Revamp of Blanc Brasseries: Two venues in one night

On 2^nd September The City of London was in for a treat with Raymond Blanc’s facelift of his amazing Brasserie Blanc, based on Trinity Square (Towerhill) and in the heart of the city on Threadneedle Street.

Inspired by Raymond Blanc’s own kitchen where friends and family gather around the table to celebrate authentic French food, there are plenty of comfortable spots to stay and linger.

“Serving simple, hearty French dishes, Brasserie Blanc’s menu reads like a storybook of the flavours from Raymond Blanc’s childhood. Guided by the seasons and prepared from scratch by skilled chefs, the à la carte menu changes at the start of each season four times a year and is filled with the best of British Isles produce treated with delicate French finesse. With a focus on traditional French dishes, the new ‘Les Classiques’ range includes dishes such as cheese soufflé and beef bourguignon, which are now available all year round, meaning diners can relish over classic French favourites, no matter what the season.

in a beautiful modern restaurant, what more could you ask for.”

So with this in mind we decided to head down to both restaurants on the same night. Yep a double whammy from the ONIN London team.

Trinity Square

Stepping into Trinity Square brasserie we were first hit by the beautiful booth seating and the fantastic views over the Tower, Trinity Square has an intimate private dining room with its very own bar. Which we felt would be perfect for private functions or the working lunch meeting.

To start with we went with the Rainbow Beetroot salad, which like its name came with beetroot of three different colours, which was delicious! We also had the warm squid & chorizo salad which was pan-fried and accompanied by chicory and orange dressing. Squid and chorizo are a common double act but the slight bitterness of the chicory and sweetness of the orange segments gave the dish a new lease of life. This flavour combination is a definite winner!

For the main course we had the evening’s special – Coq Au Vin, the chicken was very soft and tender and the red wine it was cooked it was divine. The other main meal we had was the Scottish king scallops accompanied by braised & roasted fennel, cherry tomato fondue and new potatoes. The scallops were grilled and this gave a subtle smoky flavour, which worked well with the fennel. The cherry tomato fondue was delicious, binding the flavours together with a sweetness that did not overpower the delicate flavour of the scallops.

Although we were completely full we couldn’t overlook the desert menu… We opted for the Classic Tarte Au Citron, which had a rich deep lemon filing, rich in flavour but also very light at the same time (my type of desert) We also went for the Cherry Amandine, this was baked with juicy morello cherries. The crust was light and accompanied by toasted almonds & pistachios and vanilla anglaisev. The dish was light and the sweetness of the cherries was complimented beautifully by frangipane and the crunch of the nuts and delicate vanilla cream.

Needless to say we had a fantastic time, dining at Brasserie Blanc, not only did we love to food and are already scheduling our next dinner date there, we were also looked after very well by the staff. They were very attentive and the atmosphere was very lively.

Threadneedle Street:

At the Threadneedle Street brasserie, the oak-weathered table next to the bar reminded us of the comfort of the sitcom “Cheers” a friendly welcoming bar that was busy but well managed. The outside space to the side of the brasserie on Threadneedle Street is ideal for al fresco dining, it was freezing so we didn’t get to spend much time out, but agreed to return on a sunnier day.

What you will first notice with the Threadneedle Street review is lack of photos, this is mainly because we ate all the food before even taking any images. The food was exquisite and filling! Two things that make for a great meal.

For starters we ate the Escargots baked in herb butter and served with a baguette, I have been to France many times and always love to have snails, but these were amazing. The garlic butter complimented the moistness of the escargots and they were bite sized so no messy accidents could take place. We also tried the warm squid and chorizo salad, served on chicory with an orange dressing. If you have tried chicory before then you know it can be quite bitter, but the sweetness of the orange dressing took the edge off and was a perfect accompaniment with the squid and saltiness of the chorizo. After trying the two starters we decided to try another, as the food was amazing and we were most definitely on a wonderful taste journey. I love scallops so I had to try the Queen scallops, baked in tomato butter. No words can describe them, all I can say is everything you would want from a scallop was on our plate, get down to Blanc and try it to believe it.

By this time we were pretty full, as the portion sizes are quite large which is great and makes you feel like you are getting your monies worth. We decided to have some comfort food to match the chill in the air. I opted for the special of veal casserole with seasonal vegetables and my friend had the roast pork belly with sautéed potatoes. Have I already mentioned portion sizes? Well these plates of food were huge, but fantastic. When you think you spend on average £15-20 per main, you really get your monies worth. The veal was perfectly cooked and the thick casserole gravy that soaked the vegetables and the mash were perfect. I really enjoyed my main. My friend did not speak throughout her main, only grunts of approval, I was very jealous of the giant piece of crackling that sat on top of her pork.

We were too full to try a dessert, but as Nyla tried some at Trinity Square we are in no doubt that the quality was still amazing. Our night was fantastic, the food was great, the wine was great and the staff were attentive. We watched them serve and take time with each customer that evening, which is something you do not see very often at all.

Looking for an amazing French restaurant? Look no further…

Reviews by Nyla Sammons and Abi Onas