The Tramshed, Bath

‘If you don’t know what to have, just ask,’ says Gareth Thomas, manager of The Tramshed, the latest addition to Bath’s burgeoning restaurant scene. ‘All our staff are experts on the menu and wine list.’

But a glance at head chef Andy Jones’ imaginative menu makes it clear that the question is not what to have – but what not to have. With so many new restaurants relying on staples such as risotto for the veggies, sea bass and steaks, it’s a treat to find somewhere making a virtue of ingredients like kohl rabi and pomegranate molasses and cooking gambas, pork belly in Doom Bar ale, and potted duck.

The evening atmosphere is intimate and candlelit, though there’s a huge bar area for those wanting a bit of cocktail razzle dazzle. The brick walls are covered in funky art pieces and the rough-hewn, solid wooden tables and benches in the dining area make for an informal meal.

Pan-fried scallops with lime and chilli are sweet and fresh, with just the right amount of citrus, while for a feasty main, the roast rump of lamb comes with a hearty supporting cast of sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. For pudding, limoncello posset with langues de chat biscuits is the perfect preparation for the waddle home.

‘Bath is a big village,’ says Gareth. ‘And we just want to be a part of it.’ Seems to us there’s every reason to extend a very warm welcome to the new kid on the block.