Number 203b Cheltenham Road is set to become something very special in late October 2014, when two local chefs apply their learnings from working in various Bristol venues to the humble pizza.
Flour & Ash is the brainchild of Steve Gale, whose Bristol restaurant experience includes Harvey Nichols and the Victoria Park, and another, as yet nameless chef who is a talented baker and pastry chef.
The pair will be keeping things simple, relying on the quality of the local ingredients that they source. They have invested in a huge custom-built wood-fired oven, made in Gloucestershire…and if something can’t be cooked using the oven, it won’t be going on their menu.
Says Steve, “Expect a range of seasonal wood-fired, bread, meats, vegetables and shellfish as well as an innovative Bristolian take on classic and contemporary pizza toppings. We will specialise in 100% sourdough pizza left to prove for up to 72 hours with naturally occurring yeasts, creating a light crispy base where the crust is as much the star of the show as the toppings.”
When it comes to toppings, they’ll be shunning the pineapple in favour of a combination of more common topping combinations and those that are a little more different. The menu has not yet been released, but we’ve been told to expect combinations such as rare fillet steak carpaccio and fresh thyme salmoriglio, wood roast garlic ceps and Beenleigh blue cheese or butterflied sardines and caponata, as well as some more classic options like home-made fennel sausage and caramelised onions and the ‘Best of the West Four Counties’ cheese pizza.
In addition to the pizzas, Flour & Ash will be serving creative seasonal salads, wood baked breads, charcuterie, West Country cheeses and some pretty serious home made ice-cream & sorbet. They’ll also be serving a range of wines, beers and spirits supplied by Darren at Grape & Grind on Gloucester Road to complement their food offering.
Flour & Ash will be opening in late October. To find out more about their plans, visit their website, find them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.