The Man’s ‘day job’ took us down to Bristol and we took the opportunity to go out for dinner with one of his colleagues and their husband. Having previously dined at Scoozi (the local Italian restaurant in Clevedon) for lunch, we thought we’d see what it’s like in the evening, and booked a table for dinner.
Well, if first impressions were anything to go by, Scoozi does a cracking evening offering; the vast majority of tables were already occupied, with ours and another three near the open kitchen still being vacant. There was a lively buzz of chatter throughout, and the beat of background music enhanced the happy vibes. Looking a bit closer, I could see that diners were comprised of couples, groups of friends and families (I didn’t spot any young children, but it was a school night so maybe they were waiting for the weekend?).
Our server quickly got us sorted with drinks and ran through that days’ specials, then left us to decide what we fancied. His Nibs went for the Calamari (£11.50), a choice that his colleague and her husband also decided to have as a sharer between them, and I opted for the Burrata (£13). We didn’t have long to wait before our first course appeared, and we began to tuck in.
I think the loud atmosphere (and the fact that I was seated at the rear of our banquette table) had led our server to make the error with my starter: instead of Burrata and Pomodoro, I got the handmade Pork and Sage Polpette (meatballs, £9.50) with Arrabiatta sauce. I’d been too busy yapping and hadn’t examined the dish closely, and it was only as I cut into it that I realised it wasn’t creamy, oozy Burrata; rather, it was a firmer meatball!
Notifying our server immediately, she said to keep the Polpette and she would return with the Burrata asap (which was within a couple of minutes: Chef was all over it!). Now that’s what you call customer care! I didn’t have any Polpette myself, as I really wanted the clean, light Burrata, but the rest of the table tucked in said how delicious it was. The Burrata was marvellous, as was the crispy, well-seasoned Calamari – and both dishes were pleasingly sizeable. With the mistake rectified, our server was very happy to hear our plentiful, positive feedback as she did her check-back.
For mains, two of our party had chosen meals from the specials section: Gnocchi in a Broth, and the Beef Short-Rib. I had Risotto Amalfi (Arborio Risotto with Tiger Prawns, Crab and Crevettes, £20.95), and the other male in our party had the 8oz Sirloin, medium-rare, £29.95. Presentation of all four mains was excellent and we were offered fresh Parmesan once everyone was served.
The Sirloin steak was deemed to be tender and flavoursome, with a spot-on classic garnish of Field Mushroom, Vine Tomato and golden hand-cut Chips, and the Beef Short-Rib was equally delicious, falling off the bone. If Italians did a version of Pad Thai, the Gnocchi special would be it; comforting, bursting with flavours and textures, packed with colourful vegetables, and down-right magnificent. Needless to say, this bowl was absolutely spotless when His Nibs’ colleague had finished. My Risotto was gorgeous, the rice perfectly al dente and bound in a creamy, Marsala and Parm-pimped sauce. There was plenty of seafood to savour, too, and all of it was sweet and fragrant.
We skipped dessert as the two previous courses had been more than filling, but The Man had a black coffee and his co-worker had a cream-topped Irish Coffee. Having finished the drinks, it was time to head back to the hotel; thankfully, a walk was required to get back, which helped to digest our meal.
Hot Wings given to Scoozi for their evening menu; next time we visit, it might be a good time to reacquaint ourselves with their lunch dishes. Scoozi is closed on Tuesday, open Weds-Thurs Noon-2pm, then 5.30-10pm; Fri-Sat Noon-2pm, then 5.30-10.30pm; Sunday Noon-4pm; Monday Noon-2pm, then 5.30-10pm. To book a table call 01275 877516, or visit www.scooziclevedon.co.uk and hit the ‘book’ button.
