When the Star & Dove was opened by the previous owners the local P.R machine went into overdrive telling anybody who would listen that the chef was Jamie Oliver's protégé, how he had been responsible for the opening of Fifteen, and not allot was done to dispel the rumours that Jamie Oliver owned some, if not all of the business interests. Hell, they even ran a tasting menu called "my favourite bits of fifteen". Although there may have been a strong background, and the place opened to rave reviews, cracks soon started to appear and the Bristol public of whom I was one, voted with their feet and the place was closed inside a few years. The reason I mentioned the previous regime is to say well done to the new one, who without fanfare have quietly got on with producing some food of serious note. Saying that the food is aimed at the guide book masses, to me is a massive compliment. Not only does it show the ambition of a top draw public house but aspirations above and beyond as a destinational dining room. On my last visit we ate smooth and rich chicken & duck liver parfait, sweet & sour beetroot with vanilla salt, chestnut chowder, pickled wild mushrooms & the most delicate chestnut bread. Mains were hare, game & haricot bean stew, black bream with cockle beer broth and belly pork with individual whisky, smoked apple & black pudding pie. Despite the obvious care and attention to aesthetics, nothing was sacrificed in taste and each dish punched way above its weight especially as nothing cost any more than thirteen quid. Desserts showed a deft pastry touch with an impossibly thin base to a white chocolate & coconut tart served with sour milk sorbet. A little old school charm with steamed roly poly pudding & caramelised vanilla plums and a text book duck egg custard tart with more wobble than the millennium bridge. I’m glad you questioned my first post J, as it allowed me more depth to clarify just how good I believe this place to be. I have a table again for next Tuesday so I’ll take a camera and post some pictures.
