Culinary desert is no more!

[Sarah74]

It's been over two years since I posted a snivelling little post about having nowhere local to eat (well) and now, as of last Friday, my prayers have been answered!

The Archangel in Frome - a labour of love for the renovation team and a stunning result. The bar/restaurant looks fantastic and the food is lovely. Cocktails in the garden then melt-in-your mouth liver with mash and for my friend duck, a duck confit pie and thick wedgy chips. Add a bottle of rose prosecco and the evening was perfect.

http://archangelfrome.com/home.html

PS The chef is John Melican who has a very good pedigree I believe but it's actually all the staff and the obvious passion that has gone into the place that make it such fun.

PPS I'm in no way associated with this place (more's the pity!) Their PR team - local networking, Twitter etc, seems to have spread the word probably more effectively than any agency could have done.

[PhilD]

Sounds great, it is good to see new places in the area. I see he has Chocolate Nemesis on the menu, the famed River Cafe dessert that never worked if you tried it at home. Another ex-Bibbendum chef heads to the west country (to join Ian Bates in Wells)

[Sarah74]

Went back on Saturday, place was buzzing which was lovely to see. Himself had the liver on my recommendation (which I now remember was 'calves liver saltimbocca') and the only surprising element was that they had cut it up. Seemed quite bizarre to me.

I had plaice with capers which was just lovely (gentle really) and a good fishy taste.

Pudding was cheese board (choice of five - he chose westcombe cheddar and westcombe caerphilly plus a Somerset brie) The pieces were small but came with some great rough sesame seed biscuits and some chutney and all was finished so clearly was good! I had chocolate nemesis which was very soft and as I haven't ever had the original I'm not sure how correct or not that is. But it was fab. Just pure chocolate indulgence with a bit of creme fraiche and a shortbread biscuit.

Lovely lovely meal plus one glass of wine and some Diet Cokes. £56. Brill!

[countryboy]

How great to hear people being so nice about the Archangel. My mate Sam runs the place, and also happens to be one of the best cocktail barmen I have ever encountered, (Babington/Soho house pedigree). A better perfect manhattan than 69 Colebrook Row or Hix, I shit you not!

He used to run At The Chapel in Bruton, also in Somerset. I'd love to hear more reports of people going to this place.

[Sarah74]

Ah - Sam is one of the reasons my friends and I are going so often Mojitos there are lovely and he is an absolute star.