Having had to go back to London this weekend, I missed my good friend Laura’s birthday celebrations. I was able to contribute a little, however, by helping her lunchtime dining companion to choose a restaurant for a birthday meal.
Luckily, the recommendation paid off, and Laura was so happy with her trip to Clifton Village’s Prosecco that she decided to write a guest review for me…thanks Laura! 🙂
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Last Saturday, I was lucky enough to visit Prosecco for a surprise birthday lunch. Having heard several rave reviews from friends, I was keen to see if the rumours were true. Conclusion = definitely!
Prosecco is a homely and welcoming restaurant in the heart of Clifton Village, specialising in authentic Italian cuisine. The secret of its success, according to our lovely waiter, is that by offering a smaller menu they ensure that all the food is made by hand and is really fresh – nothing’s microwaved in this restaurant!
Many of the pasta dishes and antipasti can be ordered as either a starter or as a main. We therefore decided to share a few dishes so we could experience more of the menu.
Whilst I was erring towards the delicious-sounding homemade chicken liver pate, our waiter highly recommended the fish antipasti. Not being a great fan of fish, I decided to be brave and hope for the best! Luckily for me, it was out of this world. The dish arrived with slices of smoked halibut topped with crostini smothered in langoustine pate. The halibut was delicious and not overwhelming smoked, whilst the creamy langoustine pate was melt-in-the-mouth.
Next up was a starter size of Prosecco’s ravioli – three huge ravioli, stuffed with crab, bathing in a saffron and cream sauce. The flavour of the crab partnered perfectly with the saffron cream sauce, which was wonderfully creamy yet not heavy.
As our main dish, we opted for the king prawn linguine with a brandy and tomato sauce. For those of you who are squeamish like me, make sure you take a friend that’s willing to de-shell them! The prawns were succulent and tasty, whilst the sauce was almost spicy with the heat of the brandy. Probably my favourite dish of the entire meal, but not the best dish to share due to the splashings of tomato sauce across the table….. As a side dish, we had to try the ‘Chips like my Grandma used to make’. A generous bowl of golden brown chips arrived: beautifully crunchy on the outside, yet soft and fluffy in the middle. I wonder if Grandma would like to adopt me?!!
Finally, we absolutely had to try some dessert! We plumped for the coconut panna cotta with Malibu and ice cream, and the tiramisu. From the amazingly extensive wine list, we decided to try some dessert wines. Bergerac Moelleux 2006 Cuvée Dalmain to accompany the panna cotta, and a Marsala which was recommended as an accompaniment to the tiramisu. The panna cotta was delicious and accompanied by shavings of coconut. The tiramisu was made the authentic Italian way, with no soggy sponge at the bottom; pure, foamy, light and delicious with just the right amount of coffee.
The whole dining experience left me grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Prosecco tends to attract more evening than lunchtime diners, and, on this occasion, we were the only couple in the restaurant, leaving me feeling like a celebrity. I had to resist the urge to go out onto the street and preach to the unconverted to come and try the food! The restaurant gets extremely busy in the evenings, so you definitely need to book in advance. Please do try this amazing restaurant if you can – it’s now my firm favourite in Bristol and I can’t wait to go back again!
Many thanks to our waiter who was extremely attentive and friendly, and also to our amazingly talented chef who we met on our way out. Keep up the great work guys!