Restaurants / Old favourite
Walter’s – restaurant review
Walter William Hughes was a discerning businessman who in the mid nineteenth-century had several business interests around College Green. In the 1860s, he gathered together a group of local gentlemen with the idea of creating a first class hotel and in 1868 The Royal Hotel opened its doors.
In a nod to its history, Marriott – the current owners of the four-star hotel – named their restaurant Walter’s, with the man himself no doubt recognising the view from our table of the east side of Bristol Cathedral which has remained unchanged for decades.
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He would have recognised plenty of the black and white photos around the walls of the hotel as well showing historic scenes of the city from his day. And he probably would be pleased that the restaurant named after him serves roast beef and Yorkshire pudding on its new Sunday lunch menu.
The new Sunday lunch service was the reason for our visit on a recent weekend. The Royal is a special occasion kind of place, with a one-year-old celebrating her birthday with her parents on one table. A retired couple who still wear their Sunday best when going out to lunch were sat on the table next to us, being flung pieces of the bread basket by our own one-year-old but thankfully remaining oblivious to the detritus piling up near their feet.
Our attentive waitress ensured that we were looked after, even going so far as to apologise for the delay in getting the mocktails – including the brilliantly named dill or no dill – which were being prepared by hand in the next door bar.
Over the other side of the table was a classic prawn cocktail made popular not long after Walter’s time. The prawns may not have been quite as fresh as they could have been, but it was still a well-made starter; as was my chicken and apricot terrine with spiced pear chutney and mustard dressing.
Roasted vegetable wellington with a herb sage cream got the seal of approval from my vegetarian wife, while my roasted topside of beef was well-cooked, with a crunchy Yorkshire pudding and beef gravy.
All mains here are served with a side of roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, roasted carrots and braised red cabbage.
It’s £9.95 for a main course, £14.95 for two courses and £19.95 for three courses with desserts including a chocolate bread and butter pudding, Eton mess and knickerbockerglory.
Walter William Hughes would hopefully be proud of the restaurant that carries his name.
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Read more: The Cauldron – restaurant review
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