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What is 'following'?Brasserie: European
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Located in the middle of Soho's most hectic strip, Balans is all things to all people. It functions as a first-stop breakfast café, a pleasant lunchtime brasserie, a buzzy evening restaurant and an after-pub (or even after-club) restaurant-bar. Such adaptability should be applauded, even if the food can be a bit hit and miss.
The space is large, with a big open front bar and a more secluded area out back. The menu is impressively - perhaps even worryingly - varied. We started with so-so seared scallops and black pudding and some cracking enchiladas, before moving on to a pleasant and extremely filling fish pie crammed with cod, pollack and prawns.
The catch of the day, salmon, was served with a slightly over-tart salsa verde. But Balans isn't really a place for eating, it's somewhere to be seen eating. The pavement and window tables are rarely free of poseurs until the early hours. There's also a weekday cocktail happy two hours beginning at 4pm for those who want to get the party started early.
Balans details
Follow Balans to receive updates on special offers here.
What is 'following'?020 7439 2183
Open 8am-5am Mon-Thur; 8am-6am Fri, Sat; 8am-1am Sun. Meals served 8am-5am Mon-Sat; 8am-2am Sun
Admission £2.50 after midnight Mon-Sat. Main courses £8.50-£22.95
Credit cards AmEx, MC, V
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