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A welcome alternative to turkey’n’trimmings festive fare that satisfies rather than astounds
No-one, with the possible exception of purple-faced swearbox Gordon Ramsay, has attracted more attention in foodie/media circles than Jamie Oliver MBE. He’s an opinion-divider all right: loveable, city boy rogue fighting the good fight against lackadaisical government food policy and processed school dinners; or PETA-irritating Mockney twonk liable to rail against the supermarkets one minute, trouser another £1.2 million/year Sainsbury’s paycheque the next (that particular 11-year partnership, by the way, comes to an end this Christmas).
But you can’t fault the lad for getting nutrition back on the conversational menu, turning catering into a cool career option and launching a fleet of restaurants (the Bristol branch, which opened in February this year, being the biggest) that skewer the notion of mass production and insipid “bash it out” high sugar/high salt dishes favoured by other chains.
Take 2011’s incoming Christmas menu, for example. It’s not cheap at £29.99 a throw (three courses plus a glass of prosecco on arrival), but round one – two bowed antipasti wooden planks laden with simple little seasonal Italian mini mouthfuls is worth the entrance fee alone. No melon and parma ham here: herbed buffalo mozzarella, butterfly sardines, Mediterranean cured meats, mackerel pate, fritto misto (friend pollock and sprats) and a winningly pungent, sweetly earthy caponata (like a sweet and sour Sicilian chutney) are just some of the eight dishes we don’t get close to finishing (even for the hungry, a starter plus dessert would’ve done). It’s wilfully rustic, of course (the serving slabs are propped up on Italian-branded cans of tomatoes) but, if you can, shake your suspicion to the wind amid the harmless foodie theatrics.
There are five choices for the main event with porchetta, sea bass, free-range chicken, turkey and pumpkin providing the central ingredient to each. From the two we tried, the potent parcels of succulent bronze turkey & chestnut tortellini (sounds odd, but works) with crispy sage and lemon butter steals the show (the steam baked sea bass fillet on olives, Barolo and tomatoes a little under-seasoned and bland by comparison) with seasonal boil-in-the-bag veg – presented, with another Oliver flourish, in tin foil – a welcome aide.
With barely enough room for dessert, the thankfully petite hot chocolate and amaretti puddings – mini volcanoes, pregnant with rich, chocolate ooze and smothered with soothing pistachio ice-cream – are an unnecessary but irresistible indulgence to conclude.
Whilst a little refining might go a long way – the menu promises “Jamie and Gennaro’s amazing mince pies” which never materialise, and the waiting staff – chatty and knowledge Jamie acolytes all – need to pick their moments to deliver extended speeches about the specials (can we get our coats off first, please?) – Oliver’s army do a fine, friendly job and for flying the flag for a New Food Order alone, they’re a very welcome addition to a crowded Park St.
In Bristol, Jamie isn’t just for Christmas, and we’re pretty happy about that. (Joe Spurgeon)
CONTACT
JAMIE’S ITALIAN 87-89 PARK ST, BRISTOL BS1 5PW 0117 370 0265, WWW.JAMIEOLIVER.COM/ITALIAN/BRISTOL
THE VERDICT
Good fun foodie theatre that mightn’t quite hit all the high notes, but makes for a fine festive symphony none the less.
Copyright Joe Spurgeon 2011
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Food&Drink 
