Restaurants / Reviews
Dough – restaurant review
A protective glass barrier surrounds the counter-tops in the new Dough Pizza Restaurant, where a small team of chefs work their magic.
Flickering flames are visible through the stone arch of the wood fire oven at the far end of what is truly the heart of an establishment that takes its dough very seriously.
There was a time when choosing a pizza was a simple matter of picking your favourite topping. Nowadays, things have got a bit more complicated with options of thin or thick crust, stuffed, folded or even gluten free.
is needed now More than ever
Dough, which opened its doors just a few days ago in the premises formerly known as Aquila on Baldwin Street, is raising the bar to a whole new level.
This is the first Bristol venture for the popular family-run Bath restaurant of the same name that prides itself on selecting the finest Italian ingredients and creating alternative, healthier dough – including a number of gluten free options.
“It’s all about the base,” declares the expansive card menu, handed over with a flourish by the polite, efficient waiter as he expertly whisks away the extra cutlery from the shiny wooden table top.
One of half of the menu details a selection of familiar Italian favourites, but it’s the other side that catches the eye. A colour-coded system enables diners to choose their perfect pizza base from a dizzying array of options that include seaweed, hemp, gluten-free turmeric, multi-grain, grand arso, wheatgrass, the classic sourdough and many more.
Faced with this kind of choice, it seems almost churlish to opt for anything other than pizza.
Service is impeccable in the vast two-tiered restaurant, with its minimalist décor and inoffensive elevator music. The sound of easy-going chatter can be heard from the couple of tables still occupied this late Wednesday lunchtime and big hanging lamps cast a warm glow over diners.
A tea (£2.35) is admittedly a strange choice to accompany to pizza but is much-needed after a sudden bitter hailstorm outside. It arrives hot and comforting in a proper china pot and offers of refills are forthcoming with no need to ask.
The vegetarian pizza is soon delivered to the table (£12.95, plus £1 for the recommended hemp base and £1 for extra mushrooms), accompanied by a generous bowl of side salad (£3.50).
The hemp base is mostly crisp and hot – turning to slightly soggy in the middle – and has a vaguely wholesome, earthy taste. The topping is plentiful and fresh, although for my tastes, could have been left in the oven a fraction longer. The extra mushrooms are hard to find, which makes the £1 supplementary cost feel pretty steep.
The salad offers a refreshing if unremarkable accompaniment to a meal that is generally tasty and satisfying, yet lacks the wow factor it promises.
The dessert menu offers the likes of Tiramisu Alla Nutella – which does exactly what it says on the tin, Dolce Pizza – a chocolate dough topped with fruit, Nutella and whipped cream and a selection of ice creams and sorbets.
The Sorbetto (£5.75) – a lemon sorbet with a dash of prosecco – is perhaps the crowning glory of the meal. Tart on the tongue and full of fresh zest, it is a tantalising and delicious dish. The hint of prosecco makes it feel delightfully decadent for a Wednesday lunch.
The passion for pizza is evident in the supremely competent and knowledgeable staff, the attention to detail and the love off experimenting with different ingredients to create the perfect base.
Some would argue the high-end pizza market in the city is already pretty saturated and time will tell whether Dough’s efforts to raise the bar prove a success. Certainly, for anyone hankering after a bit more variety in a pizza base, this is the place for you.
Dough Pizza Restaurant, 30-34 Baldwin Street, Bristol, BS1 1NR
www.doughpizzarestaurant.co.uk
Read more: Masa & Mezcal – restaurant review
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