Avista

If you give a guy a football match, he's happy, if you give a guy a football match and good quality food whilst watching, he'll be ecstatic. This isn't to say it's the greatest food I've eaten, no far from it. But me for one am happy to sip on a cask ale and have good chicken wings and a burger whilst watching the beautiful game. So to be served more refined food was a new exciting experience for me. One thing for sure the kitchen showed tremendous class when it comes to plating beautiful looking dishes. For me sadly one or two dishes failed to excite, I went with glazed quail with goats cheese and pepper chutney to start. The quail was cooked beautifully and the chutney and cheese complimented superbly. Maybe just needed a lift somehow. I followed this with cod stuffed potato gnocchi, cuttlefish and pea. The gnocchi was al dente and the fish was fresh like the ocean. But sadly like the 1st course I was reaching for the salt and pepper shakers. Finally for main I had wild lamb, artichoke, tomato chutney and mint. The meat was beautifully cooked, nice pink centre well seasoned paired with sweet creamy artichoke. A well balanced dish. Other dishes from the modern Italian menu, foie gras terrine which is always a winner for me. Trio of pork and lemon sole in tempura, both dishes again needed a lift. The dish of the night was sadly on the plate of my colleague, but me being me I just had to try the wonderfully presented veal ossobuco ravioli, with candied ginger and wild spring garlic. Utterly sublime layers and layers of incredible flavour. Perfect al dente pasta, just great. Well done chef. As I said there is for me better restaurants in this wonderful city, but the level of food compared with the view of the tv is incomparable to anything I've experienced and I will definitely be going back next season.

With love 

The food scene 

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