Walcot House
Bath, Somerset
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Originally a bakehouse and later a Jägerbomb-fuelled student hangout, Walcot House now attracts a lively crowd with its offer of a clubby dance venue/nightclub, cocktail bar and stylish restaurant. The space is filled with natural light during the day, when locals drop by for breakfast, coffee and light bites, although it has an altogether sexier vibe come evening. The whole place has an exuberant buzz, so get in the mood with an up-to-the minute cocktail from the Dilly Bar, before sampling the restaurant’s wares. Walcot’s owners also run the local butcher’s, specialising in native breeds and ageing all their meat on-site – sample the quality by ordering a well-seasoned beef tartare (complete with capers, silky rich confit egg yolk and some West Country pecorino). After that, a ribeye steak cooked on the bone has a powerful meaty flavour – just add some buttery, garlicky roasties, and baby gem with pancetta and sourdough croûtons in a pleasant Caesar dressing. The kitchen also shows its mettle when it comes to day-boat fish – perhaps seared hand-dived scallops with smoky roasted cauliflower and sweet/salty caper and raisin purée followed by delicate lemon sole embellished with the saline zing of marsh samphire. Desserts are mostly classics such as pain perdu with roasted plums and vanilla Chantilly or Valrhona chocolate mousse with olive oil and smoked salt. The staff get full marks for their warm, welcoming attitude and their seamless attention to detail; they also talk passionately about the wine list – we landed on a ‘lip-smacking’ Cabernet Sauvignon from the Yarra Valley, Australia.
