Myristica Restaurant
Welshback, Bristol
0117 927 22 77
www.myristica.co.uk/

One of the things I enjoy most about running a food blog is getting recommendations from our readers on restaurants we are yet to try. Not too long ago one of our readers got in touch to recommend Myristica on Welshback.

Eager to try Myristica for myself, I made a beeline for them at the next possible opportunity, a team night out.

First to dispel a couple if myths…
1) I’d been told Myristica was a BYO however on ringing up to reserve a table found this was not the case.
2) google maps is confusing as it shows them to be on Kings Street. Go with the website info not google, Myristica is on the corner of Welshback (next to hole in the wall, opposite severn shed)

We arrived to a warm and polite welcome and were shown straight to out table. First impressions were great, the decor is a million miles away from that of your usual Indian restaurant; modern with flashes of colour, a clear Indian theme but tasteful and understated.

We started with a round of poppadoms and chutneys. The chutneys were impressive, the mango chutney was tangy with a real kick, onion salad was very good as was the raita. The prawn crackers which accompanied the poppadoms were slightly disconcerting and the cause of some bewildered glances from Cloe, Dave and I.

So a nice albeit confusing start. The chutneys had certainly shown that this was a place which could rock out with some pretty good food, however the prawn crackers left us all feeling a bit nervous of what to expect from our main courses.

As it turned out, we had nothing to worry about. The main courses were all fantastic – truly fantastic. Myristica without doubt makes some of the best curries in town.

Cloe went for tandoori chicken on the bone. Beautifully succulent and really tender, nicely presented and very much enjoyed.

As per usual I panicked trying to decide whether to go for an old favourite or to try something new. In the end I went for the waiter’s recommendation, Dhaba Murgh, a chicken curry from rural India mace with tomatoes, onion, coriander and yoghurt. Subtly spiced and very rich and really tasty.

Dave’s course was arguably the most most exciting of all three, a lamb stew invented by the Mullah Do Piaza, cook for the Mughal Emperor Akbar, builder of the Taj Mahal. This was delicious, Dave was generous enough to let us have a try and it really was mouth watering. The flavours worked in perfect harmony to give a flavoursome and warming dish.

In addition to the mains we had a couple of naan breads, Keema and Peshwari and a Sag Panner (the spinach one with Indian fried cheese). This was really incredible, the Panner cheese simply melted in your mouth and the spinach was cooked and creamed to perfection. A side dish which is going to be hard to beat.

Myristica aims to bring a five star experience to Indian food, and I think it succeeds. A lot of thought has gone in to refining their dining experience to ensure food is to a high standard, including recruiting chefs from some if then top hotels in India. We enjoyed the more formal restaurant, it worked and made a nice change from the regular curry house vibe.

The downside is that it’s more expensive. Our bill came to £80 for three of us including the side orders and drinks, don’t get me wrong it’s definitely worth the money however not the right place if you’re looking for a cheap bite.

All in all an excellent meal from a recommendation I’m pleased that I followed. Myristica has firmly placed itself as a more upmarket establishment and is the place to go if you’re looking for a premium Indian dining experience where food, restaurant and service are all top quality.