Notting Hill Brasserie

Reviews

• Sophisticated Sunday...

  As a late Christmas treat for my lovely boyfriend, last Sunday I took him for lunch at this sophisticated Notting Hill establishment.They do 'Jazz Lunch' on a Sunday afternoon - which I had understood was going to be live jazz being played while we chomp our way through 3 delicious courses....On arrival, our coats were taken and as we were lead to our table, the slightly rigid atmosphere (and lack of live jazz) became apparent. There were a lot of shirts and shoes, diamonds and perfume... which I wasn't really prepared for - It was Sunday afternoon for goodness sake! let your hair down! :) Anyway, as we sat sipping our swiftly served mineral water and eyeing up the 3 course menu, I noticed how lovely the building itself was. A gorgeously laid out conversion of three Edwardian town houses - still retaining many of the original features.With a little help from the wine waiter, we ordered a bottle of red, which was absolutely delicious - and quite a reasonable price at £24.Our starters were small but tasted exqiuisite. Seafood cannelloni for him and soft shell crab with seared tuna for me. The canelloni was fresh and bursting with quality crab meat and prawns. My tuna was definately sushi standard and the soft shell crab complimented it well.Still no live jazz.... hmmmmOn to the mains, for which we were both desperate to tuck in to. We both ordered the roast lamb with all of the trimmings. The lamb was so juicy and full of flavour. As I ate the perfectly crisped roast tatties and slightly sugared carrots, the live jazz music kicked in and then I noticed my boyfriend's eyes had closed and he was chewing abnormally slowly - he was in heaven.AS the double bass was plucked and the piano played, we finished off the final course. Mine was a sublime celery and lime parfait with raspberry sorbet and Carlos opted fror te chocolate dolcefreddo. Both were delicious.It was a lovely meal, cooked by top chefs, in a sophisticated restaurant. I would have liked to hear more Jazz with this 'jazz lunch' but all in all, I didn't feel cheated when the £95 total bill arrived.I will go back on a special occasion.

  Miggy
  Review Date: 12/01/2009 Report review
• Expensive

  The Notting Hill Brasserie is expensive, classic, and very good. It is what used to be called "International" in cuisine - they might call it "modern British" but I don't really know what that means - so a mixed classic menu with an extensive and expensive wine list with meat and potatoes however nicely put together forming the bedrock of the main courses. It is the preferred restaurant of the American hedge fund set, so the other diners are slightly older, well-dressed, and discreet. Nowhere in W11 requires a jacket but if they did, this would be the place. The food is excellently prepared rather than exciting per se, and the atmosphere so hushly understated it veers towards being slightly sterile - this is a place for that important business dinner; the reunion with old friends where one objective is to impress; or for celebrations where formality is what is required.

  Alexgjohnson
  Review Date: 05/09/2008 Report review