While going to new restaurants is always exciting, sometimes you want to be in a familiar environment where you know exactly what you are going to get. A bit like that famous US bar Cheers – where everyone (well, a few people anyway) knows your name.
I’ve been going to Browns restaurants for years - in Covent Garden before the theatre, in Kingston after a Saturday spent shopping with friends and in Victoria after meetings. So it was a delight to return to one of my favourite Browns – in Old Jewry – a stone’s throw from Bank station. In years gone by, this was a regular haunt where I would meet friends and colleagues after work in the City for drinks and sometimes dinner. Also for informal business lunches when in the area.
So my companion and I were reassured that Browns is still very much the same as it always used to be – a large, buzzy brasserie with high ceilings and that fabulous “make a grand entrance” sweeping staircase in the middle (which goes up to a quieter and more romantic dining area on an open mezzanine – complete with a baby grand piano which I am sure is put to good use).
The no-nonsense, simply elegant tables and chairs and mirror tile walls are punctuated with large pillars and the occasional palm to add some colour. And stunning pendulum lights. It manages to feel fresh and modern whilst simultaneously established in tradition.
The service was super-friendly and efficient. The menu is reassuringly British with something for everyone. Starters and sharing plates include: prawn cocktail (£6.95), duck liver parfait (£6.95), white onion soup (£5.50), whole baked camembert (£10.95 – and one of my other friend’s favourites), Mussels (£7.50) and torched feta salad (£6.50).
There are light mains such as haddock fish cakes (£12.25), tune nicoise (£13.50), prawn and crab linguine (£13.50) and chicken Caesar salad (£12.95). Mains and grills cover everything you expect including fish and chips (£13.95), sea bass (£15.95), fish pie (£15.25), steak and Guinness pie (£13.95) and roast lamb rump (£17.95).
As we were not planning to drink a lot we had a large glass of a rather nice Mamaku New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc each (at £9.55 each we thought this a little pricey although there were cheaper options at £7.80). My companion also had a glass of Prosecco (£5.95). My beef carpaccio was simple but good (£8.95) and whilst my companion’s Devon crab on toast (£8.95) was a good sized portion and flavoursome, the presentation was a little lack lustre.
Early in the evening, the other diners were small business groups (possibly combining with a meeting) and some larger groups which looked like after-work socials. As the evening wore on, there were younger groups who arrived separately so perhaps they were from out of town and a smattering of mixed and single sex couples. That’s one of the things I really like about Browns – pretty much everyone, old and young, formal and informal, fits in. Anything goes.
My lobster risotto (£16.95) had some meaty chunks of lobster and was suitably sea-salt flavoured. It was warming and comforting and decorated with some courgette strings. My companion’s fillet steak (£23.95) was cooked as requested and arrived with some serious looking chips which were burn-your-mouth hot. She was pleased that her side of green beans (£3.50) was a generous portion and that they had held off the butter as requested. Feeling replete we couldn’t tackle the dessert menu – despite its sweet temptations. The mint tea (£1.95) was fresh.
With the total bill including service coming to £100.38 it isn’t cheap – but then again, considering the location and the quality of food and service, it isn’t expensive either.
As well as lunch and dinner menus, Browns also provides breakfasts – traditional English at £8.50 (and a vegetarian option £7.95), eggs Benedict (£8.25),and Florentine (£7.95) as well as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon (£7.50) and modern options such as smashed avocado on sourdough toast (£6.50). And there’s afternoon tea too - £14 per person. And, of course, roasts on Sundays.
