The Ox - Clifton, Bristol

Listen up guys and gals – I have some serious news to share. Ok, not serious serious, but seriously good. I have legit just had the best steak of my life. So great it was, that instead of lying down on my sofa with my yuyu and fluffy blanket to soothe the food baby that's growing inside of me, I'm writing this, hot off the press. I am having utterly ridiculous, out-of-this-world, best-steak-ever kind of feels right now. I don't think I'll enjoy any other food ever again.

You might have heard of The Ox if you're from my neck of the woods. If not, it's basically a top notch steak restaurant that opened in Clifton late 2015 (correct me if I'm wrong!) They also serve the "best Sunday roast in Clifton" so, naturally, it's been on my list of places to eat since it opened. A severe case of January blues forced me to get my bum into gear and down to the Clifton restaurant, and, I have to say, it cured my sadness. So, I guess you could say I'll never go vegan.

From start to finish I could not fault my visit to The Ox. The staff were exceptionally welcoming, friendly, professionally trained and knowledgeable about the menu. They recommended what wine to have with which steak, and how best each steak is cooked and served. And, as you can see, the decor was divine, so that made my time there even more enjoyable.

Like every time I visit a restaurant for the first time, I spent most of the day eyeing up the menu. In the end I always go back to what catches my eye first, and this time it was the fillet steak.

Our waitress recommended this to be cooked medium-rare, and it was utter perfection. I had it with their green peppercorn sauce which was incredible, but even on its own the steak was unreal.

I got coerced into ordering dessert, too. I chose the PX rum & raisin affogato, expecting it to come with a shot of espresso (as standard, right?) but it was just the sherry. This turned out to be extraordinarily delicious. Dispersed in the ice cream were these huge raisins, and, with each spoonful, came the warming aftertaste of the sherry. YUM.

Before my visit to The Ox I hadn't been much of a steak person, but now I totally get it. Good quality, responsibly-sourced meat served to this standard is something I wholeheartedly believe in. I felt full and happy – and isn't that exactly how you should at the end of a meal? 

A little on the pricier side, The Ox is a special treat kind of restaurant - for me, anyway! Still, I can't wait to go back again and try some of their other dishes (maybe on my birthday?). Have you been to The Ox? What would you recommend?

Review - Urban Pie - Birmingham

Last weekend I went to visit my very good friend Rhiannon and on Saturday we went shopping. It was the Bullring's 10th Birthday and to celebrate there was a series of fashion shows in the shopping centre. We watched the beautiful models on the catwalk - featuring a favourite blogger of mine, Sam - post to follow on that soon.

In between shuffling around shops that were packed like sardines - tip: NEVER go to Primark on a Saturday - we stopped at Urban Pie for some food. We had read a few reviews prior to our visit that this was a hot spot, and the continuous queue inside backed up these claims. But did the food meet our expectations?

The menu displayed each item clearly and concisely and I was very impressed by the cost - very affordable, especially if you're a student. The exterior was certainly attractive and inviting with a patio seating area filled with happy customers. There were a few pies I fancied the look of and when we got inside a lot of them had sold out - good sign, surely?

Rhi queued up to order while I saved us some seats. The service was fast and commendable, despite a lot of items on the menu being unavailable. No peas for me :(

The seating area makes good use of the space and I liked the long benches - it creates a very relaxed and communal atmosphere which is always a plus point for me in cafes and restaurants. There is definitely a time and a place for separate tables and laid out cutlery but Urban Pie is perfect if you're out with a friend or on your lunch break. 

I loved the canteen style about the place and the plates on which the food was served. It felt homely and like I was eating a school dinner at the same time - and I mean that in a good way. Ah, nostalgia.

I settled for a simple steak pie with carrots and gravy. I decided not to add any potatoes as I expected the pastry would be filling enough for me. 

 

The carrots were done perfectly - I was worried they would be overcooked and mushy but they still had a lot of crunch which is how I like them. The pie itself was definitely full of flavour and I finished all of it, but the pastry was unfortunately quite soggy on the inside. I think this was due to the fact that there was too much sauce and not enough steak in my pie - disappointing when Urban Pie's promise is that their pies are deep filled.

The little steak I did get inside my pie was very good though and it was of the finest quality, but I do feel that Urban Pie make a false claim with their slogan - in this particular case, anyway.

Rhi chose the steak and stilton pie with gravy, sweetcorn and wedges. The flavour in her pie was incredible. It is not a combination i would go for myself, but it was delicious. Again, there could have been more steak inside.

All in all, Urban Pie is a good place to stop by if you want an affordable and quick, cooked meal, especially if fried fast food is not your thing. The soggy pastry and lack of steak in my filling was disappointing as I had high hopes for this place, but I would visit again, perhaps opt for one of the vegetable pies instead - and not add any extra gravy.

Have you been to Urban Pie? I think a revisit is in order despite the two cons in my first experience - the flavour was excellent and the atmosphere in the place was relaxed and homely, so I can't dismiss this place completely. You can visit their website here where locations, menu and more information are listed.