Finally, Dinner at Bruce's
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After several failed attempts, my husband and I boarded a train at London Bridge and got off at Wandsworth Common, and finally discovered what makes Chez Bruce one of London's 'best loved' restaurants.
We decided to take the train to make more of an occasion of the trip, and since M&S was advertising wine bottles 'perfect for your train journey', we figured drinking Champagne on the train was allowed. Whether or not it was, we still don't know. But it worked. We alighted from the platform on a beautiful summer's eve feeling miles away from home.
Earlier in the day I had read a quote from co-owner and chef, Bruce Poole, on GQ's website: "I wanted a good, local restaurant. I'm not interested in the West End and pop stars."
With that in mind, I noticed water spots on the wine glasses, peeling paint outside the window, and a chair pulled out from the empty table next to ours. I saw that one of the wait staff was a bit unpolished. But that was it. Everything else about our experience was so very good that we envied the people of Wandsworth who could go to Chez Bruce on a regular basis.
And go there they do. We sat in the intimate upstairs dining room with five other tables - two tables were locals out for special occasions, one was a five-top with such comfortable locals they probably have a standing reservation, and the remaining two tables were people like us, people who had made the trek to tick the Chez Bruce box (or start their own love affair).
At the suggestion of the sommelier, we had a bottle of Bonny Doon's Le Cigare Blanc. We may have steered him wrong by asking about a wine he described as "interesting, people either love it or hate it," and went with this 'safer' option, which we found to be plenty interesting itself. It was a grower, no doubt cultivated by the seriously earthy tones.
To start, my husband had the salad of hot crisp pork belly, coppa and rillettes with watercress and orange. I had the salt cod brandade with baby squid, courgettes, red pepper relish and sauce nero. It was a draw. Both dishes were delicious and artfully presented.
For mains, I had a wonderful crisp fillet of sea bream with mussels, bacon, white wine, sourdough crouton and parsley. But I lost this round to the grilled rump of veal with taleggio panzarotti, bolognese sauce, artichokes, parmesan and sage. It was more ragout than a pasta, and lighter than expected.
Our puddings were both amazing. My dulce de leche stracciatella ice cream with biscuits was almost too rich to finish, but absolutely out of this world and, as we learned, made (and finished by the staff) daily. My husband's warm blackberry and apple nougat tartlet with vanilla ice cream was simple and honest, with a perfect flaky crust.
With three courses for £40 (and £50 if you'd like cheese as well), Chez Bruce is a pretty good deal. These days value for money is something we rate, and here, it's about as good as the food.
Earlier in the day I had read a quote from co-owner and chef, Bruce Poole, on GQ's website: "I wanted a good, local restaurant. I'm not interested in the West End and pop stars."
With that in mind, I noticed water spots on the wine glasses, peeling paint outside the window, and a chair pulled out from the empty table next to ours. I saw that one of the wait staff was a bit unpolished. But that was it. Everything else about our experience was so very good that we envied the people of Wandsworth who could go to Chez Bruce on a regular basis.
And go there they do. We sat in the intimate upstairs dining room with five other tables - two tables were locals out for special occasions, one was a five-top with such comfortable locals they probably have a standing reservation, and the remaining two tables were people like us, people who had made the trek to tick the Chez Bruce box (or start their own love affair).
At the suggestion of the sommelier, we had a bottle of Bonny Doon's Le Cigare Blanc. We may have steered him wrong by asking about a wine he described as "interesting, people either love it or hate it," and went with this 'safer' option, which we found to be plenty interesting itself. It was a grower, no doubt cultivated by the seriously earthy tones.
To start, my husband had the salad of hot crisp pork belly, coppa and rillettes with watercress and orange. I had the salt cod brandade with baby squid, courgettes, red pepper relish and sauce nero. It was a draw. Both dishes were delicious and artfully presented.
For mains, I had a wonderful crisp fillet of sea bream with mussels, bacon, white wine, sourdough crouton and parsley. But I lost this round to the grilled rump of veal with taleggio panzarotti, bolognese sauce, artichokes, parmesan and sage. It was more ragout than a pasta, and lighter than expected.
Our puddings were both amazing. My dulce de leche stracciatella ice cream with biscuits was almost too rich to finish, but absolutely out of this world and, as we learned, made (and finished by the staff) daily. My husband's warm blackberry and apple nougat tartlet with vanilla ice cream was simple and honest, with a perfect flaky crust.
With three courses for £40 (and £50 if you'd like cheese as well), Chez Bruce is a pretty good deal. These days value for money is something we rate, and here, it's about as good as the food.
Here Is The Writer : Sarah Western Balzer
Sarah Western Balzer is the managing director of HITC Life and is always on the lookout for reader-writers, so if you'd like to be one, make yourself known (sarah.western@hereisthecity.com). Sarah moved to London six years ago from New York but is originally from Florida, and still suntans like it's 1989. She is so grateful to the banker who introduced her to Here Is The City that she married him, and they live in Wapping with their son.
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