Tag Archives: Chris Wicks

I love these guys. A nine-piece band, fresh from Havana and en route for the Barbican, London, brought to Bristol last night thanks to Bristol Slow Food.

The venue was Jesters on the Cheltenham Road. Tickets were £10 and the Cuban-style dishes, devised and prepared by Chris Wicks of Bell’s Diner were about £8.50.

Mike and I had the shrimps and avocado.

There was no mention of organic even though Cuba is the great organic inspiration. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and no more cheap pesticides and chemical fertilisers, Cuba went organic. Many public spaces in Havana are now given over to growing organic veg. ie State-supported agriculture without fossil fuels. Don’t you love it? Just shows it can be done.

The shrimps were plump, grilled and well-tasty and the fresh pea shoots (part of the salad dressed with lemon juice) looked enchanting and tasted earthy. I have never eaten pea tendrils before – and why not? They are delicious.

The dish was the size of a generous starter but actually perfect because I needed to be light on my feet to dance.

I forgot to take a picture of my plate but I got several pictures of the band.

It was so groovy because these guys in the band were middle-aged (i.e. about my age) and older.

And they rocked.

If I wanted to nitpick about the evening, I’d say Jesters could have sold twice as many drinks with more bar staff. My sister said you needed to apply in triplicate for a Cuban cocktail – but when it came, she said: It was worth it.

They could have sold twice the food too.

But I don’t think Bristol Slow Food knew how rammed the event would get. Apparently they only confirmed Son Tropical two weeks ago. And then bookings went ballistic.

Which shows that great music and dancing may be the missing ingredient to Slow Food.