Review: Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street, London

The ground floor dining room at Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street

It had been more than a year since my last visit to Brasserie Blanc's Charlotte Street location, so I was thrilled to return and even more pleased to see that it had undergone a stylish transformation. A new, understated, yet chic decor in muted hues of charcoal greys and inky blues created a relaxing atmosphere for one to unwind while enjoying the delicious French cuisine.

Cosy booth seating at Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street

There are two levels for dining here - the ground floor restaurant and 'The Clubhouse', a more relaxed dining and lounging area located on the first floor, which is in their own words, is 'perfect for eating, drinking, working, chilling and chatting'.  

'The Clubhouse’ features comfortable chairs and sofas to sink into and a large aged oak kitchen table perfect for plugging in a laptop or sharing drinks and nibbles with friends. For a more intimate dining option, you can also reserve the 'Hideout' (see pic below), the private dining option located on the second floor, which is ideal for a private party of six for dinner.

The Hideout, private dining at Brasserie Blanc

One of the things I loved most about the decor was the attention to detail, as there were lots of stylish accessories that made you feel as if you were hanging out in the living room of a trendy friend's house, rather than dining in a restaurant.

Decorative touches at Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street

In fact, next time I visit, I think I'll opt to while away the hours with a good book and a large glass of Pinot Noir in The Clubhouse. There are certainly worse ways to spend an evening...

The Clubhouse, Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street

As per my last visit, the food was superb.  Brasserie Blanc specialises in traditional, seasonal French cuisine, that's simple and delicious. For those that are unsure of what to order, the friendly and exceptionally knowledgeable staff are on hand to provide recommendations. 

Every day diners can choose from the A la carte menu or the Prix Fixe menu, which offers a two-course lunch for £11.95,  a three-course lunch for £14.45,  a two-course dinner for £14.45 or a three-course dinner for £16.95, all of which are great value considering the superb quality of the food.

During our visit, my dining companion and I opted for the A la carte Menu and decided on the cheese souffle and the escargot for our starters (see pic below). Now, I must admit I was a bit squeamish about the escargot, but it was absolutely delicious! For those of you who have never eaten a snail, it has the same consistency and earthy flavour as a mushroom and to be honest, you can only really taste the rich garlic herb butter sauce that they are baked in. So nothing to be afraid of (other than perhaps the calories in the garlic butter)!

The cheese souffle was every bit as decadent as you'd imagine and was light and fluffy, with good height - the true benchmark for a great souffle. It also came with a cute little pot filled with warm cheddar cheese, the perfect dish for any cheese lover.

The fabulously delicious cheese souffle and escargot at Brasserie Blanc, Charlotte Street

Next up was our main. With so many options to choose from including duck leg confit, boeuf bourguignon, steak tartarte and sea bream with boullaibaise sauce, to name a few, it was a difficult choice to make with so many scrumptious options to choose from!

I opted for the steak frites topped with a generous portion of garlic and parsley butter sauce. The steak was thick, tender and perfectly cooked and the parsley butter sauce was very rich, but for those who don't want to detract from the flavour of their steak, I'd advise asking for the sauce on the side rather than on top of the steak as it can be a bit overpowering. My dining companion opted for the fillet steak, which was also perfectly done.

Steak frites and dauphinoise potatoes

For the sides we enjoyed the rocket and parmesan salad and the dauphinoise potatoes, which were so creamy and delightful, they stole the show.  The salad was OK, but to be honest, it's hard to compete with the potatoes and the homemade chips.

Steak frites and rocket and parmesan salad

As anyone knows, no meal is complete without dessert and dessert is truly not to be missed. Dessert options include chocolate souffle, tarte au citron, cherry amondine and a selection of cheeses as well as a dessert of the day. 

We opted for the dessert of the day, which was a lemon posset with liqueur soaked morello cherries topped with a crispy almond shard. The bitterness of the lemon with the boozy sweetness of the cherries and the nutty flavour of the almond shard resulted in perfectly balanced flavours that made for a truly indulgent dessert. 

Lemon posset at Brasserie Blanc

So, overall, it was a great experience that was incredibly relaxing.

I'm not sure if it was the comfy booth we were sitting in, the peaceful background music or our pleasantly full bellies after a rich and comforting meal, but whatever it was, I left having felt as relaxed and content as I usually feel after a visit to the spa...

Brasserie Blanc
8 Charlotte Street
London
W1T 2LS


A.A. Miln