HOT MEALS: Market - possibly the best burgers in Bath

If you bite into a burger and the toppings don't end up all over your face then I don't think it counts as a proper burger.

At Market in Saw Close in Bath they definitely know how to create a proper burger.

By the time I had finished munching I had a reassuringly large amount of goat's cheese, relish and burger juices covering my face and hands. And very satisfying it was too.

A shout out on twitter to gauge opinion on where to get the best burgers in Bath had led me to Market.

It's in a slightly odd location, tucked in beside Gala bingo opposite the Theatre Royal, and when sitting in the outside area you do feel rather as if you're sitting in a car park – but in a city where any outside space is at a premium you can't really complain.

And anyway, the food is top.

Market in Bath

Inside the vibe is very relaxed. It reminded me of bars and restaurants I have visited in New York's Lower East Side – the kind of place where up and coming rock stars might hang out.

There's absolutely nothing pretentious about the place. There's no table cloths or fancy uniforms for the staff. Tables are ready prepared with baskets of cutlery and sauces and jugs of water and glasses and the staff are cool, but friendly.

The menu is mainly burgers, pizza, salads and a couple of options from the grill.

The burger menu is extensive – there's everything from your classic cheeseburger, to Mexican style burgers with salsa and guacamole to chorizo from the local The Bath Pig – who in my opinion make the best chorizo in the world. And all the bread comes from the Thoughtful Bread Company which is based in Farrington Gurney and has a regular stall at Green Park next to Sainsbury's.

Our burgers - Goats's cheese, caramelised onions and rocket, and the Mexican

If you fancy something a bit different, or want to give th chefs a challenge then they are also willing to make something up for you then and there.

Which is what they did for me. My burger was loaded with goat's cheese and caramelised onions which made an excellent combination. The burgers are well cooked, juicy and a good thickness. The goat's cheese was tangy, but not overpowering and the sweetness of the onions balanced it out very well. I believe it may be making its way on to the menu very soon.

I can highly recommend it.

Market makes excellent nachos

Before our burgers we tucked into a plate of nachos. Nachos are up there as one of my favourite snacks so I was looking forward to Market's take on them.

I was not disappointed. The cheese, instead of just being on the top leaving rather dry tortilla chips underneath, ran right through the pile. And the salsa, gucamole and sour cream came on the side so there was no risk of ending up with soggy piles of chips around the edge which have been over-smothered in sauce. So it was a big thumbs up for them too.

Banoffee pie

The dessert menu is small - in fact there isn't even a menu, you just ask what they have. There will probably be two or three options, like cheesecake and banoffee pie. Feeling rather stuffed after our feast of nachos and burgers we decided to share a banoffee pie. It was creamy and sweet, with a good crunchy base and made an excellent end to the meal.

Drinks are fairly standard Bath prices and there is a good selection of beer, wine and cider.

For a relaxed night hanging out with friends, and for a great burger, I'm convinced it's the best in Bath.

For more information about Market, including special 2-4-1 deals visit www.marketbath.com.

HOT MEALS: Cote opens in Bath - Review

The latest addition to Bath’s restaurant scene opened its doors to the public for the first time last night.

Since the sudden closure of the Moon and Sixpence in March, the reopening of the Milsom Street premises as French restaurant Cote, has been hotly anticipated.

I went along to see if it had been worth the wait.

First impressions were very good.

Cote in Bath is bright and airy

The structure had changed very little. The upstairs was bright and airy, and seemed a little lighter than before.

I was pleased to see that the outside area had been kept, as it was always one of my favourite places in Bath for an al fresco drink.

Sadly there’s no option to just go for a drink, but if summer ever arrives it will be a lovely location for a sunny lunch.

Downstairs the atmosphere is perhaps a little more cosy and intimate – better for the winter months I think. And there’s an open plan kitchen which I always like.

We were immediately greeted by smiling staff who showed us to a table which made the most of the last of the day’s almost sunshine through the full length windows.

Unfortunately it in the line of fire from an air conditioning unit which was blasting out cold air, but when we mentioned it to the waitress she immediately offered to turn it off or let us have another table, so absolutely no complaints there.

We began the meal with my favourite of all drinks – a Kir Royal – which at £3.95 was very reasonably priced.

Kir Royal at Cote

We were also brought a carafe of filtered water without having to ask, a nice touch which is always appreciated.

Pissaladiere with rebochon

There’s a good selection of nibbles on the menu – we opted for the Pissaladiere, a traditional flatbread from Nice, topped with reblochon and thyme.

I’m a massive fan of Nice and its cuisine anyway and it didn’t disappoint.

The caramelised onions were soft and sweet but without crossing into marmalade territory, and the nuttiness of the cheese was perfectly complemented by the thyme.

There was a nice range of starters on offer, including several fish and vegetarian options, ranging from £4.50 to £7.95.

Steak tartare at Cote

I started with a steak tartare (£6.75). The meat was tender and had been mixed with shallots, capers, cornichons, egg yolk and cognac. It was very tasty, but my only criticism would be that it had been slightly over seasoned, but that’s a personal preference and in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the dish.

Smoked salmon

My partner’s smoked salmon (£6.25) came on a large plate – definite value for money. The crème fraiche drizzled over the fish cut through the richness beautifully and the capers were a good addition.

I selected my main course of veal cutlet (£13.25) off the specials menu, along with accompaniments of gratin potatoes (£2.95) and French green beans (£2.95).

The staff were knowledgeable about the products, and were able to tell me that the veal was raised at the same place as their steaks, in the Peak District.

Steak hache a cheval

It was encouraging to see that even though it may not have been “local” they were using British products. Not only does it cut down on the air miles but I could be assured that it had been ethically produced. I am still not sure however why the chicken has to come from Brittany. Apparently it is an area renowned for its poultry, but as I didn’t try any I couldn’t say if it was in any way superior to our home-grown produce!

The veal was moist and tender, and the accompanying sauce rich and buttery. The green beans were perfectly cooked, retaining a bit of crunch, and the gratin potatoes were divine. The sauce was the perfect balance of cheese, cream and garlic and every mouthful felt delightfully decadent.

My partner selected the steak hache a cheval (£9.75) which was basically a posh burger, without the bun. It was well cooked, with the meat remaining moist and the seasoning was spot on, elevating it above a ‘normal’ burger.

The selection of main courses was good, although the vegetarian options mostly appeared on the ‘light mains’ section so if you’re a hungry veggie you might be out of luck.

I was a little disappointed that the French classic Moules did not make an appearance. There were plenty of fish items, but as a dish which is, I think, synonymous with France, I would have like to see it there, perhaps in place of the seafood linguine, which, while it looked absolutely delicious, is less authentic I think.

The Cote speciality - creme caramel

The dessert menu was full of tempting treats. I chose the Cote speciality of Crème Caramel £4.50). It was infinitely superior to the lifeless versions found on supermarket shelves. It was smooth and creamy, almost like a crème brulee without the crunchy top, but at the same time light. The perfect end to the meal.

My partner chose iced berries with white chocolate sauce (£4.50). The cool, sharp berries coated in the warm white chocolate sauce were just delicious with the bursts of sharpness from the juice of the berries softened and almost cuddled by the creamy sauce.

Iced berries with white chocolate sauce

The wine selection was good – all French of course – with bottles starting from £14.50.

The menu is wide enough to have something to suit every palette and budget, and they also do great lunch and early evening deals.

The food is excellent value for the size and quality, and the staff were all friendly and knowledgeable which made for a great evening.

I would certainly recommend the new Bath branch of Cote to anyone.

HOT BATH: Charming afternoon of Charleston and china

“Utterly charming” is the perfect way to describe last Saturday afternoon.

I mean, how else could I possibly describe a 1920s-style tea party, complete with vintage china, finger sandwiches and scones and lessons in how to dance the Charleston?

It may not be the most usual way to spend a weekend in Bath, but by golly it was fun.

Charlie Albers won best-dressed for her authentic styling

From far and wide (OK, perhaps not that far or wide, but certainly from around Bath!) girls dressed in their vintage finery – and one token man who deserves a special mention for being the only one brave enough to accompany his partner – descended on a top secret location in Bath to join in Mrs Stokes’ Secret Tea Party.

The charming Mrs Stokes

The gorgeously girly afternoon was organised by the equally gorgeous fan-of-all-things-vintage, Mrs Stokes, who had planned the party to perfection, only revealing the location of the gathering once tickets had been bought.

It was a case of “costumes optional but encouraged”, but to be honest it didn’t really seem as if us girls needed much encouragement as almost everyone had made the effort to at least dress in a nod to the style of the era.

And if anyone needed any help, Pop-Up Parlour was on hand to transform hair and make-up into 20s fashion, and Bath’s fashion boutique Vintage to Vogue was on hand to offer styling tips.

Learning to dance the Charleston

Afternoon tea from Mrs Stokes' vintage china

We must have made quite a sight as we attempted to learn the Charleston with the help of Hoppin’ Mad, aka award-winning dancers Ann and Graeme (dancing was strictly optional btw – don’t want to scare off any future attendees!) and then sipping tea and nibbling cakes and sandwiches from Mrs Stokes’ Vintage China but fortunately unless you knew where to look we were largely hidden from view!

The whole delightful escapade was rounded off with a raffle bursting with prizes and an impromptu poetry reading by the fabulous Muriel Lavender.

Frankly dahling, the whole thing was simply lovely and I can’t wait for the next one!

To add yourself to the Mrs Stokes’ Secret Tea Party mailing list email secretteaparty@mrsstokes.com or visit the Secret Tea Party Facebook page.

All photos by Christina Sim (justsofashion.blogspot.com)

Other contacts:

www.mrsstokes.com/

secretteaparty@mrsstokes.com

www.itsdarlingfair.co.uk/

www.vintagetovoguebath.co.uk/

popupparlour@hotmail.com

justsofashion.blogspot.com
veryvintagethings@yahoo.co.uk

muriel@muriel-lavender.com

www.purplesparkle.co.uk/

www.fairyglass.co.uk/

www.hoppinmad.co.uk

HOT MEALS: Paying tribute to a culinary great at the Hop Pole Supper Club

I'm a fairly modern girl with fairly modern tastes, so when I decided to go to the first Supper Club evening at the Hop Pole in Bath, with a menu inspired by 1960s chef Elizabeth David, I wasn't really sure what to expect.

But as it turns out this is a woman who really knew her stuff, and the dishes had certainly stood the test of time, and could rival many of those produced at top restaurants today in terms of inventiveness.

Elizabeth David, was the chef credited with popularising, in the mid 20^th century, many European dishes and ingredients which are now taken for granted in the UK, such as pasta olive oil and courgettes.

The idea for the monthly supper club came from head chef and manager Alice Bowyer, and her partner Sarah Greenwell, who together run the pub on the Lower Bristol Road.

The Dining Room at the Hop Pole

They moved from London to take over the pub 18 months ago, and in September gave the dining room a refurbishment, and since then have been trying to grow the food side of the business.

And it was this space that started the ball rolling for the Supper Club.

Alice said: “We were thinking of things we could do to make use of the restaurant, and to fill it up, and the idea was born from that.

“And I though Food Heroes would be a good theme.”

“On theme for our monthly supper club of our food heroes, it made sense to start at the beginning with Elizabeth David CBE.

“I first came across one of her books, An Introduction to Mediterranean Food, a fair few years ago upon my own journey as a cook. Self taught, I took up as much education as I could and looking back now, what an education from David.

“Much of the influence on my cooking comes from her ethos and chefs who were, in turn, inspired by her writing.

“I appreciate her style – narrative and opinionated rather than listing recipes. We can learn the historic stories of the dish, the ingredients, her travel tales, all in one.

“She brought a romance to food that can't help but make you want to cook. In a time where chef's skills have been on the decline, a culture of pre-packaged foods being served in pubs and restaurants, I urge chefs and indeed anyone to read her books and fall in love with food again.”

And it is a testament that 60 years on, and in a time when chefs seem to be becoming increasingly experimental with the use of unusual ingredients and techniques, that David's recipes can still hold there own.

When preparing the food Alice was insistent that the recipes were followed as closely to the letter as possible in order to make the finished result as authentic as it could be.

And the results were certainly not disappointing.

Salmon trout, horseradish and watercress

The starter of baked salmon trout, horseradish and watercress, (taken from At Elizabeth David's Table) was an intriguing melange of flavours which burst on to the taste buds.

The salmon was moist and accompanied by a perfectly crisp piece of skin, which added a crunch to the dish, and the saltiness was a good contrast to the almost sweetness of the fish.

The horseradish and watercress sauce was an exciting little surprise and not at all what I was expecting. Served warm it was buttery, and almost creamy in texture, but with a hint of peppery freshness from the watercress, a slight warmth from the horseradish, and I was sure that I had detected the tang of wild garlic creeping through as well.

The main coarse of pot roast chicken, Biarritz potatoes and tarragon sauce (French Country Cooking) may not have sounded overly inspiring but was an absolute delight.

Pot roast chicken, Biarritz potatoes and tarragon sauce

The tarragon had completely permeated the chicken giving it a depth of flavour so often missing in chicken. The tarragon sauce was creamy and perfectly seasoned so that the tarragon did not over power the chicken.

I had never eaten Biarritz potatoes so was not sure what to expect. It turns out that Biarritz potatoes are potatoes mashed with ham hock and red peppers and they were delicious. The red peppers added a sweetness, perfectly complimented by the slight saltiness of the ham.

I am not usually a huge fan of desserts but on this occasion the dessert, a chocolate and almond cake with espresso ice cream (Italian Food and Social History of Ice and Ices) was the hero of the evening.

Chocolate and almond cake and espresso ice cream

The cake was soft and velvety, with a texture hovering somewhere between an brownie and chocolate fondant.

Looking at the ice cream, which was pale cream – almost indistinguishable from vanilla ice cream – there was no idea of the taste explosion which was to come.

It had the deep, almost bitter, warming flavour of a freshly roasted coffee bean while at the same time the silky creaminess of home made ice cream. It was a taste sensation which was both surprising and charming.

I wasn't sure if recipes from the 60s would be able to hold their own with today's modern palette, but I am pleased to say that I was proved entirely wrong.

Alice's passion for food and cooking is obvious and she clearly love sharing her passion with people coming out of the kitchen at the end of the evening to talk to the diners about the dishes.

And even before them, everyone was given an insight into the evening ahead with a carefully prepared dossier with some information about Elizabeth David, the food, and even the recipes.

When asked about future Supper Club evenings and which food heroes might inspire them Alice's face lights up.

“There's so many,” she said. “Rose Gray, Simon Hopkinson, Alastair Little, Jane Grigson. I'm not sure which will be next. It would make sense to do it chronologically, but I'm not sure.”

And in between the Supper Club evenings Alice will be concentrating on the pub's main menu.

Sarah Greenwell and Alice Bowyer

Since moving in to the pub Alice and Sarah have been trying to grow the food side of the business. Alice works in the kitchen, while Sarah is front of house meeting and greeting the customers while working behind the bar.

“It's been going well,” said Alice. “It's nice to exceed expectations. We know we are a pub, not a restaurant, but there are a lot of very average restaurants in Bath - it doesn't matter if we are serving fish and chips or bangers and mash, we want to do it the best it can be.”

The Supper Club will be help on the last Thursday of each month and costs £20 a head for a three course meal, excluding drinks.

Find the Hop Pole at:

7 Albion Buildings,
Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AR
T 01225 446327
E hoppole@bathales.co.uk

www.bathales.com/pubs/hop-pole.html

HOT MEALS: Giraffe in Bath - Review

There can be a snobbish-ness about restaurant chains, and about any kind of shop chain in general.

But the reality is that we need them. When a big name brand comes to a town or city, others will follow.

When they come, visitors will also come, and so is created a thriving social scene, and then smaller, independent outlets can flourish.

Bath is a prime example of this. Pay a visit to the artisan Walcot Street, or venture off the beaten track to the smaller side streets, there are plenty of quirky little shops and restaurants to tickle your fancy.

But stick to the main drag, and you will find the well-known big names.

The new shopping development, Southgate, which replaced an unspeakably ugly throw-back from the 70s, has predominantly been filled with well-known High Street brands like Debenhams, Boots and River Island, although there is still provision for smaller businesses to rub shoulders with the big boys.

But while the retail side of the development may be flourishing, the social side has taken a little longer to build up steam.

However, tomorrow restaurant chain Giraffe, opens up the doors of its newest branch in Southgate.

I went along on last night for a sneak preview, and I have to say I was impressed by what I found.

Yes, it might be a chain, but it doesn’t mean that there is no attention to detail or that it lacks any character.

Quite the opposite in fact. While most branches of Giraffe are catering for the family market, this one had a distinctly more grown-up feel.

Walking through the door the first thing you notice is the enormous light fitting hanging from the ceiling created from different coloured wires.

The slightly industrial theme to the décor continues with exposed pipes running over head, but it is softened by retro touches in the wallpaper and wall decorations.

The new Giraffe in Bath

The menu is large, but without being overwhelmingly so, catering for just about every taste and the range of cocktails is far from ordinary.

My partner and I started with a bruschetta sharing plate, which at just over £5 for 2 of us was great value.

The little triangles of focaccia bread were soft and light and just the perfect thickness to carry the toppings without making them taste doughy. Drenched with garlic butter, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and pesto oil, they were oozing with flavour and half packed an extra little punch of flavour with the addition of a artichoke, black olive and red pepper salsa.

Bruschetta sharing plate

The mains did not disappoint either. I ordered the Chilli Beef Enchilada which was packed with flavour, and the pumpkin seeds sprinkled in the salsa gave it some added texture.

The accompanying avocado salad with a tequila and lime dressing was far superior to the average side salad.

Chilli Beef Enchilada

My partner’s Parmesan Chicken Schnitzel “Kiev” was equally good. Instead of having the garlic butter inside the chicken, the flattened and breaded breast was instead drenched in it, avoiding any of the disappointment so often associated with chicken kievs when instead of oozing out deliciously you discover that all the garlicky filling had escaped.

It also meant that the chicken was perfectly moist, and the herb butter mash was an ideal accompaniment and more imaginative than bog-standard chips.

Parmesan Chicken Schnitzel "Kiev"

The mains were delivered with an impressively large condiment basket. It was slightly too big to comfortably sit on our table for two but staff were eagle eyed enough to remove it as soon as we had finished, but without us having to ask.

We finished with a Rocky Road Ice Cream Sundae which was easily big enough for two to share.

With a chocolate brownie, chunky choc and vanilla ice cream, marshmallows and hot chocolate sauce all packed into one glass it was a dessert-lover’s dream come true, with each gooey, chocolatey mouthful seemingly more delicious than the last.

Rocky Road Ice Cream Sundae

The service throughout was excellent with all the staff attentive, but not annoying.

They were very friendly and despite it being their first day were knowledgeable and well-informed about the menu.

Although it wasn’t completely perfect, our drinks almost got delivered to the table next door, it in no way spoiled the experience, and everyone was so smiley and friendly that any small mistakes were, just that – small, and instantly forgiveable. I’ve had far worse service at places that really should no better, and I’m sure that any little glitches will be ironed out in a matter of days.

So yes, Giraffe may be a chain restaurant, but that should not be a reason to dismiss it.

It’s fun, friendly and the food is delicious. What more can you ask for?

HOT MEALS: Top award for Bath's Eastern Eye

So an Indian restaurant in Bath has won a national award.
And not just an award for being a great curry house – no, something far better.
The Eastern Eye has been named the Les Routiers restaurant of the year.
That means that of all the restaurants in the UK that the inspectors visited – English, Chinese, Italian, all of them – this was the one that they liked the most.
Which I think is a pretty big deal.
I've always liked the Eastern Eye. Apart from anything else it's got a stunning interior, which is completely unexpected when you pass by the Quiet Street entrance, which is a simple unassuming door with stairs leading up. It gives no clue as to the magic which is waiting upstairs.
The ceiling with its three domes, combining Eastern splendour with Georgian elegance, is absolutely extraordinary giving it a majestic feel – and the food is pretty good too, with chefs serving up a variety of Bengali, Southern and Northern Indian cuisines.
It's been my favourite Indian restaurant in the city and it's great to see it finally getting the recognition that it deserves.
The Eastern Eye has been established and run by Mr Abdul Choudhury and his family in Bath since 1984 and he said he was "both privileged and humbled" to be awarded such a distinguished accolade, adding: "We hope to continue to provide a standard of service and class-leading cuisine that ensures our continued appreciation from both customers and critic alike."Our restaurant being awarded with such an honourable and rare award, is something we think not only brings a sense of pride to our own establishment, but to the city of Bath itself, ushering in a heightened reputation for culinary offerings within the city."

For more information about the Eastern Eye visit http://www.easterneye.com/
For more on the Les Routiers awards visit http://www.routiers.co.uk/