Goram & Vincent – restaurant review

If you want the restaurant with undoubtedly the finest view in the city, the newly opened Goram & Vincent at the Avon Gorge Hotel – now owned by Hotel du Vin – is top of the list.

A fun game to play is seeing how many people take souvenir photos in front of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, with the hotel restaurant overlooking the famous terrace of the White Lion bar.

On a recent Saturday lunchtime, my eldest daughter and I counted rather a lot of selfie takers; not least because our three-course meal took more than two-and-a-half hours to complete. Fortunately we were not in a hurry, though looking around the immaculate dining room we were not the only ones wondering where our food was.

Other than when they went AWOL, we were well looked after by the waiting staff in their rather stuffy uniforms of a black suit for the waiters, and waistcoats and knitted bow ties for the waitresses.

When we were sat down and were asked if we wanted a drink, I asked if there were any bottled local beers available. Goram & Vincent is named after the giant brothers who, legend has it, created the Avon Gorge. It’s a nice nod to the restaurant’s surroundings, so some local drinks would probably be expected.

“We have Brewdog,” our waitress reported back . “They do have a bar in Bristol.” That may be true but their brewery is north of Aberdeen.

A ticket to Scotland from Temple Meads bought in good time would probably be cheaper than an exploration of the full menu at Goram & Vincent, which has some of Bristol’s most eyewatering prices among its a la carte selection.

This restaurant has been marketed as a “smokehouse”, with brisket (£17.50), pastrami (£19.50) and ribs (£22.50) among the selections from the smoker. Half of the steaks on offer start at 500g but are only priced per 100g: with the chateaubriand £13 per 100g and porterhouse £9 per 100g. Even a prawn cocktail starter costs £14.50; and if you want a lobster that will be £57.

So it was the prix fixe for me and the children’s menu for seven-year-old Mersina, who after demolishing her garlic bread starter pronounced her macaroni cheese as “the best I have ever had in my life” (and she has eaten a lot of macaroni cheese).

“The best macaroni cheese ever”

Devilled kidneys

Roast Normandy chicken breast – with gravy

My starter of devilled kidneys saw the Welsh lamb kidneys pan-fried and served on toast with a tingling sherry vinegar and chilli sauce.

For the mains it was a beautifully cooked roast chicken breast served still on the bone accompanied by black pudding hash and a fried hen’s egg. A few minutes after it arrived, an apologetic chef came out of the kitchen with the gravy, remembered just in time.

And then it was an hour’s wait for my daughter’s chocolate and banana brownie with vanilla ice cream, a delightfully gooey mess; and my own cherry pie and custard, which, when it eventually arrived, was lukewarm and in fact apple and blackberry. Though it was neither the advertised dish nor piping hot, I was so hungry by this stage that I finished it in a few bites.

The bill, at least, did arrive swiftly. We had been overcharged, but this was quickly remedied by our apologetic waitress.

A fiftieth birthday party was just starting in one area of the restaurant once we were eventually able to leave, while a group of half-a-dozen friends were tucking into an afternoon tea complete with small sticks of candyfloss on top.

With its unrivaled views, Goram & Vincent will no doubt continue to be a restaurant for a special occasion. Just don’t visit if you’re in a hurry.

Goram & Vincent, Hotel Du Vin Bristol, Sion Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4LD

www.hotelduvin.com/locations/bristol-avon-gorge/goram-vincent