While perhaps best known as a popular student bar and a place to head for multi-coloured shots, The Parrot Bar and Grill in Cheltenham has embarked on a transformation that can only be described as radical – and now claims to be the only dedicated steak house in town. Self-confessed fans of all things meaty, the SoGlos.com team was eager to see if The Parrot delivered on its new foodie repertoire.

From the packed menu it was immediately evident that the new owners aren’t hoping to simply compete with the high street chains, but are ambitiously attempting to become the go-to destination in Cheltenham for mind-boggling range, quality and local provenance.

Choosing between the Cotswold porterhouse sirloin, the Herefordshire Angus T-bone or one of the other myriad of local steaks on the local grill list, was only achieved thanks to the knowledge that there was just one prized Kobe beef rib-eye up for grabs on the daily specials chalk board.

The Holy Grail for carnivores, and an expensive treat very rarely spotted on Gloucestershire menus, the famed steak is reputedly from speciality Japanese cows that have been fed beer and massaged for unparalleled tenderness and taste. And when the huge slab of meat arrived, the joyously expectant look on my companion’s face was a picture.

Full of succulent aged flavour and famous rib-eye marbled taste, the king of steaks was served perfectly medium-rare, griddled with criss-crosses on the outside and, when the knife slid effortlessly through the hunk of meat, bloody on the inside. It was accompanied by a small jug of creamy brandy and peppercorn sauce – one of four choices of sauces – for a combination that didn’t prove too overpowering for the delicate star of the show.

In the interests of diversity – and because I hoped in vain that I would be given a taste of the Kobe opposite – I strayed from the numerous steaks and plumped for the rack of pork ribs, which arrived towered on a plate overflowing with calorific accompaniments including classic mushrooms, cooked tomato, crispy homemade onion rings and fluffy triple cooked chips.

Smoked in-house and smothered with a finger-licking sauce that we were told is a family secret, the ribs were sweet and succulent, and the meat just fell off the bone – with my messy ear-to-ear smile almost a worthy contender against the grin opposite.

Had we have known just how generous the portions would be, we would have skipped the starters. But, nevertheless, the recommended homemade lobster bisque proved a hearty and velvety start served with hunks of crusty bread. I, meanwhile, had tucked into a more delicate plate of in-house cured salmon served with a zesty citron cream cheese reminiscent of lemon cheese cake, which went superbly with the salty slivers of great quality fish.

While the range of homemade touches was impressive – spanning home curing, smoking and marinating – the Parrot’s chef still seemingly had time on his hands, presenting each dish beautifully with careful dots and swirls of dressing and ornately carved details.

The service was also exceptional, and our maître‘d Rob, was charming, knowledgeable and good humoured. He also mixed a mean cocktail, and we were persuaded to sample the tasty and aptly named Parrot. Despite being the only diners in the restaurant-side of The Parrot on our Wednesday evening visit – with the larger bar area also pretty quiet – we were confident that if table numbers increased, Rob’s attention to detail wouldn’t slip.

Finally, we shared a decadent, but thankfully diminutive interpretation of a Rolo for dessert which arrived in a glass filled with chocolate mousse, caramel sauce and homemade brandy snap, which was delicately devoured with competitiveness by two people who both chose not to share their last spoonful.

The new decor – think cosy reds and yellows, tasteful wall hangings, Regency details, and a newly-separated restaurant area – might be the most visible change for regulars to the popular Cheltenham haunt, but it’s the ambition and attention to detail of the menu that has to be the most impressive facet of The Parrot’s makeover.

From sourcing quality local ingredients to preparing as much as humanly possible from scratch, the lengths the gone to at The Parrot is impressive. While its reputation as a simple boozer may take some time to dispel, based on our first visit to the newly opened venue, Cheltenham can boast a dedicated steakhouse to be proud of.

Michelle Byrne
21 March 2011