Christmas Pre-Theatre Menu at Bistrot Pierre

Tis the season to visit the theatre, whether for a traditional panto or an elegant ballet, and Bath is full of great places to get a bite to eat first. Recently I was invited to try the new Christmas pre-theatre menu at Bistrot Pierre, on George St, and naturally I couldn’t resist. The bistrot are offering two courses for £16.95 before 6.30pm each evening, and the menu includes some of their most delicious dishes – definitely worth checking out.

Since we both love savoury dishes, and bearing in mind that one must always have an ice cream during the interval at the theatre, my dining companion and I both elected to have a starter and a main as our two courses. We began with mini chorizos roasted in honey while we studied the menu, plus a glass of Corbières Château du Vieux Parc to wash it down – highly recommended as a staff favourite when it comes to red wine. For me, the choice of starter was extremely simple: my absolute favourite thing, duck and pork rillettes, served with bread, unsalted butter and sharp little cornichons. The flavours were utterly delicious and I couldn’t help finishing the whole thing, although I must admit I thought the texture should have been firmer for a proper rillettes. My dining companion started with a roasted butternut squash soup, with Gruyere cheese and pumpkin seeds, which he pronounced delicious, even though he’s not usually a French cheese kind of a guy.

For my main course, I ordered a rump steak – in my opinion, always a great test of a restaurant, as it’s so often neglected as the simple option, when in fact its simplicity means that every detail must be just right. I’m happy to report that it was absolutely scrumptious, perfectly cooked and served with a lovely roasted garlic and green herb butter. My dining companion chose roasted chicken breast with chestnuts, chipolata, and red wine jus, which he really enjoyed but which I must confess I found a little dry.

Our waitress, Rebecca, was genuinely warm and friendly, and the service was prompt throughout – a key detail for any restaurant looking to serve the pre-theatre crowd! Highly recommended.

Images Copyright Sal Godfrey / Sal’s Kitchen

Visit her blog at www.salskitchen.blogspot.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @sal_godfrey.