April 2011

I am pretty familiar with Browns. It slipped into George St at the beginning of its heyday and offered fresh ingredients and classic dishes alongside a good standard of quality, ambience and service; the good bits associated with a chain, for Browns has twenty one branches. It doesn’t have the quirkiness associated with an independent or the pretension of that anachronism, ‘a style bar’ (remember those?). An invitation to the just-opened Glasgow venue then was the perfect excuse to hotfoot it cross-country and catch up with a pal to boot.

Located next to Jamie’s in George Square, the two restaurants make good bedfellows; both offer fresh, seasonal food in a buzzy atmosphere.

I started with lobster and crab croquettes with a garlic cream (£6.45) and my friend plumped for the crab and avocado stack (£7.45). The croquettes would stand up to any I have eaten. A crispy coating, good flavour and moreish cream all made for a suitably yummy starter. My friend always ‘awards marks’, she is harsh and her stack got 8.5 out of 10. This boded well.

Main courses were roasted salmon with a lemon and spinach risotto, chargrilled asparagus, crispy capers and basil oil for me (£14.75) and from the specials board, salmon with prawns, new potatoes and chervil cream (£14.95) for Ms Eurovision.  My plate shouted spring. The asparagus was fresh and crunchy, the risotto had a good al dente texture, the portion of fish was generous and cooked well, the zingy lemon and salty capers pleasantly cut the richness of the fish and risotto; a perfect plate of food. My friend was equally happy, 8 if you must know and being a weegie, resolved that Browns would become a regular haunt.

Dessert was the Brown’s cherry Eton mess with two spoons (£5.45). I loved the combo of nuts, white chocolate and cherries but thought there could have been a little more meringue and that it could have been presented in prettier dish. I am being picky because for me Browns ticks many a box.

Look online to see all this brasserie has to offer. It is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, cocktails or just a glass of good wine and nibbles. Give it a go!