REVISITED- "Caper & Cure" restaurant Bristol.

Second visits to restaurants are fraught with danger. Like movie sequels (or even PREquels as is the current trend), "Godfather" aside they're never as good. Things which delighted you the first time can turn into "I see they haven't changed the wine of the week" moments, dishes which were a revelation have something to be compared to second time around.

Given all of that and given how much I loved Caper & Cure the first time, I was almost reluctant to go again. I was happy to leave it as one one of those "remember that time we went to that little place?..." restaurants, where we could play the "you ordered the fish, I had the steak, oh and do you remember the olives!" game. I didn't want to ruin it, it seemed wrong.

Still, I was outvoted (just for a change like) and we went again last night. It is with great relief that I can report that it was incredible. Yes we had the olives, the sourdough with "jamon butter", (kind of butter mixed with ham hock fat, it's amazing), salt hake croquette thingies etc, they were all fab. BUT!, but let me tell you about my starter and main, both off the specials board.

I had crab on toast for starter. I'm not going to waffle on about it, it was sensational. Fresh, subtle and beautiful. Then, I had a whole lemon sole, with shrimps, lentils & stem broccoli in a buttery, creamy kind of sauce. It was absolutely sensational, best bit of fish I've had in a restaurant for years.

Sheesh if this place was in Wimbledon you'd NEVER be able to get a table, it's just a beautiful place to eat. The guys waiting on are attentive and knowledgeable, all jeans, checked shirts not tucked in, Skechers etc. There's a beard or two, the music is kind of funky James Brown, the lights are right, the table spacing spot on.

You MUST go, it's a 10/10 from me. I absolutely love this place.

My review-"The power of the dog" film.

I'm no film buff, by no means one of those oiks who can recite passages from Pulp Fiction, or who claim to have "really liked" Million Dollar Baby. I do like a good movie though, the best ones are like signposts to your life. We can all remember the first time we saw The Godfather, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Midnight Cowboy and the like.

Over the years I've watched less films, time becomes more difficult to set aside as the kids get older. I do like to keep up though. To that end, the Oscars have become for me the little fella with the glasses (normally called "Pete") in Blockbusters who would steer you in the direction of a "must watch". Whether it was About Last Night or The Usual Suspects, Pete rarely got it wrong. Neither do the Oscars usually (obvious exceptions like choosing Forrest Gump over Shawshank as "best film" aside), so I kind of depend on "the academy" to give me a steer. When a movie is obviously going to win loads of awards, I actively seek it out.

So, "The Power Of The Dog", tipped to win everything on offer aside from animation (possibly). 

The perceptive amongst you will have realised I've written lots of words without actually talking about the film. There's a reason for that, it's shite. It starts off really slow, slows down a bit in the middle, then grinds to a halt before the credits.

I've read some people saying that it "makes you think", (these are normally the same kinds who wax lyrical about the "cinematography"). In a sense they're right, it certainly caused me to think alright. I thought about all the things I COULD have done with the two hours I spent watching it. I thought of hundreds of things, and with the possible exception of ramming wasps up my arse, ALL of them would have been more enjoyable.

Seriously, watch it if you must (and you probably "must" if you like films and want to keep up), but save me the lectures about cinematography and "mood".

The king is in his all together here. Let's not pretend or kid each other, let's just call this film for what it is, bollocks.