Eating Bristol with Kyla

Now I know this blog is supposed to be about me and Paul in Bristol so it may seem odd that in only the second post, I'm writing about eating that happened without him. But since Kyla's visit (my first guest!) is so fresh in my mind, I thought I better recap it now. Sorry Paul!

So the lovely Kyla joined me in Bristol for a fun-filled 5 days. We had an intense schedule of site-seeing activities which included Horseworld (which is basically Disneyworld but with lots of one-eyed horses, the two cutest potbelly pigs ever, and lots of weird horse-themed sculptures), the Bristol Zoo, Blaise Castle (and the surrounding woods that are NOT the public footpath despite what the signs say), the Roman Baths and the new and luxurious Thermae Spa baths which feature a spectacular rooftop view, and much, much more. As you can imagine, we worked up quite an appetite! So you ask, what did we eat?

Well, for starters, I introduced Kyla to one of Paul and my's favorite spots for breakfast - The Boston Tea Party. Now I know what you're thinking? Two things: 1. that I only like going there because of the Boston reference and 2. the great irony of a cafe named for such a significant historical event that kicked off America's battle to kick England's butt (just like they'll do again in the first match of the World Cup!) Actually, Paul and I just stopped in because we were looking for a quick and easy breakfast that you can get all day during our first official week in Bristol. I don't think either of us would say it's the best breakfast, but it does the job, has a nice atmosphere, and is close by. www.bostonteaparty.co.uk

Kyla's usual (we went there two or three times mainly because of misinformation on the web about others' opening times) is the Boston latte and the veggie breakfast which features scrambled eggs with tomatoes, toast, beans, a grilled tomato, and mushrooms. On all occasions the mushrooms were inedible...and rather unpleasant to look at I have to admit as a breakfast spectator.

My usual is poached eggs on a bagel with ham and a side of beans with an Earl Grey tea. I'm always surprised the poached eggs on a bagel don't come with beans but on the upside, when I ask for a side of beans, I generally get a large bowlful. As you'll note, beans and tea will feature often on the blog.

All-in-all, Boston Tea Party offers a basic breakfast in a quirky setting.

For a better breakfast and a charming experience, we went to Primrose Cafe just off a small park called Victoria Square that has fast become a favorite spot of ours. It is just up the road from our flat and you enter through a lovely bower of trees. There is a stone paved and walled walkway leading to the other end of the park and on either side are nicely-kept lawns perfect for a picnic or to enjoy the rare sunshine with a good book. At the end of the walkway, you cross the road and walk under a stone archway which has a gourmet deli tucked inside it on the left. And once you're through the archway, you've entered Clifton Village.

Primrose Cafe is a great little spot with a vibrant blue storefront and is just next to an arcade of shops. We sat outside and enjoyed a brunch before heading off to the shops...and the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Camera Obscura in the lookout tower and the cave under the tower and a trek to Long Ashton estate that ended just before the estate at which point we turned back and went to the zoo. Good thing we ate breakfast! Primrose is supposed to be an excellent place for a romantic dinner (hint, hint Paul) so I look forward to going back on a summer evening. www.primrosecafe.co.uk

So that was breakfast.

Despite eating alot and at alot of different places, I think Kyla and I both agreed we could put together one good dining experience by taking things from a few different meals as none were really outstanding on their own. Here's what that meal would have looked like:

• A Caipirinha from Brown's Restaurant for the cocktail. The caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail and is made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. The one at Brown's was delicious and my peach bellini paled in comparison. I'm not much of a drinker but I'll definitely go back for one (or two or three) of those.

• The pan-fried goat's cheese with onion marmalade for the appetizer at haha bar and grill. We tried to go to haha on Friday night but when we arrived we were told they were fully-booked - as in no tables available at all for the rest of the night. Kyla and I were quite perplexed by this but decided we'd go elsewhere and book in immediately for Saturday night at haha. The menu looked excellent and we were dying to try it. Despite the promising sound of butternut squash, bleu cheese, and walnut risotto and an extensive dessert menu, the goat's cheese appetizers was the only stand out of the meal. Haha does have a really nice bar and outdoor patio. The vibe was good and I think it would be on my list of places to go for a drink - and a goat's cheese snack.

• For the entree? Dessert. I'll have to confer with Kyla on this but from what I can recall, there were no entrees that we really loved. Probably the most memorable mains experience was at Cosmo - or as I like to call it: The Crazy Asian buffet. Paul and I had walked by this restaurant often since it is on my way to and from work. It is always packed for dinner so one night we thought we'd give it a try. From the outside it looks very sleek and modern. When you get inside you realize that it is basically just a classy china buffet with all sorts of Pan-Asian offerings. The food is your average Asian buffet fare but it has quite an impressive dessert buffet - impressive to look at but not necessarily to eat. Oddly, most of the desserts look delicious but taste bland or strange. My favorite thing about The Crazy Asian Buffet is the big bowl of Eton Mess on the dessert station. Eton Mess has quickly become one of my new favorite desserts. It is basically berries, whipped cream, and meringue - pretty simple but very addictive. Unless you have it at haha where Kyla had a basically meringue-less Eton Mess. Eton Mess without meringue is like...uh... well it's just not right! (It's late and I couldn't think of anything funny to put there. Kyla? A little help?) However, at The Crazy Asian buffet you get iceberg-like chunks of meringue and loads of sweet berries and sauce. I really think next time I go there, I'll just take the bowl of Eton Mess to my table and dig in! www.comso-restaurants.co.uk

• And for dessert, to follow on the Eton Mess entree, it would have to be sticky toffee pudding. Kyla had always wanted to try this dessert and during her time in Bristol, definitely got her fill. It was ordered 3 times in total - twice by her and once by me. I'm usually not a fan of cakey-bread desserts like bread pudding but sticky toffee pudding has made me a convert and I wouldn't be surprised if Kyla requests it be added to her wedding dessert buffet. This is an extremely rich dessert - it's cake drenched in warm, toffee sauce after all. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have heaven. As the Bristolians say, it's lush.
  
  The final highlight of eating Bristol with Kyla was the discovery of a tasty cookie or biscuit that came all the way from South Africa. We were visiting St Nicholas Market which is a fantastic maze of indoor stalls selling clothes, jewelry, food, and lots of kitschy things. We happened upon a store selling South African goods. At first we were going to walk right by but then we noticed the boxes of cookies and biscuits in the window. They called to us to go in and a few minutes later, we left with a box of Chockits biscuits and a hardback comic biography about Nelson Mandela. Chockits are small, oval-shaped biscuits with a hint of toasted coconut and a smooth chocolate fudgy filling. I just finished the box tonight and despite the shopkeeper suggesting you'd only want to buy items from her shop if you'd been to South Africa and being very confused that neither Kyla or I had... I will be going back for more! www.biltongdirect.co.uk/images/super/chockits.jpg
  
  Oh and how could I forget - Swinky's Sweets?! This pink shop had caught my eye many times but was always closed when I wanted to pop in. The giant cupcake in the window was like a beacon! Kyla and I made it a priority to go and see what it was all about. Swinky's sells cakes, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, and Fluff... Yes, Fluff from the good ol' US of A! (Lynn, MA in fact) Swinky's has a little American treats corner with things like Goober Grape, Big Red gum, Jif peanut butter, and Aunt Jemima maple syrup. A little corner of processed and packaged goodness from home! Since we had just eaten, we didn't try out any of the freshly-made treats but Kyla made sure to get a jar of Fluff to take back to her fiance Andrew who is from Lynn... and I will be going back for a sundae very, very soon. www.swinkysweets.com
  
  Well - I think that about sums it up. Kyla - I hope I've done it justice.
  
  And for all those Paul fans, don't worry. He'll be featured in the next installment which will document me and Paul eating at my first Irish wedding. Let's hope it's more than a liquid menu!
  
  Goodnight and eat well from Bristol!