I had planned to meet up with my sister this Saturday and we ended up going to Electric Brasserie in Portobello for Brunch with some friends of hers from home.
After ploughing through the crowds of tourists moseying around Notting Hill and Portobello market at snail's pace I finally managed to get there (just about) on time! The restaurant itself was just as busy, thankfully we had reserved a table. The first thing I'll say is the atmosphere is great, really vibrant and buzzing. The decor is great too, very classic and elegant, a theme that permeates the entire establishment- from the classic french bistro style menus to the impeccably dressed wait staff. While it didn't quite have that Parisian feel to it, I think they really nailed the brasserie concept- elegant, sophisticated and professional.
The menu is great. We were there for brunch but the menu covered a whole host without being cluttered or confusing (In general, I am highly suspicious of restaurants that have extensively long menus, as I believe it is the number two indicator of poor quality- number one being restaurants with pictures of their food!). They had a small selection of a wide range of meals, so a few breakfast options, a few brunch options, sandwiches, salads, mains etc. Brunch is served 12-5pm but our menu choices weren't limited.
When the waitress came to take our order, we were all very much feeling the brunch buzz as everyone at the table ordered some variation of Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict traditionally consists of poached eggs and ham on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce poured over the top, and is a quintessential Brunch staple! Common variations involve substituting the ham for spinach (Eggs Florentine) or smoked salmon (Eggs Royale). I went for the Eggs Royale, although all three variations were featured at our table! I also ordered a glass of fresh orange juice and some tap water. The waitress nodded and said she would bring a bottle of still water to the table, which I was not impressed with. This is something of a pet peeve of mine, as I had clearly requested tap water and she had quite obviously heard and ignored this request. I understand that managers encourage waiters to push customers into spending more money (after each person ordered she would suggest additional sides we might also want- as if we hadn't spend the last 15 minutes reading the menu ourselves and choosing what to order) but the blatant disregard of a clear request irritated me. My sister (who takes this crap from no one) immediately set her straight and we got out tap water in the end!
The orange juice arrived was freshly squeezed and delicious, and soon after the food came out. I have to stay I think the presentation was a slight let down. Its a very simple dish but served plainly on standard round white plates with no accompaniments or garnish, the food did look a little sad. As I said, its a simple dish and one you could easily make at home but I think that even for the simplest dishes, it's important that its presented in a way that looks as though you couldn't have just whipped it up yourself. A minor complaint but notable, nonetheless.
Regardless, the quality was exchttp://www.electricbrasserie.com/ellent- eggs perfectly cooked, muffin nicely toasted and an ideal amount of hollandaise, it was a really delicious meal. That much hollandaise is quite filling and neither my sis nor I could finish- the Eggs Royale had a bit too much smoked salmon, although better too much than too little, I suppose.
Overall it was a great meal, good company, good food and a great atmosphere so I would definitely recommend it. I think brunch is a underrated, such a good way to start the day!
Link:
http://www.electricbrasserie.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment