Myristica is one of Bristol’s most popular Indian restaurants. Situated on the trendy harbour side area in central Bristol, it is a particular favourite with the young professionals who live there.

The Venue
Myristica is not your average Indian restaurant. There's no patterned carpet or booth seating. Instead it's an open plan restaurant with a modern twist on traditional Indian themes. Strong, bright colours make up the decor and it's airy and spacious if a little on the dark side. It's trying very hard to be an upmarket yet traditional Indian restaurant, but it can’t really decide on one particular identity.

The People
Staff are cheerful, friendly and quick to serve and there's no agonising, stomach rumbling wait between courses. If you haven't got a clue what a bhuna don't feel afraid to ask the staff. They won't mock you and are instead all too happy to suggest dishes after having a chat with you. Unfortunately the music at Myristica is cheesy and loud, blaring out over the restaurant from speakers. Occasionally they play traditional Indian music and blessed are those evenings.

The Food
If you enjoy trying new dishes and food that differs from the normal Anglicised Indian choices found in the UK (korma, vindaloo, tikka masala), then Myristica is the place for you. Most of the dishes on the menu will be new to you unless you are a real Indian food connoisseur. There is a wide choice of meals and every kind of taste is catered for – whether you like creamy, mild dishes or a really spicy treat.

The major problem is that these dishes don't taste very interesting. The dishes are, in fact, quite bland. As this restaurant is aimed at young professionals, it doesn’t provide good value-for-money. There is no set menu and the normal dishes are too expensive for what they are. Unfortunately, the coloured poppodums and the other starters are the nicest bit of the meal.

The Drink
The range of soft drinks on the menu is impressive; mango juice is not something you find in every restaurant. The drawback is that it's out of stock on a Friday night. There are not any unusual Indian drinks on the menu and the wine list is adequate.

The Last Word
Myristica is a restaurant most enjoyed by those who prefer more upmarket Indian food and don’t mind paying a bit extra for the privilege. While the modern twist and presentation provides food that looks and sounds interesting, it doesn’t quite live up to the description.