Hush Brasserie

A bit pricey for January but with a choice of discounts it's not that bad. Still the place is almost full on daily basis, and the food it is good too. Whole artichoke, well cooked venison and very good fishcake. Wine list large enough. I guess it's not easy to find decent waiters though...
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richard m.
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, January 15, 2007

Hush is another of those achingly trendy bar/restaurant/brasserie places. Hidden away just off Bond Street, the bar is a popular post-work venue and it was absolutely heaving on a Thursday night. After a quick drink, we headed downstairs to the brasserie. Incidentally, the main restaurant is upstairs next to the bar, which I can only imagine is outrageously noisy, as the whole venue is open plan. For such a physically enormous menu, there wasn’t that much choice – 5/6 options under the categories of starters, salads, rice/pasta, fish, meat, but none that really grabbed your attention. Around the table, the starters we had were whole artichoke, pumpkin risotto and a meze plate. The risotto was unexpectedly good – well cooked and correctly seasoned. The meze plate was surely one of the strangest mix of ingredients on a plate – aubergine caviar, crispy seaweed, stuffed vine leaves etc. Most odd. Odder than the numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7 dancing around dressed as the village people but, controversially, in the middle of a city. The main courses were venison with braised red cabbage and, if I remember rightly, a cranberry jus, the famed Hush burger, haddock and cod fishcake with a parsley sauce and some kind of sea bream concoction. The venison was average – the meat itself was inadequately seasoned, while the other parts of the dish were bordering on salty. [Rant on] There is a reason why chefs do this. Chefs are hesitant about seasoning meats/fish before cooking because it draws out the moisture. Fine – I agree. The problem is too many chefs are not seasoning meat at all, but seem to think that is OK in a well-seasoned sauce. It doesn’t work. [Rant off] Most shocking was the price. £24.50 for a highly ungenerous portion and red cabbage. The pricing generally seemed a bit eclectic. You either spend c.£12 on a main course of c.£23. There is no middle ground. Anyway, the rest of the main courses looked nice enough. Desserts were OK. Standard brasserie banter – chocolate fondant, sticky toffee pudding etc. I would love to know what proportion of restaurants has a chocolate fondant on its menu. I’d be surprised if it was under 50%. It really is a slag of a dessert. Melted, gooey chocolate is fairly difficult not to like and, while a truly stunning chocolate fondant is hard to do, most restaurants are happy to make do with an average attempt, but which still make the average punter week at the knees. That perhaps sums up Hush quite neatly - average food for an easy-to-please average punter. I didn’t get to see the bill, but I suspect with the 30% discount it was just about bearable. Not one to go to for a gastronomic experience, but just to enjoy the buzz and the company your friends. Stick to the simple dishes. 6/10.
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MJN
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Friday, January 12, 2007

very good food and wine list. A bit expensuve - but this is mayfair. Will return.
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anytom
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Sunday, December 24, 2006

Very expensively priced but distinctly average food. There are lots of better places than this at these prices. One of the most disappointing meals we have had in a long time.
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Adrian Morris
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Saturday, December 02, 2006

Excellent.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Mixed reviews made me aware that is not to everyone taste. But this is a place you have to enjoy and we did. Food is very good, service is ok, and overall a fantastic evening. Must try lunch also, but can surely say that it's a place with fairly high standards that are well mantained.
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Richmond
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 09, 2006

Had dinner with the girls at Hush last night. Lovely venue, nice decor and the service was attentive (perhaps overdoing it slightly...).

However, the food was very much hit and miss - whilst the duck was to die for (the figs an exceptionally nice touch), my venison came badly overcooked (asked for medium) and swimming in masses and masses of red cabbage. It was hideous. Goujons of lemon sole and minted pea puree (aka posh fish and chips minus the chips) was simply bland.

The desserts, however, were wonderful with the chocolate fondant done especially well. All in all a mixed bag but not that special an experience, considering the prices. Not one I would recommend.
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Sunday, November 05, 2006

Been to Hush several times for lunch and it's always been great. Cute location and lovely to drop by and have coffee in their gorgeous court yard.

Went here Sat night with 2 other couples, I must admit we were a little nervous about eating here at night, but it was truly brilliant! The menu is lovely and catered to everyones taste, the lobster bisque was AMAZING, staff were friendly and not over the top, we were so impresses overall. (plus I was really ill with a cold and I still managed to eat everything and enjoy the place!)

The only thing I didn't like was its not a non smoking restaurant.
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Anna O''Neill
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, October 16, 2006

A treat indeed! I stumbled upon Hush at the end of an exhausting day of shopping and could not have wished for anything more. The outside dining area on a warm summer evening is simply divine. The service staff were attentive despite being busy and the food really hit the spot. I had a delectable endive salad followed by pumpkin risotto and a luscious chocolate dessert. The portion sizes were just right and enough for you to savor each dish whilst leaving you wanting more, which is perfect if you enjoy your full 3 or 4 courses like me! I thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected find and have been back numerous times for a much needed rest after a long day of shopping… well done!
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Shopaholic - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, October 14, 2006

The signs are there that an enjoyable dining experience can be had at Mayfair’s Hush; stylish and comfortable décor, plenty of staff, tempting looking dishes being delivered from the à la carte menu.

However, the £35 set menu (compulsory for our group) is downright disappointing. Service was an odd mixture of attentive, careless and snotty (best characterised by the unapologetic slopping of water into half a glass of wine), and the reasonably well presented dishes were obviously designed with a mean budget and healthy profit in mind.

The starters – an uninspiring caesar salad, “bang bang chicken” (the only excitement was in the name), and as I opted for, a bland pumpkin soup. Initially soup looked promising, but was ultimately revealed as a thin vaguely orange liquid tasting of parsley and stock only (surely, a WWII recipe that features no actual pumpkin?).

My attention then turned to the soups accompaniment, a thumb sized mini muffin. Sweet and spiced, it was tasty but badly matched to a savoury soup.

Main course were an average salmon, an underwhelming burger (bested by most pubs, and positively shamed by GBK), and my very small portion of penne. As with the lacklustre soup, it looked good, but had no substance, no aroma and little flavour.

The deserts were a big improvement but no saving grace. I quiet enjoyed my sticky toffee pudding, although having pushed away my starter and main mostly uneaten I was fairly hungry!

Our share of the bill came to around £100 for two. Overall, a welcoming atmosphere let down by service, and positively shamed by a food quality surpassed with £10-£15 of Tesco’s ready meals.
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Mike Rose
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Thursday, October 12, 2006