ABOE, Whiteladies Road: ‘It oozes finesse’ – restaurant review

ABOE, which is an acronym for ‘a bit of everything’, certainly delivers on that promise.

The chef-patron behind the restaurant is Michelin-trained Seb Merry, who previously brought his culinary expertise to Cloak & Dagger on Cheltenham Road, before taking over the kitchen at the former Flipside on Whiteladies Road, which has now become ABOE.

The choice of food really does offer a bit of everything. From venison, to fish and chips, to fried chicken. According to its website, ABOE showcases “the best of fresh, seasonal and local produce whilst drawing on a global influence to create innovative dishes”.

On its first night open to the public, we took a seat in one of Whiteladies Road’s newest additions

A map hanging on the wall displays a delightful selection of its locally sourced beer and wine suppliers from across the South West.

The bartender and mixologist who effortlessly and expertly whipped up cocktails while chatting to customers served us a couple of glasses of Tempranillo wine while we checked out the food menu.

As these two words are seldom seen together, we ordered a cheese doughnut (£5.50) from the snack section; along with the brilliantly named ‘tempeh of doom’ (£12.00) and burnt butter ravioli (£12.00) from the sharing plates.

An hour after ordering, our cheese doughnut, which was the size of a large golf ball, arrived at our table.

The idea of the cheese doughnut was too intriguing not to order

The garnish, made up of Mornay sauce, caviar and shallot, was bursting with flavour. The dough had a lovely, fluffy texture but was a tad on the dry side and there could have been a bit more of the garnish.

A fire alarm momentarily soundtracked our dining experience as a staff member dashed through the restaurant to open the front door and let some air in. Could the burnt butter ravioli have been the culprit for the smoke coming from the kitchen?

The highlight of the meal was definitely the tempeh. The kimchi which made up part of the dish was perfectly spiced and carried a strong umami taste which was both zesty and salty.

The highlight of the meal at ABOE was definitely the tempeh

ABOE has smashed the presentation side of the dining experience and some of its dishes, like the tempeh, looked almost too good to eat.

Hungry for more and an hour after our snack arrived, it was time for the ravioli with earthy and creamy notes. The al dente pasta was cooked to perfection and the capers which provided optimum amount of saltiness made this dish worth the wait.

Staff offered us a free dessert to make up for our waiting time which was a generous touch. Taking full advantage of this we ordered the rolo finesse (£8.50) and the rhubarb and custard (£8.50).

Much to our surprise, a rhubarb and custard cocktail was swiftly brought to our table. Staff got to the bottom of the mix up and we were comped the drink.

Those who have a sweet tooth will be pleased to know the desserts were more or less the same size as the sharing plates.

The dense consistency of the rolo finesse and its delicious, rich flavours from the miso toffee and chocolate cremeux mean it is a pud best for sharing.

The rolo finesse provided rich flavours from the miso toffee and chocolate cremeux

The real rhubarb and custard went down an absolute treat. The amaranth grain gave it a savoury flavour, similar to brown rice balanced with the sharp sweetness of the rhubarb pieces.

Despite its size it was wonderfully light on the stomach and rounded off our dining experience in the best way possible

ABOE oozes finesse and has all the ingredients to have a wonderful future.

The sign of former cocktail bar Flipside remains up outside ABOE on Whiteladies Road

ABOE, 109 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2PB
www.aboebristol.com

All photos: Rachel Sutherland

Read next: 

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• Whiteladies cafe closing due to cost of living crisis 
• The Metropolitan, Whiteladies Road: ‘A great place to start the day but not to end it’ – restaurant review 
• Restaurant with ‘lovely Parisian charm’ opens 

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