They were the three musketeers of the city’s dining out scene - Pierre, Jacques and Franc - a trio of themed Parisian-style bistros dotted around town. To their ranks came the pub grub Hub, in Hanover Street’s rebuilt Castertelli building, followed by The Smokehouse - a barbecue in Button Street.
Five bustling and successful venues all owned and run by homegrown company Bistro Qui? All marked out by a sense of welcome and good humour.
Clearly it’s appreciated for Mark Friend and Steve Slater’s family of restaurants is growing again.
A Peruvian kitchen, Chicha, is expected time now, on Bold Street, but the latest addition to the family is The Refinery.
A casual bar with “social eating” opportunities it takes up a huge chunk, 4,400 sq ft, of the brand new complex known as Josephine Butler Court on Hope Street. It’s at the heart of an area that already beats with vibrant eating, drinking and cultural venues, not two mention two universities and two cathedrals.
Into this hive The Refinery has stepped, promising all things to all students (dozens of them living above this particular shop) and the wider public of theatregoers and Hope Street flaneurs. Open from 8am until late it's got breakfast, lunch, dinner sorted. Never one to let a concept pass by, it has embraced the “small plate” style of the moment.
“Our first crack at this sort of offer”, they say.
Lunch and evening customers are faced with a modern European range of tapas - no fewer than 19 dishes of meat, fish and veggies. Or, one can consider them a starter and head for the “big plates”.
In any case, first try the fat seared scallops with citrus quinoa and fennel shoots (£8). The seafood is presented on shells which are not only attractive on the eye, but marvellous for banter purposes should you wish to inform your server (the lovely Olive, on this occasion), that they are a bit too crunchy.
Then there were the sautéed wild foraged mushrooms with chilli and garlic, over a herb bruschetta and white truffle oil (£6).
A selection of those bigger dishes spans the continent. Superfood salad, cassoultet, steak (of course) and Devon crab tortelli.
But here roasted lamb rump, pink and tender, looks to the Mediterranean, dainty slices sit on top of rosemary potatoes, sweet roasted red peppers, onions and a thick drizzle of tzatziki (£14).
Roasted hake is expertly seared on the skin, more good colours and textures coming from kale, romanesco, a smoked whisky and orange sauce and pomegranate pearls (£13).
For the sweeter of tooth, £5.25 will let you choose baked Corsican cheesecake, elderflower panna cotta, poached pear and custard treacle tart or - as is the style again - churros.
A cheese board (£6.25) featuring Cornish Yarg, Capricorn Goats Cheese, Bleu d'Auvergne and Sardinian Pecorino, is just the thing to go with the dregs of the Rioja (you won't go much beyond £25 on any of the wines).
Cocktails too. Ouzito (£6.50, £4.50 in happy hour) with its white rum, ouzo, mint, basil, sugar and lime hits the spot.
Not content with hitting one spot? Prefer the barrel bomb effect? Order a two pint pitcher (£19.50) or four pints for £25 every day between 5pm and 6.30pm. Well not every day.
“As long as we're all having a laugh and keeping our customers well fed and happy, then we'll keep opening it's as simple as that,” say Slater and Friend.
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