Byzantium

There is little doubt that Byzantium has added a new dimension to eating out in Bristol. Operating over two levels the tone is set as you exchange a damp Bristol evening for the ground floor, rich with exotica of the East and a touch of colonial North Africa thrown in for good measure. Nothing has been spared, no, not even the belly dancer, and within a very short time you have caught on to the ambience before going upstairs to a 200 seater restaurant, with splendid views and a sensed space filled by the delicate aroma of serious cooking. However you may choose to enjoy a Byzantium food lantern downstairs over drinks as prelude to the main event, with six small starters for each person in your party.

This approach is mirrored upstairs later in the evening when the Byzantium pudding lantern offers each person six small puddings, a great way to savour the menu.

The a la carte menu offers classic Italian osso bucco veal, cooked in tomato, wine and herbs and served with fresh homemade spaghetti, or roast trim rack of lamb with Jerusalem artichoke and goat's cheese puree and creamy spinach sauce. Should you eschew the pudding lantern there are plenty of consolations including Armagnac and prune ice cream or a layered chocolate and grand marnier mousse served with a coffee sauce. There is no doubt this is a swinging place, firmly pointing at the party market, but there is no reason why, on the right night, you should not enjoy a satisfying and relaxing evening, with good food, generous helpings and a nice buzz factor.