Brunch at Bill's

May and June are bittersweet months. On the one hand the sun is coming out of its winter hiding place and consequently everyone is walking around with much bigger smiles and much smaller clothes. On the other hand, for us students, the arrival of these months means one thing: exams. 

I'm not one of those people who simply disappears into a dark corner of the library with only my books and a pot of tea to keep me company. Although I do indeed do that, I prefer breaking up revision with little treats. Bill's is definitely my new exam-time treat. 

Two branches of Bill's already exist at home, one in Brighton and one in Lewes, so has been a firm favourite of mine for awhile. On my return to Bristol this term I heard on the grapevine that a brand new Bill's had just opened on the Triangle. Needless to say this news excited me greatly, so with my girls at my side I exchanged my table of notes for a table of food. 

Bill's is one of those restaurants with a real rustic charm. The walls are lined with shelves packed full of olive oils, fruit preserves, freshly squeezed juices and other delicatessen goodies. Blackboards with daily specials chalked across them are dotted around the room and, as a friend of mine so eloquently put it, 'old dried things' hang from the ceiling (the 'old dried things' being bunches of dried chiles and the like). Families, friends and couples gather around wooden tables and waitresses dart from side to side taking orders and serving food with enthusiasm. I noticed that all the staff seem to genuinely enjoy working there and I can see why. The whole place has a lovely ambience and the queue snaking out of the door was testament to this. 

Bill's serves everything from breakfast to lunch, dinner and tea. Each menu features both traditional and innovative, slightly unconventional dishes. Take the breakfast menu; the 'Bill's breakfast' features a cumberland sausage, fried free range eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, smoked streaky bacon and toast, all piled up in a big heap of breakfast deliciousness (with the added options of baked beans/bubble and squeak for a few extra pennies). However, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, get your paws on Bill's vegetarian breakfast. Although the association of the words 'vegetarian' and 'cooked breakfast' will send a shudder down any meat lover's spine, this beauty includes poached free range eggs, tomatoes, hummus, mushrooms & guacamole, sweet chilli sauce, basil and toast. Wow. This medley of Mediterranean goodness may be unconventional, but is utterly delicious. 

Technically we arrived too late for brunch so it was actually just an early lunch, meaning the breakfast menu will have to await scrutiny another day. However this was quickly forgotten as the lunch menu was a foody masterpiece. We are girls who like our food so we didn't mess about. Laura and I couldn't decide between the halloumi and the beef burger, so ordered both and split them in half. The beef burger was beautifully succulent and juicy, however I would have preferred more horseradish sauce. I imagine the sharp, hot punch would have complimented the sweet, meaty burger wonderfully, but unfortunately I couldn't really taste it. 

For me, the halloumi burger was the real star of the show. Grilled halloumi cheese, hummus, baby gem, roasted peppers, sweet chilli and yoghurt held together in a soft sesame seed bun. Pure perfection. I was worried that I would miss the beef, however halloumi is a very meaty cheese and was cooked beautifully so I barely noticed its absence. Each element of the dish complimented each other; the hummus added a creaminess, whilst the roasted peppers gave it a sweet edge and the fresh sourness of the yoghurt bound all the flavours together perfectly. Finishing such a beauty was a lamentable moment indeed. 

Moni and Elly both opted for the pan-fried salmon with roasted garlic tiger prawns. This was a work of art on its own and apparently tasted as good as it looked, whilst Becca and Iona shared the halloumi burger and marinated chicken skewers. Our fevered chat, rather comically, descended into a highly focused silence as soon as the food arrived. Munching ensued, followed by groans and eye rolls of delight. 

Despite being really quite stuffed, Moni, Elly and I nobly stepped up to the plate and nominated ourselves to sample the pudding menu. Moni sent ripples of food envy around the table with her warm mini cinnamon doughnuts with strawberries and warm chocolate dipping sauce. There is nothing quite like the smell of melted chocolate is there? Elly and I shared the pecan pie with malted banana ice cream, which was divine. The gooey middle was perfectly supported by a crumbly, buttery pastry and topped with sticky, crunchy pecans. Meanwhile, the banana ice cream provided a creamy coolness to offset the sticky sweetness of the pie. A tour de force of puds.

Luckily for me Bill's is a mere stones-throw away from the library. This may not be so lucky for my purse or waist line, but at least I can use these next few weeks as an excuse to indulge in 'utterly necessary' exam treats. Until next time Bill's. 

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