I've been along to Browns Brasserie on Grey Street, to tell you all about the new menu.Nestled on the rather affluent, Grey Street - trust me, there's always a Bentley parked there, various Range Rovers and maybe even a BMW i8... Browns is known for drinks and food. I honestly don't recall if I've been in before for either, so I was intrigued to see what it had to offer.From breakfast right through to the evening, Browns has various dishes to take your interest. They even have an early evening menu and specials, so if you're popping along to the Theatre Royal you can make sure you're fed before your show.
We were dining from the main menu; mainly because I spotted the baked camembert and Lewis spied crab toast and we knew that was it. Picking out a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and perusing the menu, we took in the surroundings.
Browns has a very cosy yet upmarket feel about it. From families dining, to couples and men in suits grabbing dinner after leaving the office, or visiting the city on business. With outdoor seating too, it's a great place to consider in the summer for al fresco drinks, or even a coffee in the winter.
Starters arrived and we were not disappointed. My whole baked Somerset camembert was the perfect size for a starter, but then I do love cheese. You could possibly order this and another starter to share to try a few flavours from the menu. I let Lewis have one piece of my toasted bread to dip, before I devoured it all, and the tomato and rhubarb chutney. His Devon crab on toast looked amazing, and I did have a little taste. We both commented on how much crab meat was piled on top of the sourdough; definitely value for money.For mains we both ordered from the grills section on the menu. I had the whole grilled lobster, served with garlic and parsley butter, avocado mayo and fries whilst Lewis saw fillet steak and ordered that, adding on the lobster tail and picking peppercorn sauce.
Armed with all the necessary tools, I tackled the lobster. It was fresh, tasty and the avocado mayo added a lovely flavor and had a bit of a kick. I managed to taste a little bit of the steak and for a moment whilst I savoured the taste in my mouth, I almost wished I'd ordered it myself. Next time, I don't think he'll opt for the lobster tail for the extra £6, those thick cut chips looked pretty filling on their own. I was glad my lobster was served with skin on fries, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.With only just enough space to squeeze in dessert, we took a look over the menu. Covering all the favourites from crumble to sticky toffee pudding, we decided to try something a little smaller. Plus I couldn't have the cheeseboard after starting our meal with the baked cheese. At least I know for next time!
I ordered a peachy dessert wine (I wish I could remember the name) and chose the trio of chocolate; a melt in the middle chocolate pudding, white chocolate pot and chocolate ice cream, hazelnut praline. And no, I didn't finish it. The pudding was amazing, gooey, warm and rich, whilst the ice cream contrasted. The white chocolate pot tasted like milkybar and was very filling, so I passed that to Lewis to taste and consequently finish. Does anyone else's boyfriend finish their desserts too? Lewis' banoffee pie looked great, served with caramelised banana and although I'm not the biggest fan of the flavours, I liked the popping candy element.Leaving suitably stuffed, we both enjoyed our meal, had lovely service and I feel the prices are pretty reasonable. My baked camembert was one of the more expensive starters at £9.95 but I would expect to pay around that for the size. The whole lobster costs £22.95 but again, seafood is more expensive than say, a burger and steak prices I typically expect around £20 upwards depending on the cut. For Lewis' fillet steak you'd pay £22.95, or a little less than £20 for the ribeye or sirloin. Sauces are an additional couple of pounds too, if you wondered. All in all, I think Browns might look quite expensive from the outside, but you'll find great food, a good selection and reasonable prices.
I know we'll be back; because that cheese board has my name on it.
Have you been to Browns?
