restaurant review – The Prandial Playground, Bath and Beyond…

The Claremont, Bath

You want something really good to eat without the pressure of a big menu to navigate. You want to stay in Bath but you’re not in the mood for city centre thrum. You want a neighbourhood vibe that doesn’t make you feel like you’re an outsider, a traditional pub environment that doesn’t feel fusty andContinue reading “The Claremont, Bath”

William’s Table Pub and Kitchen, Bath

“Wow, this is exactly how I want our new kitchen diner to look!” Okay, so that’s not a typical start to a restaurant review. But perhaps it should be; after all, loving the environment you’re in before you even settle down to eat is surely a Very Good Thing, while going out-out for your dinnerContinue reading “William’s Table Pub and Kitchen, Bath”

PrimaVista, Quiet Street, Bath

It takes a tonnellata of brave entrepreneurial chutzpah to open a new Italian restaurant in a city that’s already home to around 40 ventures that lay claim to serving the pizza/pasta/risotto/gnocchi/tiramisu/etc in the South West. From glitzy high street attention-grabbers to a fair few elegantly flamboyant, contempo-trad trattorias by way of a handful of promisingContinue reading “PrimaVista, Quiet Street, Bath”

Chez Dominique, Bath

If French actor, cultural icon and all-round cool guy Alain Delon was still with us and visited Bath today, I reckon he’d land at Chez Dominique for a late lunch and refuse to move until he’d drunk the last drop of Fleurie from behind the bar; it is, quite simply, “that” kind of place. ThisContinue reading “Chez Dominique, Bath”

se7en, George Street, Bath

Friday evening, and Bath’s George Street “strip” is buzzing. The pleasure-seekers are out to play in force. Uber drivers, reluctant to stray too far from the peak fare action, are idling on every available kerb, and girls in too-high heels are doing a grand job of pretending to ignore the boys in too-tight jeans. AndContinue reading “se7en, George Street, Bath”

The Marlborough Tavern, Bath

Occupying prime leafy neighbourhood position just past the Royal Crescent on the edge of Royal Victoria Park, the Marlborough Tavern effortlessly brings proper pub and upmarket contemporary bistro together in perfect harmony, an appealing blend of friendly familiarity and a fresh, smart outlook in both decor and menus giving both locals and visitors alike goodContinue reading “The Marlborough Tavern, Bath”

The Inn at Freshford

Honey-coloured stone cottages, leafy courtyards, lamp-lit windows glowing in the dusk. Tranquil fields, wide-open skies, a gentle river flowing beneath an ancient bridge. Is Freshford — around 6m/10km south-east of Bath — the ultimate picture-perfect English village? That’ll be a yes, then. And, at the epicentre of village life, the historic Inn at Freshford. AsContinue reading “The Inn at Freshford”

Yum Yum Thai, Kingsmead Square, Bath

I’m not sure which one of us arrived in Bath first: Yum Yum Thai or me. What I am sure of, though, is that we’ve both been very happy here for around 26 years, which probably earns us both Bath institution status… and could lead to discussions about which one of us has aged best.Continue reading “Yum Yum Thai, Kingsmead Square, Bath”

The Marlborough Tavern, Bath

Clayton’s Kitchen, George Street, Bath

Chef Rob Clayton has been doing his cheffy thing at his beautiful little brasserie that lights up George Street with radiant, fairy-lit fusion for 12 years. 12 years! In restaurant world — particularly in the current climate — that’s a massive landmark indeed. Today, this cornerstone of Bath’s independent restaurant scene is wholly deserving ofContinue reading “Clayton’s Kitchen, George Street, Bath”