Turn on the Tapps

The perfect spot to wind down and down wine

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but it’s absolutely roasting at the moment and, like every other DINK (double income no kids) couple in the UK, that makes us ravenous for a pale rosé and small plates. This meant that Friday was the perfect day for us to finally get ourselves to Tapps, a relatively new addition to the nook of fantastic restaurants in the middle of Whiteladies Road, Bristol. Flanked by Pazzo and Condesa, Tapps was always going to be rolling with some of Bristol’s greats and, after a few glasses of said rosé and some delicious small plates, it was clear to see that Tapps is the perfect addition to what is now one of the greatest 50 metres of dining and drinks in Bristol.

Neil, the owner, has had plenty of experience in the game — it turns out he’s actually the landlord of our local, The Shakespeare, which explains his eye for creating venues with the perfect atmosphere and genuine charm. Neil wanted to build Tapps on the pillars of his three passions: wine, food and music. It seems he’s brought together the holy trinity in the most tasteful and considerate way to produce a venue that welcomes you and makes you want to stay all night. With stacks of records across one wall and wine taps along another, along with an enticing, open kitchen that feels like the beating heart of the restaurant; pumping out energy, creativity and great bloody scran all evening. It’s small and intimate but it’s not shy or reserved, it was busy and alive from 5pm onwards and clearly a haven for Bristol folk looking for the perfect setting for a summer’s evening.

Wine on tap has developed a considerably poor reputation over the years. If you take a short stroll down from Tapps, you’ll see the establishment which, alongside Blossom Hill, are probably responsible for this. Now don’t get me wrong, I will never knock a Spoons; they pretty much moulded me into the man I am from the age of 17 to a few months ago, but the piss-wine that comes out of their pipes is not the same as what's going on at Tapps.

Neil’s curated an impressive selection of wines that are sourced sustainably and taste fantastic. Most importantly, they do not resemble the urine from down the road at all — complex but not pretentious or overwhelming. The number of wines and variety seem just right to provide something for everyone but not so extensive that it feels like the menu of your local Chinese takeaway.

What we all want to know about is the food. Tapps offers small plates with a menu that leaves you feeling spoilt for choice. Not because it's 10 pages long, but because the one page they have reads so well, it’s near impossible to only choose a handful that you'd like. Everything was exquisite, from the bavette steak and perfectly balanced chimichurri, to the best panzanella salad I’ve had. Every dish was presented beautifully, they were all exciting and enticing and tasted balanced and bold when needed. It was a real treat.

Mango Lassi Froyo

Seeing as it is actually too bloody hot (let’s just admit it now and stop pretending we can’t), I think this week’s recipe deserves to be a cold treat. This mango lassi ice cream is technically a frozen yoghurt, which I guess makes it slightly healthier too? It’s refreshing and delicious and the perfect dessert to pull out on these scorching evenings.

Ingredients:

• Greek yoghurt - 240ml

• Mango pulp - 240ml

• Honey - 2 tbsp

• Lime - ½

• Cardamom pods - 4-6

• Cinnamon - ¼ tsp

• Pistachios - handful

• Mango - 1

Recipe tips:

1. Use good Greek yoghurt. Brands such as Yeo Valley are fantastic but, if you prefer to buy supermarket labelled yoghurt, I think Morrisons make the best one.

2. Where to buy mango pulp? I’ve seen it in a number of big Tesco stores down the world food aisle, alternatively head to your local south asian supermarket.

3. Which mangoes? You really need to head to a green grocer or south asian supermarket for these. We’re looking for Alphonso or Kesar mangos - they taste SO much better than what you generally find in supermarkets.

Method:

1. Bash the cardamom pods and discard the shells. Place the small balls in a pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Add this to a bowl along with the yoghurt, mango pulp, honey, juice from half a lime and cinnamon. Whisk together until fully incorporated.

2. At this stage you have two options depending on whether you have an ice cream machine or not

   1. Pour into your ice cream machine and churn for 20-30 minutes. Once the frozen yoghurt has formed, decant into a container and freeze until you want to eat it.

   2. Pour into an ice tray and freeze until solid. Then blend in a food processor until smooth.

3. In the meantime make the garnish. Toast pistachios in a dry pan over medium heat for about 4 minutes then roughly chop. Peel and dice the mango.

4. Serve the frozen yoghurt, topped with pistachios and fresh mango.