As Raymond Blanc opens the doors of his brand new Brasserie Blanc on the river at Fulham Reach, Sophie Farrah pops in to see if it’s a case of ‘ooh la la’ or more ‘je ne sais quoi’
I’ve had a soft spot for Raymond Blanc for a quite some time; his twinkly charm, mouth-watering French dishes and evocative stories of his mother’s home cooking have soothed many a Sunday morning spent hungover on the sofa. I also had the pleasure of briefly working with him several years ago and in person he did not disappoint so I was hopeful that his newest Brasserie Blanc wouldn't either…
After a picturesque hop, skip and a jump over Hammersmith Bridge we reached our destination; Raymond’s newest bistro is tucked underneath one of the shiny new apartment blocks at Fulham Reach and its location is undeniably gorgeous – right on the river with views of the tree-lined towpath opposite, stretching to the bridge and beyond.
We were greeted warmly by Nicolette, the impressive General Manager, who suggested we take a seat al fresco on the stylish terrace so that we could enjoy the sunset. Once outside, I was busy perusing the wine list when out of the corner of my eye I spotted something that I thought too good to be true. As it trundled along the terrace I felt as though my eyes were deceiving me; it’s copper tones glinting in the light and bottles gently tinkling. Could it be? Surely not…
Indeed, all my prayers were answered when Head Bartender ‘G’ came to visit our table with his gin and tonic trolley in tow. Yes, that’s a gin and tonic trolley. This brilliantly fun and creative device contained at least 8 bottles of premium, craft gins from around the world plus a selection of tasty Fever-Tree tonics, fresh garnishes, ice and chunky crystal tumblers. It was a gin-lover’s dream on wheels. The charming and incredibly knowledgeable G recommended a Plymouth Sloe Gin for me, mixed with Sicilian Lemon tonic and garnished with a chunky slice of orange – it was divine.
1 of 4
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
I could have left happy there and then as it’s quite honestly worth visiting for the delights of the gin and tonic trolley alone, but I am pleased that I didn’t. As the evening chill moved in so did we and the interior is impressive: comfortable banquettes and smart leather chairs pop in mint green, dusty pink and mustard yellow giving it an opulent French feel, whilst the impressive central brass bar and contemporary light fittings provide a fresh and modern feel. The only confusion for me was the strange hotel room-esque sheer curtains and excessive branding that cover the windows, somewhat obscuring those precious river views.
Our waiter for the evening was the epitome of friendly professionalism. We asked him questions about the menu all of which he answered enthusiastically, and he recommended us a delicious bottle of Chablis with aplomb. The food menu is exciting, well considered and there’s plenty of choice ranging from ‘Les Classiques’ to more contemporary dishes. As a lover of French food, I eagerly opted for the former.
I started with the French Onion Soup with Gruyère Cheese and I relished every spoonful; it was the perfect balance of sweetness and sharpness with just a hint of booze, and the stringy-cheesy croutons were perfectly soaked without being soggy. It was rich and warming, and before I knew it my bowl was empty. The BB Cheese Soufflé was equally as impressive and beautifully presented, particularly when our waiter dug out a little hole in the middle of it and generously poured in lashings of Ford Farm Coastal Cheddar sauce…French foodie heaven.
1 of 4
Cheese Souffle
2 of 4
Bouillabaisse Soup
3 of 4
Grilled stone bass & cardamom braised fennel
4 of 4
The much commented upon Gin Trolley
The main courses were also a tour de force. Again I opted for a ‘Classique’ this time in the form of the Bouillabaisse that arrived with beautifully cooked monkfish, red mullet, sea bream, gurnard, squid and mussels all swimming in a beautifully rich and creamy saffron sauce. The richness however was offset by pieces of braised fennel, soft saffron potatoes and a giant garlic crouton resting on the top. It was flavoursome, comforting and obscenely delicious. In stark comparison, my dinner date opted for the lighter option; Grilled Stone Bass with Cardamom-Braised Fennel, Apple Purée and Watercress. The flavours were unusual but worked and the fish was light, tender and well cooked - just what was needed after the decadence of the cheese soufflé.
And finally, les desserts. Yes, somehow we miraculously still had room. To continue my classic French theme I was hoping for a crème brulée, but no such luck. Instead I went for the Tarte au Citron, which was predictably delicious; a delightful balance of creamy sugary sweet and tangy citrusy sour, and not too much pastry either. The Summer Berry Pavlova was also a treat – the blackberries were ripe and juicy and the meringue was light and chewy, but the raspberry coulis a little too sweet for me, although my dinner date didn’t seem to mind.
This year the Brasserie Blanc group is celebrating an impressive 21 years of trading and long may it continue; for a group that now has an impressive 20 venues (Fulham Reach being the nineteenth and Bournemouth the twentieth) the experience that we had was exceptional. Not once did I feel I was eating at a ‘chain’ restaurant – the food was excellent and the flavours authentically French, the service was superb and the environment was sophisticated but not remotely stuffy, and let’s not forget that genius gin and tonic trolley either…
- Brasserie Blanc Fulham Reach, Goldhurst House, Parr's Way, London W6 9AN; brasserieblanc.com
Check out our Food Section for more tasty local morsels
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on our latest articles
Sign up to our Weekly Newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and stories
Looking to advertise your business in Surrey or SW London? Check out our 11 different lifestyle magazines with a combined monthly distribution of over 210,000
