High Road Brasserie

Overall, I enjoyed my visit, and I would definitely give it another go. This place is trying to be a 'proper' French brassserie, which nobody in London, not even the legendary Cafe Delancey, has ever quite managed. Nor does this place, but it does come close. Two of us ate a large diinner or a saturday night in January.

The atmosphere was fine - clientele was a mix of mostly uptight, up-market Chiswick couples, some cheery WAGS necking cocktails and some glamourously shady looking types (more of these the later it got).

The food and wine were very good. 6 Oysters (natives) were fantastic, best I've ever had in London, but at £18, so they blooming well should have been! Glass of sauvignon to go with them was great, but you can only buy 175ml glasses, which is too big - I wish bars and restaurants would serve proper glasses, not these buckets.

Starters were chicken liver and brioche toast (excellent) and steak tartare (good, but a bit small). mains were rare rib of beef and dauphinoise potatoes (really wonderful, a triumph) and roast chicken and chips. This dish, a French brasserie classic, was the most disppointing - the chicken was tasteless and bog-standard, in spite of having been advertised on the menu as 'black-leg' - it tasted like an ASDA £2 special. It was served on a weird, medieval-looking wooden platter, for some unfathomable reason.

For pudding we shared some kind of chocolate creation - it was like a steak and kidney pudding with chocolate where the steak should be, accompanied by milk ice cream. I don't care that much about puddings, but this was tasty and very pretty, and might be their speciality, seeing as most of the customers seemed to be lustfully spooning it into each others' mouths...

The service was fine, without being particualry warm or engaging, apart from the cocktail barman - he was awesome.

I think this is a perfectly fine place to have a special meal, but would probably be an even better location for a few cocktails and a steak sandwich, or a fun brunch, or even a late-night fix of shepherd's pie and house red..
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RS
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Had risotto here for main course and I can say with confidence it was the most tasteless affair I ever came cross. One gets the feeling there is no one in charge - service is slow and indifferent.
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Moke
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Friday, January 04, 2008

Decided to pop in with a friend on Sunday for breakfast as am new to the area and the whole thing from start to finish was awful. It took 40 minutes for our breakfast to arrive, the waiter was so rude and unhelpful. The sausages were undercooked and the bacon was really fatty - will definitely not be going back.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Monday, October 15, 2007

Well I wish I'd read these reviews before trying out the High Road Brassiere last weekend. We were in the area anyway and decided to try it out after having a good experience at it's sister restaurant Shoreditch House the week before.

The food was average, very small portions, slow service (15 mins waiting for a table, 15 mins waiting to have our order taken, 10 mins for drinks to arrive, 15 mins for starters to arrive, 25 mins for main courses to arrive)...

The staff were friendly enough and apologetic for the long waiting times, however this didn't make up for the fact that we didn't eat our main course until 10.30pm, having arrived at 9pm.

Surely they must know they are going to be busy on a warmish Saturday in July, why not employ more kitchen staff!?
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Friday, July 13, 2007

Food - bog standard brasserie fare - local competitiors have nothing to fear - i vcan think of four or five restaurants within a two min walk which are more adventurous in menus and better value for money.

Wine list - again ok - nothing sexy.

Cocktails were good but we were put off staying for more because of the cocky aussie bar man who clearly though he was Tom Cruise (pleeease). Slow and witnessed him being rude and argumentative with 2 customers. Clearly thought he was irreplaceable and Sooo wrong!
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Had lunch today at the High Road Brasserie and thought the food was exceptionally good, the service brilliant and that the whole thing was pretty good value too. I'd go back any day!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, May 05, 2007

I eat at High Road Brasserie regularly and can honestly say that, once they got over their teething problems, I have never been disappointed. The service has always been friendly and informative, and the food to an excellent standard when you consider the numbers they are catering for.

The previous comment from a reviewer that they only allow 1 hour and 15 minutes for lunch is absolute rubbish. I called to enquire about this and was told that lunch tables during the week are not limited by an "out by time", and 2 hours are given for lunch tables at weekends due to the high demand for reservations.

With regard to the hostesses: They can sometimes appear less than charming but I imagine this is only a result of the pressure they are under to accomodate everybody, and having to deal with the kind of pretetious try hards that a place like High Road House unfortunitely attracts.

My advice, relax and go with the flow. This is a fun, neighbourhood place to be, just aslong as you dont take yourself too seriously: Book in advance, turn up on time and enjoy the atmosphere. Who cares if they sit you 15 minutes late? I don't!
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Michael Trebaskis
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Thursday, April 12, 2007

This place looks the business but is sorely let down by the reception and door staff; such arrogance is revolting and somebody needs to tell them that beauty does not dress up rudeness any more acceptably.

When you've finally got to the sitting down bit, the waiters are actually quite sweet and the food worthy of Brasserie standards (not meedja talk for gastro), the wine selection is good too as is the general ambience.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Sunday, April 08, 2007

Book for lunch a few weeks in advance and were told the only slot availabvle was 12:30. Cancelled on the day when we found out they only allow one hour and fifteeen minutes for a lunch reservation. Had eaten there once before, food was ok place is just way too up itself.
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David Higgo
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 17, 2007

Book for lunch a few weeks in advance and were told the only slot availabvle was 12:30. Cancelled on the day when we found out they only allow one hour and fifteeen minutes for a lunch reservation. Had eaten there once before, food was ok place is just way too up itself.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 17, 2007