Casamia, Westbury on Trym

The rise to glory of the Sanchez-Iglesias brothers, who turned their parents’ suburban pizzeria into a world class restaurant when they took it over in 2006, is well documented, but it’s still amazing to reflect on the journey that the family and this small Westbury-on-Trym neighbourhood restaurant has made. Having held a Michelin star since 2009, it was then crowned Gordon Ramsay’s best restaurant of 2010, and the wider world discovered these funky young chefs and their remarkable skill.

It seems that such accolades have given the brothers the confidence to develop their signature style further, so that dinner at Casamia is now a journey of the senses: as much about theatre as it is about eating. The menu descriptions are deliberately low on detail, meaning that anticipation is maintained. ‘Beetroot, barley, iced yoghurt, pickled fennel’ transpires to be a magenta risotto, studded with vivid green nuggets of pistachio and crunchy toasted barley flavours permeating every mouthful.

In fact, so beautiful and clever is the presentation that one pudding arrives to gasps of delight, laughter and finally a round of applause. And as the main courses are delivered to the table by the chefs themselves, diners can give their compliments to brothers Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias in person if they like.

Anyone who wants to discover more about the duo’s food philosophy and inspirations will be interested to hear that their first book, Elements, is due out at the end of the  year. In the meantime, Casamia is opening its new development kitchen, where small parties of diners can watch and taste the creative process at work. Think kitchen sink drama of the most delicious kind.

Click on the following link to see the brothers recipe for
beef and popcorn.