He’s on a mission. MARK TAYLOR wants to eat at The Clifton Sausage without at any point

tasting their signature dish. They’ve a new manager here, and a new head chef too – the

evocatively named Brendo Fortuna – but the loyal regulars are reassuringly familiar…

After working At Jamie’s Italian, it took a while for new manager Scott McIntosh to acclimatise to life at The Clifton Sausage. Working in a busy branded restaurant in Park Street invariably meant a high footfall of diners, but it was a far more transient crowd and perhaps not the sort of place you get to know the regulars on first-name terms.

It’s a bit different at the Sausage, which has a fiercely loyal band of regulars, both in the bar and the restaurant. In fact, Scott tells me one of the bar staff at the Sausage has been there almost since it opened 11 years ago, and he knows the locals so well that he usually has their drinks poured and ready, waiting for them before they even get to the bar.

Last summer marked the tenth anniversary of The Clifton Sausage, which, in restaurant terms, is a significant milestone – certainly these days, when you consider how many new openings struggle to make their first or second birthday.

With its chunky pine tables, ‘Van Gogh’ chairs, burgundy and buttermilk paintwork and mix of wood and stone floors, it feels as much like a country village pub as it does a city restaurant.

Family friendly and appealing to a wide cross-section of diners, the place was nicely busy when we visited, with a fair smattering of Mary Berry-like ladies and silverhaired, tweedy gents ordering goldfish bowl-sized glasses of Bordeaux Superieur from the ‘big and serious reds’ section of the wine list. There has been a recent change in the kitchen here as the brilliantly named Brendo Fortuna has stepped up to the mark as head chef since long-serving Giles Sampson left at the end of last year.

Brendo must be one of the only Filipino chefs to master British classics like pan-fried calves liver with parsnip mash and braised red cabbage, or treacle tart with Chew Valley double cream. His manager says he’s one of the most gifted chefs he’s ever worked with.

Sausages, as the name suggests, are at the core of the menu, but there are plenty of alternatives to the half dozen banger-and-mash options. Indeed, it’s the broad menu and gastropub-like informality that makes The Clifton Sausage such a perennial favourite. At lunchtime, the set menu of two courses for £9.50 (or three for £11.50) is exceptional value considering the choices might include a starter of Loch Duart salmon and herb fishcake, followed by smoked haddock, spinach, poached free-range egg and hollandaise sauce.

From the main menu I ordered the soufflé, mainly because it’s always a better test of a kitchen than a deli platter or soup of the day. Call me cruel, but if I’m reviewing a place I like to hear the frantic sound of the whisk hitting a metal bowl and the thought of the chef breaking into a sweat as he or she waits to see if their souffle has risen to the challenge.

Thankfully, the twice-baked Dorset Blue Vinny soufflé (£6) here certainly didn’t require any culinary Viagra. Rather than the light and airy souffle you often find in Michelin-starred gaffs – the ones that often need to be weighted down for fear of floating up to the ceiling – this was light but more like a soft, intensely cheesy sponge perched in a moat of equally rich and cheesy sauce. It was delicious, as was an accompanying salad of frisée, rocket, radicchio and sweet caramelised walnuts that was well dressed, fresh and springy.

From the daily specials, I plumped for the roast fillet of cod with mussels, king prawns, spring onions and potato stew (£14). It was a substantial fisherman’s-style dish comprising a thick piece of cod with large, pearly flakes, half a dozen mussels in their shells and the same number of handsome king prawns. The creamy, almost chowderlike sauce was flecked with spring onions, diced carrots and slices of potato.

The meal ended on even more of a high, thanks to the Bramley apple crumble (£5.50) with its loose, buttery rubble topping and generous filling of tart apple purée and plump, rum-sozzled sultanas. Well, that and the jug of really good homemade, vanilla flecked custard. It was only as I called for the bill and waddled towards the door that I realised I had spent 90 minutes in the restaurant and hadn’t seen or tasted a single banger – literally, not a sausage. On that front, I’ll just have to go back to make amends.

✜ The ClifTon SauSage 7-9 Portland Street, Clifton, Bristol

BS8 4Ja; 0117 973 1192; www.cliftonsausage.co.uk

£15 per person including canapés. Call the Quadrant on 0117 974 1025 to book your places.

Serrano ham, manchego cheese and prawns with chilli and garlic are just some of great dishes perfect for sharing or as a light bite. Prices are from £3.50 each or £9 for a selection of any three tapas. Click here to see our menu Tapas Menu

Rose produced with time and care can be a superb match for a variety food as well as a fine, delicate and enjoyable style of wine.

£15 per person including canapés. Call the Quadrant on 0117 9741025 to book your places.

The evening starts at 7.30pm and costs £20 per person.

Call The Quadrant to book your places on 01179741025.

Easter Sunday lunch will include our delicious roast sirloin of beef with all the trimmings, and everyone gets an Easter egg!

Book now on 01179731192.

£20 per person. Including canapés.

We’ll be serving our fantastic Sunday roast with favourites such as our slow roast belly pork, roast beef and Yorkshire puddings and some mouthwatering spring lamb. We’ll also have some super fish specials on and of course our famous selection of sausages!

All you could possibly want for a great family get-together and treat for Mum!

To avoid disappointment call to book your table on 0117 9731192.

Try our delicious Cullen Skink, tasty Cranachan and of course Haggis seved with neeps and tatties. Celebrate Scotland’s favourite son with any of these classic dishes and maybe try one of our range of malt whiskies to really set the mood.

Our full menu will be available all evening.

Call now to reserve a table on 01179731192.