• Outstanding, innovative food.

  Rating - Overall: 5  Food: 5  Service: 4  Ambience: 5

  

  iainpb
  Gastronome
  Member since Sep 08
  Rating: 3

  17 Jul 2009

  Casamia offer well executed modern Italian food in relaxing contemporary suroundings. The restaurant is a little piece of Italy set down a European style piazza, the tiled floors and cool white walls all contribute to the impression of being in a trattoria far away from Bristol.

  From the puffed polenta amuse bouche through to the playful deconstructed tiramisu every dish of the tasting menu was truly outstanding.

  The a la carte menu is small offering only a few dishes and steers you in the general direction of the six or ten course tasting menus, both available with wine flights.

  We embarked on the six course menu which starts with a clever Ferran Adria stlye combination of chilled lime juice and hot gin foam theatrically created at your table from a soda siphon. The contrasts between temperatures and foams is very enjoyable,a fun start to the meal and leaves you wanting another, if only these were on the digestif menu.

  After the first course a perfectly crispy freshly baked loaf arrived at the table along with evening's menu to browse again whilst waiting for the courses.

  The beetroot risotto paired well with pickled fennel led onto a perfectly soft salmon poached in olive oil, tasting subtly of good oil without a hint of greasiness. The salmon was served with a puree of black salsify and a vibrant lemon emulsion. Followed by an excellently prepared quail, it was tender and well accompanied by celeriac puree.

  A pleasantly surprising risotto of apple and turnip bridged the end of the main courses with dessert. This dish can really not be explained and must be tasted, it was an amazing fusion of textures and tastes and topped off with truffle.

  The deconstructed tiramisu was a very well thought out dish and finished the meal on a high point. Until now deconstruction had only been something I had read about. Amaretto jelly cubes, a coffee soaked sponge and rich cherry emulsion combined into the perfect dessert.

  I enjoyed the wine flight, although some of the wines were not what I would perhaps order myself, they were skillfully matched to the food and of good quality. As we ordered the tasing menu we were not presented with the usual wine list so I did not have a chance to see the wines ofered by the bottle. Water is provided, but only bottled water was offered.

  The food is practically faultless as is service, the staff are genuinely friendly and have an intimate knowledge of each dish. Only once did the service fall slightly short between the fourth and fifth courses with a wait of just over 30 minutes, unfortunately this was also the course without wine. This interrupted a menu that otherwise flowed perfectly.

  Casamia easily ranks as the finest restaurant I have visted so far and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. The six course tasting menu with wine flight for two, two digestifs and service came in at around £110.

  Visited: July 7, 2009
  What I ate: Six course tasting menu with wine flight

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