Resto Bistro, Epping

I’ve driven past this place, in Epping High Street, hundreds of times. I’ve pretty much ignored it, as often there are a gaggle of awful TOWIE people crowded outside. However, when searching for somewhere to eat recently, a friend said that she had eaten here and that it was nice; so we decided to give it a go.

Starter was from the specials board, a simple plate of Parma ham and avocado, with a sweet onion dressing. Simple, unpretentious, fresh. Not the best Parma ham I have eaten but the perfect starter for a very hot summer evening.

For main course I had what this restaurant is apparently renowned for… ribs. The ribs are available with a mind-blowing choice of sixteen different sauces! Chicken gravy, Jack Daniel’s, hot chilli, garlic butter, mesquite BBQ, sweet chilli, Thai green curry, Indonesian satay, tomato and herb, hot piri piri, mustard, horseradish, Texas sweet onion, reggae-reggae spiced tamarind, onion gravy or creamed green peppercorn. I chose the reggae-reggae spiced tamarind. Firstly, because I love tamarind, and secondly because Levi Roots is too-cool-for-school, not quite as cool in gastronomic terms as Colonel Sanders, but still cool. I had the regular portion for £21.95 and I’m glad I did, the large (£25.95) would have been far too much, even for me. On the side were some nice French fries and adequate coleslaw, but the ribs were every bit as delicious and melt-in-the-mouth as expected.

For dessert I had (what the menu described as ) ‘the best ever chocolate fudge cake’, served with whipped cream. It was certainly a great dessert, but not quite the greatest. Perhaps more accurately described as ‘one of the best and certainly the richest ever chocolate fudge cake’.

So, a lesson learned. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a restaurant by the ridiculous orange people standing around outside!

www.restobistro.com