Last month I went, with my family, to Exeter for their university open day. This is the second time I have been there and I really love the university and in particular their History course, which just seems to have so much choice. We got to the university just after midday and because I had been to their previous open day we didn’t have loads and loads of stuff to look at. I spent the afternoon wandering around the site and deciding which accommodation I wanted to live in. It was only afterwards that I remembered that I needed to get an offer and the grades before I can move in, oops!
We also had a bit of an explore of the town, coming across a little street called Gandy Street which was full of really unique shops, such as Sobeys Vintage, which was simply heaven. Gandy Street is just off the main high street of Exeter, down the side of one of the largest Urban Outfitters I have ever been in (I wanted everything!). I feel like this street was sort of a mini version of the lanes in Brighton and this was confirmed when we came across a restaurant called Bill’s, which I believe began in Brighton.
Bill’s was wonderful. They were really busy so we were worried that we weren’t going to get a table and would have to find somewhere else, but they managed to squeeze us in upstairs. The decor blew my mind away, it was just so well done with a sort of distressed organic look. It was rustic and had a lovely charm about it, with lots of interesting things to look at, for example as you went up the stairs the waterfall light was made out of large cans for, what I think was, olives. Basically whatever they had done, it worked and I loved it.
So onto the food. At first when I saw the menu I was like hmmm this all looks very healthy, I’m not sure I want any of this, however once I started reading the descriptions I quickly changed my mind. We ordered a Butcher’s Board to start, which to be honest to me sounded a bit gross but my mind was changed when it arrived, with favourite being the sesame crusted lamb kofta. Alongside this we ordered some kale crisps because we had heard that kale is one of the new super foods, supposedly very good for you. These were actually surprisingly yummy. I think I liked them because they were quite salty and it covered up the taste of the kale, so it tasted good and made me feel healthy because I was eating kale, it is a win win situation on the crisp front.
For the main course I had, as I so often do, a burger, which as burgers go was quite nice. What I liked about it most was that it wasn’t too big, I hate it when restaurants make huge burgers, or huge portions of anything to be honest. Firstly because I feel like they are trying to make up for something by giving you huge amounts and secondly because when I, inevitably, can’t finish it, I feel bad for leaving food. However this burger just the right size I was able to finish it and so I left without guilt.
There isn’t much to say about pudding apart from it was great and I really recommend that if you ever go to Bill’s that you have the warm mini cinnamon doughnuts. Overall we had a great meal and the staff were really friendly, I would definitely go back. And hopefully if I get an offer from Exeter it will be our go to place when the parents come and visit.
Love Holly x