Giraffe Bristol Review

02/10/2013

1,407 3 minutes read

Giraffe
Cabot Circus, Bristol

www.giraffe.net

Reviewed by Merrion Murgatroyd

We spent a fantastic few hours at Giraffe in Cabot Circus, Bristol and can highly recommend it for couples and families alike. Upon arrival the aroma of fried garlic welcomed us in, where we were welcomed with a friendly smile and seated in a large soft-benched booth with plenty of room. It wasn't heaving but there were enough diners for us to realise we had made a good choice of venue. A party of 20+ were being well looked after, yet the evening shoppers and couples on dates were catered for with supreme care. We could have sat outside (this would have been inside a partly external shopping centre so we chose not to) for a more cafe feel.

The decor is modern and bright, yet not in your face, with adequate lighting and music on low. The walls were decorated with quotes about food and drink to entice you to look at the menu and the whole restaurant was clean.

The bar person was making cocktails as we went after 5pm on a weekday so the cocktails were half price, and seemingly very popular! We ordered a mojito and a mango and lime daiquiri but asked for the latter to be alcohol free – this was no problem and again, was delivered fresh and with a smile. The drinks were of good size – I had wondered if the size would be smaller during 'Bar Buddies ' time but they weren't.

The menu was enticing – prior to our visit we knew that they served burgers as a friend had been and recommended it – but hadn't realised how big the menu choice would be. Pasta, burgers, ribs, steaks, plenty of veggie options – we were spoilt for choice. The smaller plates (starters) and appetisers had a wide range to choose from, and when the appetiser arrived as a starter for my partner we realised why they were more expensive than the starters – they're huge!

We settled on a mini mezzo which consisted of 3 falafels, tabbouleh, tzatziki, smoky roasted red pepper & currant relish and an Orange BBQ Duck Tostada which was a crisp corn tortilla topped with sticky orange pepper BBQ duck, shredded salad & fresh red chilli. Both were delicious – the orange quite peppery but needed for the taste over the duck. Both portions were good sizes for the price. For our main course we chose the Giraffe burger with extra avocado and the chorizo carbonara pasta. We were offered garlic bread on the side but we knew by now that the portion sizes were more than adequate, so turned this offer down. Neither meal was disappointing at all – the burger was cooked 'medium' – as standard in Giraffe unless you specify otherwise and wasn't over or undercooked and there was plenty of the avocado. There was plenty of chorizo in the carbonara, which was creamy and slightly spicy – it made a nice change from regular carbonara. A jug of water was supplied for us and was readily topped up although we enjoyed a few soft drinks on the side which were again, a reasonable price and a good size. I would have liked to have seen free top ups on the soft drinks , only because this seems to be what many restaurants are now doing, but it wasn't a problem.

The dessert menu is separate, and although pricey compared to the main courses, the desserts are of good size and amazing quality. I had the chocolate mousse with cream and amaretto topping and my partner enjoyed the chocolate brownie, which was warm from the oven and clearly freshly baked.

The toilets were very clean and the soap was being topped up as I visited, so the staff are clearly keeping a close eye on the cleanliness. There is a separate baby change toilet should you need it and wooden highchairs were plentiful and available.

All staff were polite and attentive and genuinely looked like they wanted to work there. They had a good rapport with each other and the customers.

I would highly recommend this branch of Giraffe and the menu as a whole. It compares favourably with those in its immediate surroundings and I wouldn't hesitate to visit again.

Rating: 5/5