Its flavours are pushier than a time share salesman without even mentioning the venison sauce cooked with cherry beer, milk stout and finished with dark chocolate that could well bring on gout, although that wouldn’t stop me scraping up the last evidence of it on my plate… READ MORE
My roasted saddle of Gower salt marsh lamb is a wonderfully tender, thick slice of delicately sweet-grassy and samphire-salty, rolled loin cooked perfectly pink. There’s nothing on the plate that’s not contributing to a full massage of the palate both in terms of flavour or texture… READ MORE
My perfectly slow cooked confit duck leg is meltingly tender under paper-thin crispy skin. It sits on an indulgently creamy white bean cassoulet brought into line by a sassy herb-rich sauce verte. Confit duck must be one of the high points of French cuisine and this is heavenly high… READ MORE
Two slices of well done lamb sit on new- and mini-roast potatoes with date stuffing that’s gorgeously sweet and light caramel. There’s a very drinkable minted gravy and I’m self congratulating myself on my choice when the Yorkshire puddings land, sending me into a spin. They are pure Aunt Bessie … READ MORE
Thick ribbons of perfectly al dente ‘home made’ pappardelle with the intensified meaty hit of 12 hour braised beef shin ragù and a heavy dusting of 24 month Parmesan. Mopping up brings even more pleasure by accentuating the sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes and oily crunch of the focaccia… READ MORE
I’ve been left with just a third of the courgette tempura. In three fabulous mouthfuls it’s gone and I know I’ve been robbed. There’s light crunch from the batter, sweet juiciness from courgette, a meaty, salty, fiery kick from ‘nduja and fresh cooling, lemon scented creaminess from whipped ricotta… READ MORE
The teriyaki is tangy-sweet but still allows the pulled beef flank to shine through. Crisp, seasoned chips are way above average for loaded fries with crunch and heat from chilli, spring onion, slaw and crispy onions, topped with MSG-loaded kewpie mayo that makes it more addictive than crack… READ MORE
Our only conversation is to marvel at impeccably crunchy and fluffy in the middle roast potatoes; perfectly gnarly Yorkshires, beef that’s every bit the pink, tender fillet you’d expect; subtle sweetness from the roasted roots; and gravy that’s bolder than a drunken stag party… READ MORE
The plate glows with deliciously pink, thick slab of sirloin; a perfectly crisp and gnarly Yorkshire; glazed, caramelised and roasted carrots; crunchy roast potatoes; and buttered greens with leeks. The cauliflower retains bite, in a sparse but cheesy sauce with a crust that cranks up the cheesiness to the required level… READ MORE
Rosa’s green curry (with more dry chicken) dangling the carrot of three out of three on the chilli scale merely confirms it’s not so much a recalibration of the scoville scale in the kitchen that’s required but a reprint of the menus… READ MORE
Squid, so perfectly fried it’s tender as butter, in a light, almost crumbly batter and thinly sliced, crisp-fried pin wheels of lemon providing a delightful sour crunch. Calamari is a dish that’s fallen so horribly into disrepute, I rarely order it elsewhere, but here it demonstrates the Bocca way of simple perfection… READ MORE
A potential winner for the ‘best dish of the year’ crown is next. Barbecued octopus, crisp and caramelised on the outside and wonderfully tender on the bite, a stunning langoustine tartare with a hint of Thai spices, Exmoor caviar and an aloe vera emulsion. I’d happily eat this on a loop for eternity… READ MORE
Baby courgettes are perfectly al dente, coated in a tempura batter but the real magic lies in the flowers, full of soft, piquant and lemony Monte Enebro goats cheese with a generous drizzle of blossom honey amplifying the joy. Ordering two of these is undoubtedly one of the best decisions I’ve made all year… READ MORE
