No. Two bars and a bistro isn’t the arch rival of Four Poofs and a Piano, the legendary house band on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (now there’s a TV throwback :)). It’s a quick little blog about our two favourite bars in beautiful Bath - The Confessional and Circo Bar & Lounge, plus a 2016-opened bistro we tried out recently - Chez Dominique.
If you’re doing ‘Dry January’ and planning to end that in style, then this might be of interest. If you didn’t do it but you can't stop thinking about where your next mojito’s coming from… then this might be of interest! :)
It goes without saying that when it comes to a night out there’s tons of choice in Bath, but if you’re after a chic spot for a cheeky cocktail you won’t go far wrong dropping by Circo on George Street. Here’s why we love it.
One - the interior’s stylish and relaxed, with a touch of opulence thrown in for good measure. There are lots of places to sink back into a Chesterfield, or a plush armchair, with your favourite tipple in hand. If you’re after an after-work drink, the soundtrack adds to the chilled feel. There’s also live acoustic music on Tuesdays, live Cuban music on Wednesdays and if you’re out on a Friday or Saturday, the DJ’s playing a mix of funk, soul, disco, house and electro tunes could be just what the weekend ordered!
Two - we got a little bit addicted to their Peach Daiquiri (ooh and their 'Pinch of Peach' cocktail and hmmmm… basically their anything with peach in). The point is the cocktailsrock and the guys behind the bar are great at making them. That’s why they also hold cocktail making masterclasses, if you fancy shaking it like Tom Cruise did in that film once!
Three - there’s a decent selection of nibbles and of course we all like a nibble… especially when it’s from award winning chef Rob Clayton! :)
If you fancy something a little more underground, or you’ve got a secret to get off your chest, go along to The Confessional - a gorgeous bar in the basement vaults of the 1716 iconic octagon building on Milsom Street.
We properly love this place! It feels like you’ve discovered a hideaway in a bygone prohibition era and with stone booths, low lighting, carefully crafted cocktails and a smooth wine selection, if we were going to confess all the bad stuff we’ve ever done it’d probably be here!! Lots of people have done just that by writing down their sins and popping them on the wall (love that). Someone confessed they had a threesome whilst dressed as a minion (stop judging ;), but my favourite one is possibly this...
Yes. I know you'd just google 'Who is Jean Claude Van Damme', but it made me giggle anyway!
Right. Other stuff you need to know is it’s table service only, the bar tenders are incredibly knowledgable and if you're a vodka fan, they serve Black Cow pure milk vodka here. If you're not, (a vodka fan that is) Black Cow is the world’s only vodka made totally from the milk of grass-grazed cows. Moo!
We also love the way your bill is brought straight to you in a book - ours was 'The Discovery of Poetry'. Alright, alright, we confess! It's the small details that get us going!
And so on to ‘the bistro’. With a focus on modern French cooking, it’s Chez Dominque, on Argyle Street (where Le Flamma used to be). Owners Sarah and Chris (the ex-Executive Chef at Bowood House) named it after their 3 year-old son, Dominic. That made us feel all warm and smiley and there’s a warm welcome for everyone who visits too - friendly staff and service pitched at just the right level; attentive, but not in yer face! (technical service term there).
Menus change frequently based on seasonal themes and local market availability (here’s a sample one) and if you’re after honest, simple dishes with bags of flavour, you’ll love this intimate little place.
Our goats curd was beautiful, our seabass as fresh as they come… but admittedly when we were there, the prosecco was flowing and I was obsessed with the spider chandelier :)
So, we’ll go back again for a nice leisurely lunch I think - sit by the window, take in every little detail and look out over the bustling street with a cold glass of vino - nice.
P.S. Chez Dominique also has a private room at the back of the building overlooking the Weir, which is just gorgeous (as this pic from their Twitter hints at).
Update 2017 - We're gutted to say that The Confessional has now closed. Someone, somewhere resurrect it please!