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What is 'following'?Restaurant: French
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Time Out says 16 Users say Rate it
As the name suggests, the menu here is a robust affair. Although there's the occasional nod towards salad and vegetables (golden beetroot with watercress and pickled walnuts; English pea and mousseron mushroom risotto) the focus lies elsewhere, with a whole section of the list simply labelled 'pig' (brawn, prosciutto di parma, terrine, rillettes and so on).
Many small plates feature (some surprisingly small for the money), such as scallops with gremolata and salted capers. Dishes can be hit and miss - a much-anticipated pigs' trotters with sauce gribiche disappointed, but top-notch smoked sprats with horseradish, and a luscious globe artichoke with vinaigrette, cooked just-so, delighted.
Brawn is an offshoot of the very popular wine bar Terroirs, and though the vibe here is altogether cooler (east London hipsters perched on old school chairs in a bare, whitewashed room), it exhibits the same passion for organic or biodynamic 'natural' wines. Beware: such was the waiter's evangelism for these that we ended up with a glass we didn't really like - as well as a delightful 2010 Côtes de Provence rosé cuvée elégance. Bread is scrumptious ('Hackney wild sourdough', by London Fields' bakery E5) and typical of the careful sourcing at work here.
Brawn was a runner-up in our Time Out Eating & Drinking Award 2011 for Best New Local Restaurant.
Brawn details
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What is 'following'?020 7729 5692
Lunch served noon-3pm Mon-Sat; noon-4pm Sun. Dinner served 6-11pm Mon-Sat
Main courses £16-£27.50. Set lunch (Sun) £25 3 courses, £30 incl cheese
Credit cards MC, V
Facilities
Babies and children welcome ( high chairs; nappy-changing facilities ), Booking advisable, Separate room for parties ( seats 30 ), Available for hire, Disabled ( toilet )Brawn map
Restaurants & cafés near Brawn
See all restaurants near BrawnComments & ratings 4/5 (Average of 16 ratings)
Brawn is now perhaps becoming too successful for its own good. The menu is still interesting but hasn't changed much since the restaurant opened almost two years ago. The service is average although you can see that some waiters (unfortunately not all) are trying hard to please. It's a shame because it's a good formula and a good location. Overall, could do much better.
Went for Sunday brunch and the ambience was great. Interiors are lovely. Had the poached quail which was ok. My favourite dish was the asparagus with anchovies - divine. Overall great food but extremely overpriced. Service was good but be prepared to wait. We were lined up without being acknowledged by a staffer, but I guess this goes to show how busy and popular this joint was.
Who are these people that dont like Brawn on here? Me no understand?
The place is buzzing and have been over 10 times and have loved it each and everyone.
Some of the wines are a bit out there - in I had a white that tasted more like scrumpy last time but that is part of the fun.
Love it
I had seen the mixed reviews on this site about the place but having lived on Columbia road for a while, I was bound to eat there at some point. I can summarize it in two words, over-rated and disappointing. We ordered charcuterie and bread which was a nice start and the bread was very nice but everything else was just mediocre and over priced. The mushrooms were too rich and without much flavor, trotters were ok but the eggy mess that it came with wasbfar too salty, even for me who always adds a bit of salt to everything and the duck leg was over cooked and dry! I mean how can a chef mess up roasted duck? The staff were nice and one who seemed to be in charge took the trotters off the bill but we had to pay for the other half eaten plates. Don't waist your money, pretty much any other place on Columbia road is better than this by a mile and much better value for your time and cash.
Barry, do you work there by any chance? Or better still, have a share???? Come on, it's expensive but so what. It's expensive because it's in Hackney!! It would be cheap muck if it was in Chelsea.
I found the food interesting but too rich, every dish came swimming in a creamy, really heavy sauce.
It is also stupidly expensive.
Food is great and it is a nice place to eat but the service is shockingly bad. So much so that I wouldn't go back again; which is a shame. We were a group of 8 and you would think that staff would want you to keep drinking so that you could spend more but literally, we waited about 15 minutes at a time to catch the staff's attention so we could order bottles of wine, and then another 15 to get it.
Really disappointing and strange that management haven't ironed these issues out.
The atmosphere and food were both very good. The portions were on par with the price and the Foie Gras was exceptionally good and good value.
It's ok, I don't know what the fuss is about. For a start, East is where it's at with just about anything in London. Second, it's just another good place to go. There are plenty this side of town, Columbia Rd has a few gems.
The restaurant is on Columbia Road, right next to expensive boutiques and the swanky Royal Oak pub. Should you only have expensive restaurants in Chelsea? What's wrong with the juxtaposition of a nice restaurant next to the Hackney road? It's also right next to some of the most expensive houses in London. And close by restaurants include Les Trois Garcons, Bistrotheque, the Boundary Project - Shoreditch house is a 15min walk away. Broadway market is just round the corner, as are the gastropubs and lovely cafes in and around Victoria Park. Wine costs from just £17 a bottle and a substantial meal for three including wine and digestifs came to less than £100, I really don't think this place is over priced. It's so blinkered and reductive to criticise a restaurant for being in Hackney - especially when it's on flipping Columbia Road
Brawn is brilliant. Ten of us went on Sunday with our children. Lovely atmosphere, earthy, well-executed food and a killer wine list. Five stars!
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