Eat, drink, smile: that is how Banglo, on the Lower Bristol Road, advertises itself. When seven of us arrived for a birthday meal, the venue was surprisingly empty. Although this resulted in a slightly muted atmosphere, we felt in no way inhibited - particularly as we were allowed free control of the sound system! The birthday girl was greeted with a personalised, complimentary and utterly delicious cocktail, which set the scene for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
The menu at Banglo changes every day, as was discovered when an environmentally conscientious (cheeky) member of the party asked the waiter whether the paper menus were recycled. As a result, all of the food is freshly prepared in small quantities, and is consequently extremely flavoursome. Wine starts at a friendly £13 a bottle: the birthday girl and I shared a very delicious Merlot, while the others saw off their bottles of white and rose with no complaints. Of course, being students, this means nothing at all, other than that it was drinkable!
While awaiting our main courses, we shared platters of bread and home made pesto, which, as well as being home made and quite spectacularly tasty, was also incredibly garlicky. So, perhaps not somewhere to take a fussy eater or a first date! The bread did not last long, and soon it was time for the real food to appear. Three of us (including myself) went for the butternut squash and rocket risotto, which was utterly fantastic: a drizzle of fragrant truffle oil finished the dish perfectly, and it was of an impeccable consistency: neither too sloppy nor too chewy. The burgers (both beef and mushroom were sampled) were apparently delectable, with particular emphasis being placed on the virtues of the (again home made) onion relish accompanying them.
Once we had all cleared our plates, the friendly and attentive waiter left a suitable period of time before appearing with the birthday cake, complete with candles spelling out my friend’s age (which, for the sake of discretion, I will not reveal). We sang a lusty chorus of “Happy Birthday”, and then tucked in. Although the cheesecake was delicious (Sainsbury’s best), it did mean we couldn’t sample the dessert menu. However, I have complete faith that they too will be fantastic!
The bill came to £20 each, including wine and a tip. I thought this was more than reasonable for an entirely pleasant evening, and I would definitely recommend a visit.
Although you may decide to avoid pesto if you have imminent designs towards intimacy, the relaxed ambience and variety of foods on offer would make it a lovely venue for a date. For a group of friends such as ourselves, it was great: we felt able to behave entirely naturally, and a lot of fun was had.
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