NF01 November/December 2023

16 Food and Drink
FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH
The team at Bianchis Group are
energising their Italian cuisine with
a city’s worth of dining influences
PAZZO
89 Whiteladies Road, Bristol
Just round the corner from where their beloved
first restaurant Pasta Loco recently stood is the
biggest venture yet from hospitality don Dom
Borel, chef brothers Ben and Joe Harvey, and
their assorted crew. Together, they’re paying
homage to their roots with a next-level evolution
encapsulating everything the Bianchis Group
has learned since day dot. The space previously
housing Bar Humbug has undergone an 11-week
transformation, and now comprises a series
of warm, elegant dining rooms with flagstone
floors, shelves lined with fine wine, and low-hung
brown paper lanterns that cast you and your
tablemates in a satisfyingly flattering light.
Each room at Pazzo (‘crazy’ in Italian) is named
after a town or village in Lake Como and dotted
with monochrome photographs of friends –
mostly chefs – from around Bristol, emphasising
the sense of extended family, and the city’s
diverse heritage. Their Italian fare is influenced
by the many cultures that have settled here, with
its open kitchen dealing in curried goat tortellini
with jerk butter and parmesan dumpling; Cornish
crab pappardelle; hogget with San Marzano
tomatoes, potato aligot and chimichurri; and
Delica pumpkin with sage and honey.
Contained in its own breadcrumbed package in
a shallow pool of spinach cream, with a couple
of ears of romaine lettuce for fresh contrast
and crunch, the perfectly portioned cacio
e pepe lasagne is a contender for Bristol’s best;
light enough to leave room for a few puffs of
fried zeppole with lemon curd, blackberries
and pistachio to finish. We recommend getting
acquainted with the Bianchis Group’s new crazy.
Mains £17-£24
pazzobristol.co.uk
NF01