Lapin is already one of the city’s most talked about new openings
Lapin head chef Jack Briggs-Horan and co-owner Dan Regan(Image: Ed Schofield)
Beady-eyed readers will be forgiven for thinking I’ve already reviewed new Bristol restaurant Lapin.
And, yes, I did write about it after eating there on the first day it opened a month ago, although it was a quick lunch and the review was based around the restaurant’s good value £29 set menu.
Since the opening week, Lapin has seen reviewers and influencers – as well as ‘normal’ diners – flock to this converted shipping container at Cargo 2 in the shadows of the MShed.
But then head chef Jack Briggs-Horan and co-owner Dan Regan have built up a bit of a cult following on the Bristol food scene in recent years thanks to their award-winning Bank restaurant in Totterdown.
After my impressive opening day lunch, I was eager to return to Lapin for dinner as soon as possible to try the main a la carte menu.
On a midweek evening, Lapin was doing a brisk trade by the time we arrived with a couples, larger groups and even a Michelin-star chef quietly enjoying a solo ‘day off’ dinner.
New restaurant Lapin at Cargo 2, Wapping Wharf(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
The food at Lapin is a contemporary take on classic French brasserie dishes and it’s an extensive menu considering the fact the cramped open kitchen is about the size of a domestic one, albeit one with four sweaty chefs working cheek by jowl.
We kicked off with a dish of glossy, gobstopper-size Provencal olives (£4) and thick slices of warm baguette with proper salted butter (£4).
A generous starter of creamy rabbit rillettes (£14) with plenty of shredded bunny meat was served with a jammy, tangy carrot confiture and vinegary cornichons to cut through the richness of the rillettes.
Brixham scallops and lobster bisque(Image: Bristol Live)
Two Brixham scallops (£14) the size of a newborn’s fist were perfectly cooked in their shells and teamed with a robust Lobster bisque and toasted breadcrumbs adding crunch.
Crisp-skinned and juicy confit duck leg (£27) arrived on a cassoulet of creamy, herby beans with bite-size pieces of kielbasa, a smoky Polish sausage with a real snap.
The confit duck at Lapin(Image: Bristol Live)
A super-fresh skate wing (£28) was cooked with real care, the flesh falling off the bones, and covered with a blanket of lightly curried Vadouvan butter and fragrant, salty sea vegetables.
Crunchy, fluffy duck fat chips (£5) and green beans (£5) topped with garlicky persillade were the only side dishes required, more as vehicles for leftover sauces.
To finish, a sharp and refreshing apple sorbet (£8) was served with a shot of bracing Somerset apple cider brandy.
Pain perdu, apples and vanilla ice cream(Image: Bristol Live)
Buttery pain perdu (£9) was paired with slices of cooked apple and vanilla ice cream for a classic French finale.
There were wines, too, well-sourced French ones from a large selection by the glass thanks to the restaurant’s use of the clever Coravin system which keeps opened bottles in perfect condition for several days.
Service from white jacketed waiting staff was sharp, convivial and knowledgeable – it’s always nice to be served by people who have clearly eaten the dishes and sampled the wines they are explaining to diners.
It was good to be back at Lapin so soon – it’s already one of Bristol’s most talked about new openings and it’s already firing on all cylinders.
Lapin, Cargo 2, Museum Street, behind the MShed, Bristol.