Brat (London, UK)
Brat
4 Redchurch St
London, UK E1 6JL
Dining date: 11/15/21
While in London I was excited to try Brat, a seafood-focused concept with Basque influence. The restaurant has been a hit ever since opening in 2018, and even gained a Michelin star. The restaurant reminds me a lot of Ibai in San Sebastian, where I had a fantastic meal, so it was near the top of my list of places to try while in London.
The namesake dish here is turbot (brat is an old English name for the fish), prepared whole. I was excited to try one, but unfortunately the last one got snatched up just as I ordered one.
Hake Kokotxas
Scarlet Prawn
Fresh Chorizo
Lemon Sole
Pigeon
Wood Roasted Greens
The meal at Brat was very strong – the food seems super simple and it’s executed beautifully. I was pretty disappointed to miss out on the turbot, but the lemon sole was excellent making me wonder how it compares. The fish was so delicate and flaky, yet with a rich, sweet flavor that contrasted well with the wood roasted greens. The pigeon was another highlight, cooked perfectly, yielding juicy and subtly smoky morsels.
The small plates were tiny, but nonetheless equally enjoyable. Hake three ways provided a myriad of textures and flavors while the scarlet prawns (which I’d been craving since having them in Portugal) were sweet and springy.
I would return to Brat especially to try the turbot next time.
went to Brat in 2019 and had a small turbot and a glass of wine – definitely needed to cut through the buttery flavours . Started eating and realised they’d deboned the fillet , so went to look at the charcoal station and sure enough they fillet the fish as it comes off the heat- amazing! Waiter laughed (in a nice way) when I explained i could only afford the fish and a glass of wine.
Impressive! Glad you were able to try the turbot…it’s on my list to return and have it!