Sousta, Redcliffe: ‘Rich and rustic – but a bit pricey’ – restaurant review

A couple sat side-by-side at a table overlooking shots of sun-dappled sea, blue-and-white houses and sandy beaches.

“This is our first date, so we don’t know how the evening is going to go,” the middle-aged man told a waitress in the newly opened Sousta Mediterranean Restaurant & Bar in Redcliffe.

It’s in a peculiar location, enveloped by tower blocks and a car park where most passers-by are motorists whirring down the busy Clarence Road on their way to Temple Meads. The blue illuminated signs outside can be seen from halfway down the street.

Inside, Sousta’s decor tried to mimic al fresco Mediterranean dining with a slightly lurid mural of the Aegean horizon on the back wall, but with artificial lighting from every direction and floral carpets – it wasn’t fooling many.

While it’s not quite the same as Greek Island hopping, on the drizzly autumn night the food was rustic and comforting and service friendly for the three occupied tables.

Starters at Sousta cost from £6.30 to £21.95

Sousta, in what used to be Indian restaurant Raj Maha, is run by the same family behind the popular Greek restaurant of the same name in Congresbury, near Bristol. Their menu takes in all the usual suspects straight from the Greek textbook, from mezzes and tzatziki to halloumi and moussaka.

To start, we chose horiatiki (£8.35) – a traditional Greek village salad. No weedy feta crumbs: here the signature cheese came as a large triangular wedge plonked on a mound of olives, cucumber tomatoes, slices of red onions and green peppers. It is tasty enough but misses a good dousing of olive oil and seasoning.

Similar slightly deflated success for the dolmades (£7.15), which were acidic, herby and draped in balsamic glaze. Like soft, squidgy cocktail sausages, I wanted the vine leaves stuffed with rice to be nuttier and denser, and for seven quid for six of them, the dish was a bit pricey.

The vegetarian moussaka was a feast for the eyes

Much better was the main course: vegetarian moussaka (£18). It was a rainbow of vegetables carved into slices and layered among a fresh stew of tomatoes, full of light acidic notes and sweet caramelised sugars. Smoothed on top was a rich and whipped layer of ricotta. The edible flowers were perhaps a bit misplaced but overall, it was delicious – doing justice to a meatless version of Greece’s famed dish.

With our meal we drank crisp glasses of Thisbe (£21 for a bottle), a medium white with tasting of apples and citrus.

Tiramisu was among cheesecake and ice cream on the dessert menu

To finish, tiramisu (£9), tasty enough but overcomplicated by salted caramel, meringue chocolate wafer, shards of chocolate and chocolate sauce.

Coming to nearly over £90 including a tip, I wish there were more vegetarian and vegan options, and that Sousta tried a bit harder with their marketing – as with no website, social media or presence on Google Maps, it was a epic (and hangry) orienteering challenge trying to find it.

While there isn’t quite the air of the true Mediterranean about the place, the romanticism of hearty Greek food and attentive service did the trick that night, and the middle-aged couple on their first date walked off in the night holding hands.

Sousta Mediterranean Restaurant & Bar, 69 Clarence Road, Redcliffe, BS1 

All photos: Betty Woolerton

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