Restaurants / Reviews
Romanesca – restaurant review
Romanesca towards the top end of the Gloucester Road has entered the already crowded pizza scene in Bristol with its fresh sourdough crusts and unpretentious manner.
A cold and lonely recent Monday night was a hard atmosphere to fill, but fill it the staff did.
Greeted by a small-knit team of three, the restaurant fully capitalises on its small, high street charm. Opened following a major life-shift by Greg Hyne, the restaurant is the product of a desire to finally capitalise on Greg’s passion for pizza making.
As one of only a few patrons that evening, the conversation soon turned to how the restaurant had been doing. A successful weekend had just come to an end, which seemed to have dissipated first-time nerves.
A waiter bounded over with energy and a menu, telling me that the sourdough bases were made freshly that morning and stretched thinly.
Unfortunately, the wine I had opted for was no longer available after the busy weekend. But the alternative I was offered was struck off the bill; no shortage of good will gestures from staff.
The restaurant is compact with just under a dozen tables and a floor-to-ceiling mural by Andy Council of a dinosaur featuring landmarks from both Bristol and Rome.
The waiting staff were quick to attend to every need – so much so that, when conversation shifted to music, the playlist was altered to suit. With Dusty In Memphis spinning, I could have been sitting at home.
I’d ordered a fennel, olive and prosciutto salad (£4.95) as a starter, which was full of flavour – particularly the olives – although there could have been less of a bulk of fennel, or more prosciutto and olives to balance it out.
The free bread basket that accompanied the starter was crisp, and the chilli oil had a pleasantly powerful punch.
The pizza (whose prices range from £8 to £13) was baked perfectly. Completely crisp, there was no droop when a slice was lifted from the board. Again, the toppings of mozzarella, basil and Parma ham could have been a little more plentiful, although there’s no doubt the rocket and blue cheese packed-out a tasty mouthful.
The menu is standard pizza fare, however, and I hope that with more time and confidence, a more exciting range can be developed.
Although both pizza and salad could have benefited from a slightly more plentiful spread of toppings, they were well put together, tasty, and cheerfully served by an endearing team of staff.
Romanesca, 365 Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8TN
0117 329 5990
is needed now More than ever
Read more: Your Bristol favourites: Pizza
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