I have been to ZeroDegrees 3 times in 3 months.
Each time, I never fail to order a kilo pot of mussels.
Yes, the mussels there are that good.
Mussels Thermidore
- cooked in brandy, wine, cheddar cheese, cream, mustard and parsley.
The mussels were good-sized (not like the tiny ones I had at the Belgo chain in London), and they were cooked so perfectly that one's teeth sinks in on first bite. Nothing of the chewy rubber nonsense one gets when the mussels are overcooked.
I've tried mussels done 4 ways here - Creole, Marinere and Thai Green Curry in addition to the above-mentioned Thermidore. Of all of them, Marinere stands out best in terms of taste - imagine mussels bursting in juices of butter and cream flavours in your mouth. Thermidore comes in a close second and is a must-try if you adore cheese like I do. Give it a good mix while it's hot and you'll get a sticky, cheesy mess but delicious nonetheless and that's all that really matters. Tip: ask for a spoon and dig deep to get some of those gravy at the bottom of the pot because that's where the good stuff is! Rich and flavourful - not good for the cholesterol but well worth it!
Besides mussels, and interesting beers that are brewed on the premises itself, ZeroDegrees does a wide range of pizzas and some pastas. Their cuisine seems to have international influences, with flavours like Thai Green Curry, Peking Duck and Teriyaki Chicken appearing a few times on the menu.
I've tried several of their pizzas, and Teriyaki Chicken, Peri Peri Chicken and Peking Duck Pizza stand out.
Salmon and Mascarpone Pizza
The Salmon and Mascarpone pizza is also quite a good match of ingredients. I chose to try this mainly because I love cheese (oh dear, second time I'm mentioning this in the same post) and I thought mascarpone cheese as a base instead of the usual tomato and mozarella sauce base on the pizza sounded interesting! I would have appreciated a few more slices of smoked salmon on the pizza here though.
Seafood Pizza
The seafood pizza was quite average; much lacking in wow factor.
The pizza crust here is bread-like, but about a third the thickness of what you get from your standard pizza chains.
I've never tried the pastas, but stomach-space constraints aside, my disinterest may also be due to the poor and unappealing presentation of the Porcini and Mexican Sausage Pasta my food companion ordered.
All in all though, ZeroDegrees proves to be a rare find in Bristol for good mussels. I daresay they serve mussels better than the ones I had in Melbourne (which were already quite good in their own right).
ZERODEGREES Bristol
53 Colston Street
Bristol BS1 5PB
Bristol BS1 5PB
Happy New Year everyone!
May 2012 be a year of great experiences, good company and much joy for all!
xoxo
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