Wilson’s, Bristol, restaurant review: The devil’s in the details at this Michelin green starred spot
Awarded a Michelin green star for its farm-to-table ethos, Bristol institution Wilson’s is the perfect setting for a treat without being too showy, writes Lilly Subbotin
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Your support makes all the difference.Wilson’s, Wilson’s, Wilson’s. Where do I start? Located in one of the really-quite-nice areas of Bristol, Redland, Wilson’s has a delightful concept at its core. The restaurant has its own two-acre market garden located a 20-minute drive away where they grow the majority of the vegetables and herbs they use; this sustainable, farm-to-table ethos has landed them a Michelin green star.
What’s growing on the farm dictates the menu, meaning it fluctuates on a daily basis. It’s always a six-course set meal, and as someone who gets choice paralysis when picking out a supermarket sandwich, this was music to my ears. I adore being able to sit back, relax and not have to faff about with menus and food-fomo anxiety. Even better, get the wine pairing and then your drinks are taken care of too, with more expertise than most could muster.
With just 24 covers, it’s cosy and intimate, making it feel like somewhere you’d go for a treat without being too showy. A blackboard has the menu (always £68pp) written in chalky cryptic clues. “Celeriac, Old Bird, Thyme” ends up being a sort of set celeriac savoury custard with chicken consomme on top. The latter comes from an old hen that isn’t usually used but “still has loads of flavour”, topped with thyme that was picked in the morning from the farm as it apparently tastes different when picked later in the day. My guest dubbed it a “gravy creme brulee” which sums it up nicely; it’s simple, delicious and strange.
There’s a clear and definite respect for every single ingredient used, commanding you to slow down and really taste every single mouthful
There’s a clear and definite respect for every single ingredient used, commanding you to slow down and really taste every single mouthful. The trout served with leeks, preserved black truffle and brown butter hollandaise is utterly sublime. Cooked confit, it’s the closest a fish has ever tasted to a piece of butter for me, and I love butter. The fallow deer is garnished with confit deer heart and capers and served with pumpkin from the farm; there’s vanilla running through the pumpkin which gives it a delightful caramelly sweetness. Cornish bluefin tuna is served raw in a tiny crisp-like cracker, emanating the classic taste of fish and chips in the most subtle way possible.
The delicate and restrained plating is gloriously juxtaposed right at the end by a sticky, caramelised slab of tarte tatin, served whole with a knife to slice at the table. It’s not too sweet and cooked just right, soft apples and crunchy, buttery pastry, accompanied by a bay leaf ice cream which gave me a whole new appreciation for the herb.
It’s the thoughtful little details at Wilson’s that make a difference. Their freshly baked bread served with butter they churn themselves from dairy cows in Frome is rustic and undeniably crusty, so they bring some cod roe taramasalata with it to aid with eating. The palette cleanser of “Farm Herbs, Meringue” served just before dessert is fresh and zingy, using leftover greens to make a sort of sorbet, paired with a perfectly blowtorched dollop of meringue, reminiscent of bonfires, marshmallows and childhood. A tiny, precise square of crispy trout skin sits atop the fish providing the ideal texture contrast.
Although on the somewhat pricey side, it’s worth getting the wine flight if you want your drinks to perfectly match the dishes. However, you could easily opt for a bottle of your own choosing and have equally as good a time. Because at Wilson’s, it’s all about the food. Great ingredients cooked brilliantly, showing that when things are done properly that’s all you really need.
The six-course set menu, available at lunch and dinner, is £68 per person. The drinks pairing is an additional £50.
Wilson’s, 24 Chandos Rd, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6PF | 0117 973 4157 | www.wilsonsbristol.co.uk
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