A decadent, beautiful tasting menu is not the usual thing for a Good Friday- but to be fair, I think if Jesus had a choice, he would have chosen this!
To start with, in true Jill style, I turned up on the night I thought I had booked but I had actually booked a different night. The restaurant handled this wondercukky, found me a great table (usually the chefs table) and didn’t penalise me at all for my mistske. In fact, I would say they went out of their way to make me feel like I wasn’t an imposition.
The only option here is the tasting menu – and I love this. No decision required and lots to eat with our over stuffing yourself. Note: you’d better tell them ahead of time about any allergies or dietary requirements, otherwise it’s on you.
First arrived a lovely leather envelope with your evening menu – this is signifying the elegance if what is to come
While I think decor-wise it could be better everything is 120% on-point. The service in impeccable, the food Devine.
You start of with a series of “snacks” or progressively bigger amuse-bouche
Let me talk you through the them, because damn do they deserve it
Parmesan tartlet: ridiculously light & crispy base, with a thin layer of mousse and a stack of 3 year old shaved parmesan. One of my servers likened it to a ‘firm hand shake’s and he was not wrong. It’s a lot of loose parmesan though so do not breathe out!
Carabineros: prawns, teeny prawns with a world of flavour on a very fancy cracker. The sea flavour was in the category of too intense for me but the subtle sweet under tones were very clever
Scallops: the best! My favourite snack of them all. I was like a party in my mouth. Scallops done tartare with a lovely vinaigrette topped with grapefruit. The first taste is the grapefruit and it is gorgeous. Heralding the way for the scallop. You expect a grapefruit to overpower but not in this dish. I literally could (and still would) eat a bowl full of this. Can you tell I loved it? Plus, it was served on a ridiculously rock!
Now we move into the ‘bigger dishes’ and wine flight. I recommend the wine flight – other than the fact you look like less of an Alcoholic ordering a flight than a bottle as one 🙂 – they are picked for the food and the sommelier explains how.
Spring salad: how do they put so much flavour in such a tiny dish??? Theres Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus, super sweet like candy carrot plus more. And edible flowers, I live edible flowers. Right in the heart was a blow torched teeny broccoli. You can taste the torch, amazing. Oh and there is whipped goats curd too, which goes beautifully with the veg. Great, great dish.
Beetroot risotto: this dish comes off and on the menu and is known as the family favourite. It is silky smooth with the earthiness if the beetroot stock it’s cooked in countered with the sweetness if the beetroot puree. The frozen natural yogurt complimented prfevtly; confused my mind but made me happy
Trout & crab: you know a dish is going to be special when it comes out on 3 dishes and with more information than you can process (no, I’m not a good listener). You start with the trout which arrived with a coal on top seating it. Delicious. It sits in a crab bisque. At this point I’m not sure what happened to my pallet but I had a clear tarragon/ aniseed flavour but after a kitchen consult it was clarified that there was absolutely none in there!!
You folliw this with the next little bowl of crab mousse with what felt like an intense miso taste. Topped with perfect roe.
My taste buds were going crazy.
Oh and there was some crispy skin to go with. This tasted like a very fancy prawns cracker. I think if I’d listened better if have out it with the other dishes, not to worry still yum.
Then in pops a little sourdough and butter. The in- house bread is so soft it’s like a little heaven pillow, with a crunchy, crunchy crust. And the butter! From Somerset, so bright and tasty I out some on, then added on more 😏. Let’s put it this way, it was so good I had to ask the waiter to NOT bring me anymore.
Lemon some with sabayon. The sabayon was shipped so much it looked massive! But super light. I think they whipped with sparkling wine. I could taste that I’m sure. I liked the thin sliced grapes that went with it, but I think I would have liked to see more.
Lamb 1: lamb tartare with a beautiful lamb broth. I think this is my favourite. I wanted a massive bowl with noodles. It had a real pho feel to me. My only issue was that I couldn’t get the last little bit of broth out of the bowl!
Lamb 2: ok my least favourite but I am not a lamb person. It was in fact beautifully cooked, so soft. And the mint sauce was divine. I can’t tell you what all the side bits are now as I was definitely at saturation point for listening.
So now it’s time for desset. I am not actually a dessert person so was a little afraid of how extensive the offerings were.
Passion fruit tarragon: talk about odd. 1st mouthful & it wasn’t for me. 2nd and I knew I was turning. 3rd I finished the dish. How does that happen? This was just so interstinv, I think in the end it’s a dessert for me.
Rhubarb’s collection: ok I could not listen to the description, it was too much! I wasn’t a fan of the sorbet in the middle but I liked a of the other renditions on the peripherals. The vanilla cream tasted like cheesecake. Yum.
Tasty yummies at the end: mushroom fudge – this was like a super manly earthy chocolate. The chunks of salt just set it off perfectly.
The Turkish delight was described as a gin & tonic, and this was not eronv. It was so soft that when I picked it up I panicked and had to out it back down!
To sum it up, Casamia is a beautiful experience. I don’t think I’ve written. Or thought such an extensive review before.
It is most certainly a treat, and so set you back a pretty penny but it is worth it.
If you adore food you can not come to Bristol and not try Casamia.
Jilltopia 
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