Where
The Brompton Bar and Grill
243 Brompton Road, SW3 2EP
0207 589 8005
What
Heritage Tomato Salad – Burrata, Rocket, Basil (£8.00)
Sweet tomatoes, rocket and creamy cheese dressed in a rich basil oil. With everything pre-cut into chunks the only disappointment was not being able to push our fork into a whole burrata letting mozzarella and cream run out onto the plate.
Snails on Toast – Smoked Bacon, Bone Marrow, Garlic Butter (£9.50)
A delicious pile of tender snails, crispy bacon, marrow and garlic and parsley butter sitting on crispy bread. The bread soaked up all the flavours and perfectly balanced ingredients meant there was a little bit of everything right up to the last bite.
Dressed Dorset Crab – Mayonnaise, Lemon Sourdough Toast (£15.50)
The crab was traditionally dressed in the shell with brown on either side and white in the middle, simply served with a half lemon in muslin and two thick slices of brown toast. The crab was fresh, light and delicate and as well considered as the snail starter with just the right amount of toast for the crab.
***
Chopped Steak Tartare (170g) – Chips, Baby Gem & Watercress Salad (£19.50)
A generous plate of well seasoned and textured chopped steak. Enough bite and texture from the gherkins gave the dish variation while the premixed egg yolk gave a silky finish. The chips and salad are served separately and the salad had a gorgeous dressing that went well with the peppery watercress.
Whole Roast Grouse – Bread Sauce, Game Chips, Breadcrumbs and Game Jus (£30)
The birds come direct from the Cleggan Estate that has been in owner Francois O’Neill’s family for nearly two hundred years. This direct sourcing is special and made an impact on taste. With the usual route through a game dealer who often rush to pass grouse down from moor to plate the Brompton bird was strong suggesting they have the luxury of time to let them hang for longer. What this gives the customer is not only a more traditional interpretation of the dish but also a direct way to support and uphold game traditions. Accompaniments to the grouse were as they should be with the addition of a finger bowl to make the most of the deliciously crispy roasted legs.
***
Affogato (£5)
The traditional Italian dessert of a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso. Both ingredients were of excellent quality making this an ideal end to a consistent meal.
Drink
Large bottle of sparkling water (£3.75)
Le Bosq Rouge 2010 (house) (£16)
Double espresso (£2.90)
Atmosphere
We visited at 7.45pm on a Thursday evening and initially the place was quiet, a few tables of two and groups of friends were all well-dressed and behaved. About an hour later the place had warmed up and larger groups came in and the bar stools filled with a few drinkers.
You get a sense that the restaurant is both a neighbourhood go-to for supper and a destination venue for events. The later the time the livelier it becomes. The restaurant dining room is smaller than it appears from the outside and is furnished in a typically brassiere style with elegant and classic fixtures, pepped up by eclectic art on the walls. The service a good balance of attentive and restrained.
In the basement are the bathrooms and the glitzy Absinthe bar that hosts regular live music nights on monthly Thursday evenings. Held in conjunction with Nova Music these nights showcase a range of music including soul, jazz, simple vocal and acoustic guitar and full blown swing. Check listings here.
Offers
Weekly Set Menu of two courses for £18.50 available Monday to Saturday from 12 noon – 7.30pm
Verdict
GO! GO!
If you want excellent classic food served efficiently you will not be disappointed. The venue is perfect for a quiet supper or a lively celebration and neon can imagine celebrations continue in the basement Absinthe Bar. The set menu seems particularly good value for food of this standard and the location makes it an ideal spot for lunch when around the Brompton Road area. It wouldn’t be too much of a trek from the museums of South Ken either providing respite from the crowds.
Do try their Absinthe served traditionally with an iced water fountain, straight up or in cocktails, preferably during their live music evenings.
Photo – credit Matthew Pearl
