Restaurants / Reviews
Jamaica Street Stores – restaurant review
A trio of women finishing their meal in Jamaica Street Stores have the perfect view of Turbo Island, where a small group is lighting a bonfire.
This is an ever-evolving area of Bristol where different worlds meet and on this recent Wednesday evening, the steady flow of commuters and locals passing the vast windows of a former printworks are lit by the glow of the flames.
Inside the newly-reopened restaurant, attention soon turns to the menu – a diverse medley of starters, mains such as Fowey mussel and saffron chowder, free range pork belly and slow-cooked aubergine and haricot bean chilli, and sharing platters.
is needed now More than ever
Jamaica Street Stores has quietly reopened with a new team at the helm
Jamaica Street Stores first opened with much fanfare in September 2017, going on to receive national acclaim from Sunday Times restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin, but it closed suddenly in August.
Charlie James, former head chef at River Cottage Cafe and one of the original five-strong team who opened the restaurant, is now running the venue with his brother, Philip, and the pair have deliberately reopened the doors again with little fuss to enable the new team to get into the swing of things.
Not much has changed in the way of décor. A fig tree occupies a central spot near the entrance and vast displays of plants from the nearby Wild Leaf soften the otherwise stark interior of the big building on the ground floor of Jamaica Street Studios.
A big unit by the door is dedicated to The DIY Supermarket and laden with artisan products by local and independent makers, from wallets to cosmetics. Run by local artist Beth Izzard, the store is part of a bid by Charlie and Philip to diversify their offering.
The restaurant is quiet on this Wednesday evening and the server wonderfully attentive, doing an admirable job of explaining the menu and offering recommendations despite it being her first shift.
A glass of Malbec (£4.50) and can of Why Kick a Moo Cow (£5.80), a New Zealand pale ale from Easton’s Arbor Ales, are promptly brought to the understated table next to the window – the latter chosen from a vast selection of canned beers on the menu, which states “it takes 90 per cent more energy to recycle a glass bottle than a can”.
A small bowl of big, juicy gordal olives (£3.50) quickly follows to accompany the drinks.
Mushroom ragu
Roast market fish, which on our visit was hake
For the mains, the mushroom ragu with truffle polenta and pea shoots (£13) looks like a modest portion, but appearances – it soon transpires – can be deceptive.
Deliciously rich and creamy, the succulent assortment of mushrooms is perfectly off-set by the crisp polenta triangles and fresh greens. It is also very filling.
The dish of roast market fish (£18) is hake on our visit, accompanied by shellfish curry sauce and crushed peas. It is another winning combination; the delicate sauce and minty peas complementing the flaky, flavoursome fish.
The side of fried potatoes with garlic and parsley (£3) proves unnecessary but tasty nonetheless.
Having decided against desserts, watching the impressive spectacle of a meringue being blow-torched for a nearby table soon changes our minds.
Chargrilled pineapple, with miso caramel and coconut cream
The chosen chargrilled pineapple, with miso caramel and coconut cream (£6) is certainly inventive. The fruit is still warm and juicy, while the hint of miso adds a pleasant tang to the dish, but the combination is overpoweringly sweet – the only slightly disappointing note on an overall very satisfying meal.
This is a team that’s unafraid to try something new. With a friendly wave, they see their last customers of the evening out into the night air – where the embers of the once roaring bonfire maintain a steady glow.
Jamaica Street Stores, 37-39 Jamaica Street, Bristol, BS2 8JP
0117 9249 294
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