Wilks – restaurant review

There is a quiet and thoroughly understated elegance to Wilks on Chandos Road. It might have held a Michelin star since September 2013 but there are no gaudy stickers in the tastefully darkened windows, and no pretentious pomp and ceremony when you push open the front door and enter the cool grey interior.

Greeted by co-owner and manager Christine Vayssade and her effortlessly charming front of house team, we are shown to a pristine table and brought water, menus and our first amuse-bouche of the night: a bite-sized parmesan biscuit with heavenly light parmesan cream and topped with a black olive cap. It sets the tone for a modern menu with plenty of surprising extras thrown in throughout the night.

Wilks’ decor is muted and unpretentious but thoroughly classy

Diners have a choice of dishes from the a la carte menu (£48 for two courses or £58 for three) or the set menu (five courses for £58 with an optional wine flight for £45). Opting for a la carte with three starters and three mains to choose from, I pick the veal sweetbread to start, followed by a fillet of turbot, while my companion selects a starter of green asparagus and a main of Iranian risotto from the vegetarian menu.

A waiter offers a choice of three breads baked by Mark’s Bread in Southville – malt, sourdough or rosemary and potato – to enjoy with the golden olive oil and salty butter on the table already. Side plates have been replaced by pottery coils made by The Village Pottery on Princess Victoria Street, which are accompanied by a joyfully wobbly vase filled with delicate fresh flowers and a tealight holder. It’s a small reminder that there’s nothing stuffy about Wilks: the sommelier is professional and efficient but above all friendly, and starched white tablecloths have been shunned in favour of modern, dark, woven-topped tables.

Another amuse-bouche from chef and co-owner James Wilkins arrives on white crockery with a delicate pattern of leaves embedded in the edge, and then the waiter brings the starters to the table, talking us through each element. The veal sweetmeat is meltingly soft with a beautiful crispy skin on top, with added richness from the Madeira and truffle jus it sits in. The salt-baked celeriac and truffle tart positively bursts with a meaty flavour that reflects and amplifies the taste of the veal and its softness complements the third element of the dish, crunchy spring cabbage. It is absolutely delicious.

Across the table, the asparagus is icy, fresh and full of bite, while the accompanying ewe’s curd is rich and sharp with cleansing sweetness brought in by a thick lemon and herb vinaigrette.

Veal sweetbread with a celeriac and truffle tart, plus the green asparagus starter from the vegetarian menu

Once the plates have been whisked away by an attentive waiter there is plenty of time between courses to enjoy the surroundings, which hum with a pleasant level of chatter, uncontested by music. Around two thirds of the tables of the relatively small dining room are filled on this unremarkable weekday night. More bread is offered before the main courses arrive – generous portions of fish and risotto.

The thick piece of turbot has a subtle taste of the sea, and although it could flake away a little more delicately, it works well alongside the meaty overtones of the smoked duck ham and marinated Jersey royals. The jus of cured ham is a careful repetition of the starter’s flavours, while the white asparagus adds visual interest to a simply-presented dish.

A spectacular meringue sphere for dessert

Menus are returned to the table as we debate a digestive or a desert. While tempted by the Psychopomp coffee liqueur (£7 for 25ml), the sweet tooth wins out. From a choice of four we decide on the green tea meringue sphere with saffron and quince sorbet (£11) and the waiting staff kindly bring two sets of cutlery without being asked, before topping up our glasses and bringing yet another amuse bouche of ice-cold sorbet with a tangy citrus jelly and a peppery heat as it dissolves on the tongue.

The final part of the meal is visually the most spectacular: there’s real theatricality in cracking the meringue’s perfectly spherical shell. The green tea flavor comes through strongly enough to avoid being overpowered by the tart sorbet but has just the right amount of sweetness to balance the whole dish. With plate scraped, it’s a surprise to notice that more than three hours have passed in the comfort of this little cocoon. This is a restaurant running so smoothly that it makes everything seems easy. What is created is a masterful combination of cooking and hospitality that really deserves every star it receives.

Wilks, Chandos Road, Bristol, BS6 6PG
www.wilksrestaurant.co.uk
0117 9737 999