Brula

I went here with my family for the first time on Sunday and had one of the best lunches I can remember. The food is traditional French bistro cooked with such freshness and precision that it all sings. The chef can really cook. The room is lovely, even on a foul Sunday afternoon, and the waiting staff spot on. And it's reasonable: £5 for starters and puddings, £10 for mains. My young children loved it too. I wish we could find more excuses to be in Twickenham. First class.
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Chris
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, November 30, 2009

We went to Brula for the fourth time on Saturday and for the fourth time had a delicious meal, served in a timely manner by the friendly and attentive staff under Kirsty's discreetly ever-watchful supervision. Owner Lawrence Hartley is a delightful host and gave us - and everyone else, I think - his good-humoured attention as well as, when we requested it, the benefit of his wine knowledge.

The menu has evolved slowly over the eight months or so we've been going to Brula - too slowly, some might say - but we've never had any trouble choosing starters or mains and they've always been cooked pretty much to perfection. And no over-salting or over-saucing, as far as we're concerned!

I do love my desserts, so perhaps I should not be too critical of the rather limited range of puds, well-executed tho they are...and maybe I should go for the very decent selection of cheeses instead. Next time...!
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Simon and Liz - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, September 14, 2009

Went to Brula for the second time on Saturday. The front of house service cannot be faulted but we were both again disappointed that the main courses were too salty. There were too few olives served while we were choosing from the menu and they were a little stingy with the amount of bread on the table. However, the attentive service meant that more was brought when the first lot had gone.

The over-salting of the food means that we shall probably not return as it spoilt the dishes for us, and we thought the evening too expensive, but this is such a popular restaurant that we shall not be missed.
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Eileen Spalding
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Monday, September 07, 2009

I'm old enough to remember a time when you could travel through France and stop off anywhere for lunch, be it a restaurant, auberge, café or routier and the enjoyment of the meal would be tempered only by the lament, this is simple but brilliant so why can't we do this in Britain?

Times have moved on, and sadly finding good food in France is no longer the simple matter it once was. Modern British cuisine was invented, Alistair Little is a truly unlauded genius, and the boundaries have been pushed. Food has generally become overworked and too elaborate. There's a time and place for this, and I enjoy it as much as the next man when I'm in the mood.

However, more often I hanker for the simple pleasures of the France of the swinging decades, and I am pleased to report I have found exactly what I have been missing all the intervening years at Brula. The kitchen turns out up to date versions of the bistrot classics, doing all those simple things so well, that most restaurants fail to do. Get those wrong and the restaurant becomes exposed. There was no exposure here.

All of the staff want to please you. Nothing is too much trouble. Your enjoyment is paramount. A restaurant you can talk and laugh and drink and eat and just plain enjoy yourself.

We were a party of ten, and between us we have done all the big named restaurants around the World, El Bulli, Fat Duck, GR, Tetsuya's, Rockpool, the 3 stars of France, Per Se, French Laundry (by far the best of these), and for a total dining experience, the honesty and simplicity of Brula is what we want, what we really want.
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Hawko
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 11, 2008

What a fantastic delicious restaurant!!

Thank you it was the perfect setting for my parents Pearl Wedding Anniversary on 8th October!

The food was gorgeous i couldn't decide which course i preferred the mackerel, mushrooms and poached egg or the lemon tart with lemon sorbet! They were all fabulous!

Then the wine recommendation was superb as was the service.

Thank you very much! We will be back!
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anne harrison - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I went to Brula last week for dinner, on the recommendation of a friend and regular Brula customer. My ballottine of salmon to start was very good and my husbands' scallops were superb. Out of curiosity i chose the red mullet with fennel and citrus fruits for main and was delighted with the results. My husbands' fillet of beef was excellent too and really melted in the mouth. The selection of french cheeses finished off a great meal in style. Frankly i can only assume that the negative reviews are from locals who wish for the best kept secret in St Margarets to stay that way. We will be returning.
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Emma
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Friday, July 20, 2007

Meal of modest quality and overpriced - £100 for two with one bottle of wine and tap water. Rib of beef lacked flavour. Service okay.
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Jacqueline Hicks
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Saturday, July 14, 2007

Had another fantastic evening at Brula...cant understand how one in six reviews are so 'different'. Must have been half a dozen times over last 4 years and always great welcome, tasty food and fantastic atmosphere. We think they are doing something right and we're off to try their new one soon.....
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Ed - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

I have been to Brula a number of times and have yet to be disappointed. [Before anyone comments, I am not related to the owners, and don't even know anyone who works there.] The food is excellent, the service superb, and the atmosphere very pleasant indeed. Prices are ok for the level of food served. I have been as part of a couple and as a member of a group of 8, mid-week and weekends. It is necessary to book, but the food is consistently good. I would say it is necessary to book, even on a Tuesday evening, but otherwise no complaints.
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Conch
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, June 09, 2007

I went to Brula last week with my other half. I cannot express how disappointed we were. The food was mediocre at best. The steak was the worst steak I have ever had.

The service was very slow and somewhat sloppy.

I'm not sure who writes some of these reviews but clearly they haven't tasted some very good food!
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FS Twickenham
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Monday, April 16, 2007