Whiteladies Road has welcomed several new additions with The Metropolitan, A.B.O.E and Odd Kin all moving in over the past few months. And the popular Bristol high street has seen the arrival of a neighbourhood grand café restaurant in recent weeks, although it's run by familiar faces.
Aqua has reimagined its Clifton site - which is now one of three restaurants in the group - into The Aqua Grand Café inspired by the family’s "working travels to Paris", its website reads. It’s switched from Italian to Parisian bistro dishes with an extensive menu that caters for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
There was already a mellow buzz about the neighbourhood restaurant on a midweek morning visit. While the exteriors resemble any other bistro (think Côte, etcetera), the indoor refurbishment has seen the installation of a glitzy chandelier, plush booth seating and a Great Gatsby-style bar served by bow tie-clad waiters.
Read more: First look inside A.B.O.E the new Bristol restaurant from former Masterchef finalist
Food is served all day, seven days a week spread across the ground floor and mezzanine level. Breakfast is available from 7.30am until 12pm, charging £4.50 for a croissant, £8 for granola and yoghurt, and right up to £15 for the restaurant’s signature take on a full English breakfast.
The vegetarian version had everything you’d expect in a cooked breakfast - juicy tomatoes, crispy potatoes, a sausage (meat-free in this case) and beans. The points of difference were certainly the unusual gravy jug for the baked beans and even came with a toast caddy that made me feel like I was in a hotel.
In fact, the food itself was very much resemblant of a hotel breakfast bar - the single poached egg was just a touch overdone and the potatoes despite being cooked perfectly had a little bite from being reheated. The mushroom was pretty much perfect, however, its depth of flavour indicative of quality.
There was no disaster but I felt disappointed by the lack of ambition. I can sympathise with the mark up for a restaurant that sources organic, local produce for its menu - an ethos that Aqua proclaims to follow where possible. But for example, the restaurant overlooks Boston Tea Party, which sells a veggie breakfast for £2.40 less with slightly more pizzaz.
Admittedly the newest iteration of the restaurant is scarcely a month old, but for £15 I would expect at least a touch more flair to reflect the backdrop. I paid £20.50 for breakfast, a single espresso and service; I do fear sometimes the term ‘bistro’ is exploited in the industry as an excuse to hike the prices up.
Looking at the A La Carte menu, lunchtime offers some brunch items as well as salads, hor oeuvres and multiple classic French dishes for afternoon and evening services. You’ll look to pay anything from £18 for the morel and truffle risotto up to £36 for the 10-ounce rib-eye, alongside a long list of patisserie in keeping with the French theme.
The crux of the issue is probably down to the size of the menu. Everyone knows that restaurants will have certain elements preprepared, even more so with a menu as long as the Aqua Grand Cafe, which has clearly tried to cover extensive ground. It’s a difficult balancing act to navigate - for me, less is always more, but others will be satisfied by having lots to choose from.
What I will say is that it’s undeniably some of the best service I’ve ever had. Hats off to the staff who were truly outstanding - warm, helpful and conversational - and paired with the ambience, this would be enough to make me return for an evening sitting when there’s a bit more money in my pocket.
More reviews:
"I tried the new Pieminister that serves toppings galore and the thickest gravy imaginable"
We visited Porto Lounge in Fishponds after huge new high street restaurant opens
Nook review: Bristol's new health cafe serves smoothie bowls and pricey porridge
MUSE Brasserie review: New Bristol restaurant dares to combine two very different food traditions
