset by Ronnie
A kaleidoscope of ingredients and attention-seeking flavours at Ron Faulkner’s Clifton…
20.10.2011
READ MORE
Noa Japanese
Authentic Tokyo dining meets crisp contemporary decor in Clifton Village When I think of…
30.09.2011
READ MORE
The Cosy Club
Melissa Blease eschews the big, bland eateries to wallow in the big, bold flavours at…
30.09.2011
READ MORE
Carluccio's
Ciao bella! Alice Edwards tucks into some zesty, informal Italian food in Quakers Friars…
09.09.2011
READ MORE
Farrells Irish Italian Restaurant
Sláinte! And, indeed, salute… Tony Benjamin finds two distinctive cuisines making a…
27.08.2011
READ MORE
La Riva Restaurant & Bar
Tasty, generous Italian fare served in friendly surroundings in the centre of town While…
27.08.2011
READ MORE
4500 Miles From Delhi
Tony Benjamin discovers cocktails, an upmarket menu and coconut chutney with a serious…
29.07.2011
READ MORE
Bristol Foodies Festival
Laura Barton gets a taste of Bristol's newest food extravaganza. The last weekend of June…
28.06.2011
READ MORE
The Terrace
Tony Benjamin comes over all neighbourly with the fresh fish and real ales dished up by…
20.06.2011
READ MORE
Bistro Rustico Italiano
A good-value slice of authentic dolce vita to beat the post-holiday blues ‘There’s a…
20.06.2011
READ MORE
The Runcible Spoon
Foodie co-op? Friendly boho bistro? Foraged, homegrown and seasonal? Pretty cheap, too?…
18.05.2011
READ MORE
Café Maitreya
• I’ve said it before and that (as my long-suffering friends will testify) means I will…
30.03.2011
READ MORE
Jamie’s Italian
• It takes cool assurance to sink a million quid into a restaurant and then just open the…
23.03.2011
READ MORE
The Full Moon
• I’m more used to The Full Moon’s late-night mode – live bands in The Attic, DJs in the…
02.03.2011
READ MORE
Hong Kong Kitchen
Words Melissa Blease • Few experiences in life are as disheartening as the realisation…
23.02.2011
READ MORE
Arnolfini Café Bar
I was one of the few people who actually liked the (now disappeared) deliciously garish…
16.02.2011
READ MORE
Cote Brasserie
• I react to chain restaurants like those snobbish holidaymakers who seek out ‘a…
09.02.2011
READ MORE
Picture House East
• The original Picture House was an ambitious project combining a lively cocktail bar…
02.02.2011
READ MORE
Yum Yum Thai
At this time of the year, ‘having fun’ comes way down on a list dominated by promises to…
26.01.2011
READ MORE
Carluccio’s
We journalists rarely get bank holidays off, so it was only when we went out for dinner…
12.01.2011
READ MORE
Eastern Eye
The Eastern Eye boasts more celebrity endorsements than Touche Éclat and a plethora of…
22.12.2010
READ MORE
Dev’s Kerala
Here’s a serving suggestion: first, round up three chums with a taste for Indian food.…
08.12.2010
READ MORE
One Beaufort
Almost a year has passed since One Beaufort – a scrubbed-up reincarnation of the dive…
01.12.2010
READ MORE
Cibo Ristorante
It’s 20 years since Dino Caidominici opened Cibo, an Italian deli and espresso bar on the…
17.11.2010
READ MORE
The Social
At first glance it’s as though nothing has happened. I remember this as Bar One30, a…
10.11.2010
READ MORE
Faulty Towers - The Dining Experience
Our table for two was merged to become a table for four without either of the couples…
26.10.2010
READ MORE
Casa Mexicana
There’s a homecoming feel about Casa Mexicana that bespeaks the fact that, 20-something…
06.10.2010
READ MORE
The Mexican Kitchen
Number One Son rang home. “That Mexican place – reckon we should do it soon.” I’d…
23.09.2010
READ MORE
The Fountain Cafe
As a devotee of the full English, I’ve sampled the bacon and eggs at every café in my…
21.09.2010
READ MORE
Organic Food Festival
The big problem with any outdoor event in this country is the unpredictable British…
14.09.2010
READ MORE
Pubs and Bars
The Star & Dove
Olde English treats at this Totterdown pub When I lived nearby it was the Cumberland and,…
30.06.2011
READ MORE
Bell Inn, Rode
“We’d have blokes in tweed smoking pipes all day if it was still legal!” says the Bell’s…
13.04.2011
READ MORE
The Wellington
The Wellington has added an extensive conservatory restaurant and stylish terrace since…
06.04.2011
READ MORE
The Salamander
• Tucked away down a tiny side street in the centre of the city, the Sally has to be one…
30.03.2011
READ MORE
Big Chill Bar
There’s a year-round festival feel at Bristol’s Big Chill Bar, the only one of its kind…
23.03.2011
READ MORE
Village Inn
The Village Inn is one of an increasingly rare number of boozers where quaffing is king,…
16.03.2011
READ MORE
The Ram at Widcombe
I first crossed the threshold of The Ram in 1994 when, as an impoverished, mature…
09.03.2011
READ MORE
The Richmond
• Paintings, parquet flooring and wooden panelling give The Richmond a classy air, while…
02.03.2011
READ MORE
No.1 Harbourside
With its links to Bristol’s cultural quarter and waterside setting, there’s a feel of…
23.02.2011
READ MORE
Tudor Arms
The Tudor Arms’ location gives a clue to its history. Starting out as an 18th-century…
16.02.2011
READ MORE
Merchants Arms
Anyone bemoaning the absence of pubs as they used to be should visit the Merchants Arms…
09.02.2011
READ MORE
The Assembly Inn
The Assembly Inn, the fourth pub in Abbey Ales’ expanding empire, has always been a bit…
02.02.2011
READ MORE
Prince of Wales
The spirit of Ashton Court’s much-missed annual shindig endures at the Prince of Wales.…
26.01.2011
READ MORE
Plume of Feathers
You know you’ve left the city behind at Rickford’s Plume of Feathers: the adjoining…
19.01.2011
READ MORE
Cross Hands
Like its sister pub, Horfield’s Royal Oak, the Cross Hands represents all that is good in…
12.01.2011
READ MORE
The Huntsman
Traditionally the place to kick off a night out or end a party (it’s also the starting…
05.01.2011
READ MORE
White Bear
A welcome as big as the eponymous, Arctic circle-dwelling carnivore awaits at the White…
22.12.2010
READ MORE
White Horse, Biddestone
With its green, duck pond, annual fete and agricultural vehicles trundling along its…
15.12.2010
READ MORE
Alma Tavern
The Alma Tavern provides a unique combination of Bristol’s culinary and cultural class.…
08.12.2010
READ MORE
Battleaxes
Prepare for your jaw to drop when you enter the Battleaxes. Recently reopened, a…
17.11.2010
READ MORE
Illusions Magic Bar
Some mystery in the world – like the alleged time traveller spotted in Charlie Chaplin’s…
10.11.2010
READ MORE
Bank of Stokes Croft
Despite being open barely a month, the Bank of Stokes Croft feels like it’s always been…
27.10.2010
READ MORE
Railway Inn
‘Time Team’ fans will love Cam’s Railway Inn. The train track which ran nearby has been…
20.10.2010
READ MORE
Shakespeare Tavern
I hear several North American accents when visiting the Shakespeare Tavern, ranging from…
13.10.2010
READ MORE
The Porter
So much more than just a city centre pub, the Porter has something for everyone: it’s one…
06.10.2010
READ MORE
Arts House
It might be in Bristol’s suddenly uber-cool Stokes Croft but there’s a refreshing lack of…
23.09.2010
READ MORE
The Pelican
Named after the vessel in which Drake circumnavigated the globe, Chew Magna’s Pelican is…
21.09.2010
READ MORE
The Oxford
When the Lord Mayor of Bristol praises you on a job well done, you know you’re getting…
14.09.2010
READ MORE
EXTERNAL LINKS
