Ragù, Bristol Bs1: ‘i Recommend It Wholly, Effusively And Slightly Enviously’ – Restaurant Review | Grace Dent On Restaurants

1 month ago

Ragù is simply a cool, minimal, romanticist ode to Italian cooking that’s housed successful a repurposed shipping instrumentality connected Wapping Wharf successful waterside Bristol. No, travel back, please – don’t beryllium scared. There are tables, chairs, napkins, reservations and each nan different accoutrements of a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, moreover if this metallic container whitethorn astatine immoderate constituent successful its beingness erstwhile person been utilized to vessel things to China and back. To my mind, Wapping Wharf has gone from spot to spot successful caller years, and nary longer feels astatine each for illustration 1 of those novelty “box parks” that person astir them a dense whiff of nan edgy impermanent fixture. Today’s Wapping Wharf is simply a existent independent nutrient destination successful its ain right, and pinch a bird’s-eye position from 1 of Ragù’s model seats, while eating venison rump pinch gorgonzola dolce and sipping a booze-free vermouth, you tin watch nan crowds caput for nan likes of nan modern French Lapin, Tokyo diner Seven Lucky Gods, modern British Box-E, Gurt Wings and galore more; by day, there’s besides a bakery, a butcher, a fromagerie and truthful on.

Of course, anyone who calls their blase modern Italian edifice Ragù intelligibly didn’t unrecorded successful nan UK done nan 1980s. For me, arsenic for galore others, ragu will ever beryllium sold successful a solid jar and advertised via caterwauling operatic ditties during nan breaks connected ITV’s London’s Burning: “Ragu, it brings retired nan Italian successful you,” etc. This was backmost successful a clip erstwhile Britain’s cognition to Italian cuisine stretched, broadly speaking, arsenic acold arsenic spag bol, though galore of america were astatine a nonaccomplishment to tackle nan “bol” portion of that equation without Unilever’s industrially squished sieved tomatoes astatine 79p a jar.

‘Crisp, lightly battered’ Roman artichoke fritti pinch aioli, astatine Ragu, Bristol.

Those days are agelong gone, however, and nan grounds is clear to spot astatine Ragù, pinch its crisp, lightly battered artichoke fritters pinch a punchy aïoli, its Hereford onglet pinch cipollotti onion, and its cannoli pinch rhubarb curd and pistachio. Ragù caters to a young-ish, knowing assemblage who are good alert that Britain’s existent Italian eating civilization was shaped by the River Cafe, Angela Hartnett and Giorgio Locatelli. Owners Mark and Karen Chapman opened Cor connected North Street, Bedminster, successful 2022, wherever they service clever, fancy yet erring-on-the-hearty Mediterranean plates – deliberation Catalan sausage pinch clams and fino food condiment followed by tonka legume creme caramel. At Ragù, meanwhile, their attraction is wholly Italian and, to my mind, this could beryllium immoderate of nan astir skilful cooking anyplace successful Britain correct now. I urge nan spot wholly, effusively and somewhat enviously of anyone who gets to sensation nan heavenly tiramisu made pinch sumptuously soggy slices of panettone earlier I get nan chance to return.

After nan artichoke fritti, we moved connected to a vessel of humble-sounding “crespelle successful herb brodo, spinach and sheep’s ricotta”. That’s food pancakes successful herb sauce, right? Wrong. Very wrong. This was nan greatest, richest, astir drinkable-by-the-bucket herb brodo I’ve ever tasted. Juicy, sweet, crisp and rich | successful each nan correct dimensions. What are they doing to tomatoes backmost location successful that mini kitchen?

Next up, slow-cooked enarthrosis of lamb, pulled disconnected nan bone, shaped into a loose patty, placed connected apical of a caller pea stew and dotted pinch a crisp salsa verde and earthy pecorino. The prima of nan show, however, was nan Ashton Court venison, cooked uncommon but arsenic soft arsenic butter, past fixed plentifulness of colour successful a basking cookware and served connected pungent gorgonzola pinch bony marrow butter. This is not a crockery for nan faint-hearted aliases slender of appetite. Those wanting thing lighter mightiness opt for nan skate helping pinch salmoriglio and courgette and fennel salad, aliases moreover nan tagliolini pinch Devon crab, but this is cooking that lends itself to excess.

‘a thick, almost-too-much truffle-type barroom pinch huge, boozy cherries and crumbed amaretti biscuits. It’s for illustration an Italian return connected nan St Emilion au chocolat, aliases possibly nan French stole it from nan Italians successful nan first place? I’m not judge who makes it best, but it’s a conflict I’d happily referee.’

Service was fantastically punctual throughout, arsenic nan young squad coped pinch nan Saturday nighttime chaos pinch calm aplomb. Desserts are different highlight, pinch 3 types of Italian food (robiola la tur, ubriaco rosso and taleggio) and a gelato, which connected that time was a pinkish grapefruit and Campari sorbet, but please time off room, if possible, for nan cocoa budino pinch sour cherries – a thick, almost-too-much truffle-type barroom pinch huge, boozy cherries and crumbed amaretti biscuits. It’s for illustration an Italian return connected nan St Emilion au chocolat, aliases possibly nan French stole it from nan Italians successful nan first place? I’m not judge who makes it better, but it’s a conflict I’d happily referee. Either way, Ragù mightiness very good beryllium my favourite caller edifice of 2025, and we’ve hardly reached summertime yet. All hail nan Bristol riviera.

Ragù Unit 25, Cargo 2, Museum Street, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1, 01179 110218. Open luncheon Tues-Thurs, luncheon noon-3.30pm, meal 5-10pm; Fri & Sat each day, noon-10pm. From astir £40 a caput à la carte; group luncheon Tues-Fri, £30 for 3 courses, each positive drinks and service.