BOX-E — Restaurant in Bristol

We were really fortunate to be able to book our places at The Kitchen Table for the Seven Course Taster Menu on Saturday lunchtime at quite short notice. Even though we submitted our enquiry through the Box-E website on a Sunday evening when the restaurant is closed, Tess responded very quickly that same evening and continued to do so until we had got our booking arranged.

Comprising two shipping containers, Box-E is very compact and therefore only seats a maximum of 14 guests at normal tables and up to four others at a stainless steel 'breakfast bar' overlooking the kitchen area and where the taster menu is normally served. The lack of space does mean that you need to get up from your seat if the guests sat inside you need to get out but that small inconvenience is well worth putting up with for the overall dining experience.

When we arrived and were at the breakfast bar Elliott immediately greeted us and checked whether we had any allergies or any particular foods that we didn't like. As the only thing I don't like is broad beans he told me I was in luck as he wasn't using them!

Throughout our meal, which lasted over three hours!, Elliott chatted to us; not only about the dishes that he was serving but general chit chat too. It really was like going to a friend's house for a meal.

Watching Elliott prepare not only our dishes but also a la carte choices for another 11 guests was fascinating. We were left in awe at the way he managed to do all of this in what is effectively a tiny galley kitchen area (everything is so well laid out and organised) without once getting flustered or anything going wrong. He really is a master of his craft and the appearance and taste of the food he served really emphasised that.

Everything was absolutely delicious and made even better by the flight of wines that we were served. These perfectly matched each course that was served and at £30 were good value, given the quality of the wines. Each glass served also came with a detailed description of where it came from, the grapes and methods used to make the wine etc.

Apparently the Kitchen Table is now fully booked for every Saturday evening through to the end of August and, based on our experience, deservedly so. It's not cheap but it's definitely worth treating yourself to.

Finally we had forgotten to make a note of the wines that we had enjoyed so dropped Tess an email. She responded at 2am on the Sunday morning, even though she, Elliott and their daughters were setting off on a well-deserved holiday that morning!

With service and food like that, we definitely will...

Box-E is simply fabulous! Despite a plethora of spectacular restaurants to choose from at Wapping Wharf, selecting Box-E for this year’s birthday lunch was an easy decision to make having read and heard so many tremendous reviews. Consequently, to say I had high expectations is an understatement. Nevertheless, not only did Box-E meet these but blew all my expectations out the water. I had one of the best meals I have ever had.

Let’s begin with the space. Set in the delightful cargo units at Wapping Wharf, the restaurant includes a cosy indoor section that isn’t too noisy at all and a picturesque outdoor seating area which, with the aid from heaters, keeps one warm even on a cold crisp day. We selected the outdoor section and were very pleased as it was extremely quiet and felt private despite its public setting.

Next the menu. You know with a compact menu like this there is no where to hide, but each dish is special with a lot of care and consideration going into every plate. As each dish is so varied and unique you can guarantee that you will find something on the menu to tantalise your imagination. So no matter if you’re vegetarian, pescatarian or have no dietary requirements you will be able to enjoy something from this most remarkable of menus featuring seasonal delights of magical excellence.

But what about the service, well it’s second to none. Tess makes each and every guest feel very special, with a friendly welcome and a wonderfully warm personality. Tess just made everyone feel so relaxed and joyful throughout the meal, the perfect balance between attentive without ever being bothersome. To put the cherry on top of the cake, when my dessert came they even wrote happy birthday on the plate in chocolate, what more can you ask for.

Now for the most important aspect of all, the food. What more can I say than fabulous! Everything was cooked to pure and utter perfection, seasoned beautifully to ensure the wonderful flavours of the dish were flawlessly heightened. Furthermore, each plate had the most faultless combination of textures making every mouthful a pure delight. Living with a top class cook that delivers delicious food daily means I am always critical of restaurant meals as they often don’t reach the standards I am use to at home. Which makes me sound very stuck up, however I hope you can appreciate thats it’s difficult not to compare. But Box-E I can safely say managed to surpass my high standards test with...

We tried the surprise tasting menu and it was good, if unmemorable. Every dish was carefully prepared, with balanced flavours and textures, from a velvety celeriac soup with a scallop sliver and curry aroma to start, to a delightfully wobbly and almost creamy (as it should be) pannacotta to end, through a beetroot and spelt risotto, a smoked trout with hispi cabbage, a duck with lentils and a cod with butter beans. Nothing stood out however, with dishes lacking a bit of oomph and personality and flavours tending to muted

If in terms of food this was a solid 4 out of 5, what rather destroyed the day for us was the room: with below zero outside, a metal box with no proper heating, gusts of icy air continuously coming in from the opening of the door (for the outside service), a poorly functioning dimplex just spreading the cold air against us, was no fun. In fact, we realised we would have better off on the terrace, with the heating lamps beside diners, than at our table inside right in front of the door. We were unlucky, as I guess that on most other days of the year it's tolerable, but I'm reporting our experience.

Prices are fair, service was friendly but not very caring. They could clearly see we were cold, yet they kept leaving...