Notting Hill Brasserie

This “stylish” townhouse-restaurant – it’s not a brasserie – has a “smart” and “convivial” atmosphere (regularly pepped up with live jazz) which particularly suits romance or a celebration; the food is “delicious” too, but standards generally have drifted a bit of late. read more

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In the old Leith’s premises, this feels a little like the Lindsay House in style; they have gone for the dark look with just a small candle on each table, which may create a romantic mood but also means that on a winter evening the menu can be unreadable without a torch. There is a live jazz duo playing in the bar, and it works well as it is not intrusive and they play easy listening jazz (piano, double bass). Starters are in the £8-£14.50 range, main courses are £19 - £25.50, with desserts at £6.50.

Mark Jankels had developed his cooking to a high level, but has now moved to be executive chef of the little restaurant group of which this is part, and his ex sous chef Karl Burdock is now cooking here. Unfortunately the transition has not been seamless, and although this is still a very pleasant restaurant, Mark's talent in the kitchen is missed.

Highlights of my most recent recent were an excellent halibut with morel sauce and baby artichokes (6/10). However other dishes showed inconsistency e.g. my beef was very good, yet the vegetables served with it were cold and had to be sent back, and were far from ideal when they returned. My starter of scallop was pleasant, though the scallop was a fraction over-cooked, but did it really need black pudding, potato croquette, stuffed squid and chorizo as well as the very nice cauliflower puree? Just too many flavours were at work here, not all of them that complementary (4/10). On the positive side the extra are good e.g. enjoyable bread from a local bakery, excellent coffee. The restaurant was generous with amuse gueles and the menu itself is very appealing. However I feel that the kitchen has yet to fully find its feet under the new head chef.

Below is a review of when Mark Jankels was still cooking (December 2006). At this time I thought that the place was worth 6/10.

On one vist, amuse bouche of parsnip soup was excellent, the soup having strong parsnip flavour, creamy and frothed up, with little bits of parsnip to add some texture (7/10). Bread was very good, either rolls of white, brown, olive or walnut and raisin, served hot (6/10). Scallops with herb gnocchi and shallots featured unusually delicate gnocchi, nicely seasoned with herbs; this in itself was nearly as good as Zafferanos gnocchi, which is sublime. Unfortunately the scallops, which were certainly divers scallops (from the Shetlands) were marginally overcooked, and though moist and sweet were a fraction chewy. 4/10 due to the scallops, but otherwise this would have been a higher mark. Red pepper was roasted and marinated, spread out in a flat circle, topped with goats cheese, pine nuts and a garnish of rocket – an unusual idea with good quality ingredients (5/10). Sea bass was timed well, wild sea bass served with Provencal vegetables, pesto and some very good spiced aubergine (6/10). My venison was excellent, pink and sliced thin, served on a bed of good quality red cabbage that were cooked in alcohol, served with an intense parsnip puree (7/10). For dessert, a mix of red berries, blueberries and blackcurrants were served on a layer of home-made vanilla yoghurt with berry compote – this had excellent fresh fruit, and was a well-conceived dish (6/10). My tarte tatin of apple had reasonable (though bought) pastry but apples that had not sufficiently caramelised; they were Braeburns, and the chef should try using Coxes, which are easier to caramelise (3/10). A side order of chips were wide in girth yet had excellent flavour and texture (6/10). Coffee was good, without petit fours. The wine list is rather esoteric, though service was pretty good throughout. Prices are fair for cooking at this level.

Here are notes from a recent meal. This evening there was a pianist and bassist playing live jazz, which was pleasantly relaxing and unobtrusive. Amuse guele was a mini tuna tart with a baby artichoke on top, alongside a cup of lobster ravioli in a shellfish broth. The pastry and tuna were high quality while the lobster and pasta were tended and the shellfish veloute had great depth of flavour (6/10 for the tuna tart 7/10 for the veloute). Bread was either white, olive or walnut and raisin rolls, served warm. They get the bread from a small supplier, an ex chef at Mirabelle; it is quite soft bread but with good texture, is well seasoned and has plenty of flavour (5/10). Scallops were sautéed and served as four rectangles of scallop, of good quality though seared on one side a fraction longer than necessary. This rested on some genuinely top class herb gnocchi, which had lovely texture (gnocchi was at least 6/10, overall 5/10). Stella’s gazpacho was the weakest dish of the night, pleasant and made with good ingredients but a little thinner than is optimal (4/10). A middle course appeared from the kitchen of three slices of roasted magret of duck with caramelised onion puree and a little duck confit; the duck was served pink and had lovely flavour (6/10). For the main course Stella had halibut, which was pan fried, with baby artichokes, a little pancetta as garnish and the roasting juices (5/10). I had neck of pork, cooked slowly and served on a bed of puy lentils, alongside a slab of pork belly and good celeriac puree. Served alongside was a little cup of cassoulet, which was perhaps one thing too many and in any case was a little watery, though it had good beans (5/10). For dessert a chocolate fondant had good quality chocolate and a rich liquid filling, though the fondant base itself was a fraction crisp when it should be barely solid, due to just a little overlong in the oven (5/10). Cocoa cream crème brulee had good texture though I am not sure cocoa beans are the most interesting thing as the flavour; here they were rather subdued, though coffee and white chocolate ice cream had great depth of flavour and smooth texture (5/10). Coffee was of good quality, both filter and cappuccino (6/10). The wine list runs over two pages and is mostly French with a few new world choices; it is not a great list but there are plenty of wines in the £30-40 range. The female sommelier (from South Korea) was pleasant and knew her list. Service was excellent. A charming place; no wonder it is full even on weekdays. Chef Mark Jankels continues to develop

Andy's profile     Other reviews by Andy     Andy likes    

A christmas gift from my partner. We ate at the Ivy at lunch and the NHB in the evening. Notting Hill Brasserie wiped the floor with the Ivy. Not one thing that I can pick fault with. I am going to take my staff there as a treat in the summer. The staff were fantastic, there when you needed something and stayed away when you didn't want to be interrupted.

jenny's profile     Other reviews by jenny     jenny likes    

Food and service is excellent the only feature that completely ruins an otherwise excellent evening is the very noisy Jaz band which is a Sunday feature

It is an excellente place for lunch or dinner. Food is excellente, great atmosphere and service...

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