Goldbrick House (cafe), Bristol, 20.11.10

Goldbrick House is truly established on the Bristol cafe/bar/restaurant scene. It is a rambling but endearing place- rooms, stairs, more rooms, stairs, a roof terrace- and so on. Today was a quick and slightly late lunch in the street-level cafe. Service is slow, but eventually the pots of loose leaf tea are delivered. The eggs royale (the smoked salmon take on benedict) are pretty stingey- not abundant with hollandaise and constructed with truly "hard-poached" eggs. The cheddar and pickle sandwich is unwealdy (better suited to a trip up Snowdon) and accompanied by a mountain of blood-pressure-curdling salty chips. Next thing, the manager walks through the cafe having popped out for a Boston Tea Party take-away latte. It doesn't inspire confidence- we sort the bill and make our excuses.