by Louis Hessey-Antell. Find Louis on Instagram here.
**Please note: The Board Walk invited Breaks and Bites in, and paid for our food and drink (except the bottle of red wine). This in no way impacted our opinion. We were not obliged to write a positive review, and The Board Walk didn’t see this review before publication.**
The Board Walk rises from the bones of the old ship the ss Great Britain on Bristol’s harbourside, its rooms lined with reclaimed timber and ghost-lit by photographs of voyages past, a harbour haunt with banquettes, bistro tables and a wide-open terrace that lets the water breathe right at your feet. By day it’s coffee, cake and easy dining; by night it turns to weddings, meetings, music and a 6–7pm cocktail hour where Bristol’s pulse comes through the glass. Built by the ss Great Britain Trust and Elior UK, it folds heritage into hospitality, every pint and plate nudging funds back into the ship’s own survival. In a city addicted to stories and salt air, it feels less like a restaurant and more like a meeting place for anyone who wants Bristol served fresh.
We arrive at The Board Walk to spy a fairly minimalist menu designed to deliver without breaking the back of the kitchen. Placed next to the iconic ss Great Britain, we couldn’t be in more pleasant surroundings.
Helen’s starter was generous, but moreish. Chorizo, braised in cider (£10.95), naturally both sweet and savoury, smothered in beans and mingling with cherry tomatoes, it almost ruled out the dessert before we’d begun. The ham hock terrine (£11.95) I opted for was well-made. This is a great dish to do at home, so I’m pleased the kitchen thought it wise to include it. In this case, they presented it nicely and garnished it with a sweet glaze and some bitter greenery. This isn’t rocket science, but it’s a well-orchestrated menu. In the background, with the very talented Amelle providing the soundtrack, Isambard approached. We chewed the fat, literally (in my case), for several minutes before our mains arrived.
My steak was a very tasty aged sirloin (£25.95); I still haven’t worked out my favourite cut of steak, but this had a bite to it, a deep char, and an even deeper flavour. Flat irons are yet to convert me, but I’m on the sirloin side of the see-saw now, as I’m writing this. The chips were chunky, which is one of my pet hates, but the chimichurri packed vibrancy.
Helen’s herbaceous chicken leg and stock pot carrot (£17.95), moist and flavoursome, was the final reason we didn’t ask for the dessert menu. I suppose it might have been the caramelised onion mash that did her in, or perhaps the complimentary wine. Or…generosity is not the problem here. It may be an economic one. This is an incredible place, location-wise, and this is a big kitchen. I would watch this space; the impetus to make it succeed is almost incalculable.
7/10 Food
9/10 Drinks
10/10 Ambience
Overall: 8/10