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In the ground-floor lobby of a stylish hotel complex sits this glitzy all-day brasserie. Much
of the menu is modern European with a big nod to the French, and those were the strongest dishes. An expertly cooked starter of seared Isle of Mull scallops was bigged up with cubes of tender chicken and a citrussy sauce vierge. Next came a mouthwatering sirloin steak with a dark and rich peppercorn sauce, plus perfect fries: crisp on the outside and fluffy within. The desserts, too, were on point. A cute, burger-like choux bun was filled with a delicious chocolate malt ice cream, and came with a pot of cracking dulce de leche sauce. Also, the service was great.
But this place also has its low points. Dishes promising more interesting flavours were flops. A snack of chickpea strips was painfully bland, while the ‘chilli butter sauce’ on our red prawn spaghetti was impressively forgettable. There isn’t much buzz, either: it’s all very corporate and the atmosphere is stale (we were among just a handful of guests on a mid-week evening). Still, if you’re looking for polished service, and you stick to mainstream flavours, The Stratford Brasserie does the job.