Brasserie Gerrard - any opinions?
Dudley Simons
In my infinite wisdom I have booked a table at Brasserie Gerrard on
Bridge Street as a treat for my wife, her sister, niece and myself - for
which I am paying, to have lunch on Thursday.
When I informed my wife she seemed less than enthusiastic and when
discussing its exact location - in the square by the punts or actually
on Bridge Street proper, having never been there i wasn't exactly sure
where it was, she commented "B G is on Bridge Street, you can't miss it
as it will be empty, its the place that you never see anyone in."
The reason I booked it was because I exchanged some Tesco club card
vouchers for B G vouchers (�20 at 4x face value - �80 to spend in the
restaurant). I chose B G as it was one of the few places in Cambridge
that were included in the Tesco scheme and having looked at the online
menu I thought it would be an ok place to go.
Have I made a mistake? Is it dire? Alternatively is my wife just
grumbling because she didn't choose and would rather go to Jamie Olivers
and pay through the nose. The food we had in Jamies was good but there
wasn't much of it and it was quite expensive for what it was.
Any opinions on B G welcome!
regards
Dudley
Kieran Mansley
> Have I made a mistake? Is it dire?
No, it's fine.
Kieran
Duncan Wood
wrote:
Very good last time I went there, but it may have changed chef since.
Dudley Simons
Dave Craig
about a week ago and had some very nice, fat and tasty mussels. It's
also reasonable value for young kids.
DaveC
Dudley Simons
are kids back in season yet?
tony sayer
<drs...@esc.cam.ac.uk> scribeth thus
Went there a few weeks ago, very noisy and they have this annoying habit
of not letting U book a table for less than 8 persons. So we turn up
with Two children in tow (wife wanted to go there 4 her birthday
anniversary) and they weren't allowed into the bar section as its not
allowed so we had to go and wait outside ;( Odd that one daughter had
just come back from an exchange trip to Italy and ate out most every
night whilst there and felt welcome everywhere she went .. except this
supposed International (not) city of Cambridge can't manage that..
Anyways service wasn't that bad some of the grub was quite good but
don't touch the odd fish pie thing, looked like a sunburnt crab/oyster
blown about on a parched beach somewhere.. Quite an expensive joke
really..
Still his mum and dad still have the Cricketers over at Clavering doing
it as it should be:))...
And thats well worth visiting..
>Any opinions on B G welcome!
>
>
>
>
>regards
>
>
>
>
>Dudley
--
Tony Sayer
Dudley Simons
>
>
>
>> Alternatively is my wife just
>> grumbling because she didn't choose and would rather go to Jamie Olivers
>> and pay through the nose. The food we had in Jamies was good but there
>> wasn't much of it and it was quite expensive for what it was.
>>
>
>
> Went there a few weeks ago, very noisy and they have this annoying habit
> of not letting U book a table for less than 8 persons. So we turn up
> with Two children in tow (wife wanted to go there 4 her birthday
> anniversary) and they weren't allowed into the bar section as its not
> allowed so we had to go and wait outside ;( Odd that one daughter had
> just come back from an exchange trip to Italy and ate out most every
> night whilst there and felt welcome everywhere she went .. except this
> supposed International (not) city of Cambridge can't manage that..
>
> Anyways service wasn't that bad some of the grub was quite good but
> don't touch the odd fish pie thing, looked like a sunburnt crab/oyster
> blown about on a parched beach somewhere.. Quite an expensive joke
> really..
>
> Still his mum and dad still have the Cricketers over at Clavering doing
> it as it should be:))...
>
> And thats well worth visiting..
>
>
I had the slow cooked pork belly and lentils - it was very nice and
would have been a whole lot better if the plate had been hot and there
was more than a spoonful of lentils dribbled thinly around the pork -
which on the luke warm plate went luke warm very quickly. There was
nothing expensive on the plate but it was the most expensive item on the
specials board.
My wife had the rabbit, which again was very nice and there was a bit
more of it than I had on my plate of pork. We shared a dessert - three
scoops of icecream with roasted? fruit and caramel sauce - the roasted
fruit was two thin slices of caramelised plum, which actually tasted
superb but I would have thought that they could afford to put more than
2 thin slices on the dish. The ice cream wasn't bad, the vanilla
actually did taste of the vanilla, the other two scoops were both
hazelnut which was ok, however, once again the portion size was a bit
meagre - 3 balls not much bigger than a cherry tomato. The caramel
sauce, which we asked to be served on the side didn't arrive at all
until I complained. I know we shared the dessert and I hadn't expected
it to be enough for two, but I did expect more than a childs portion for
five quid.
All in all one starter, two mains and one dessert, with one glass of
house red came to 40 quid which although what we had was nice, wasn't
exactly good value. I reckon if we had the full monty of 2 starters, 2
mains, 2 desserts and a couple of glasses of wine each there wouldn't
have been much change out of 60 odd quid.
I had tried to book a table only to be told that it wasn't possible, so
as we were eating early, we just arrived at five to opening time and
tagged on to the queue (of maybe a dozen people). Interestingly when we
were escorted to our table, bearing in mind the place was effectively
still empty, the numpty stuck us right next to the door (for door read
curtain). After sitting there for about 10 seconds it was apparent we
were going to freeze due to the steady trickle of diners being escorted
in and so we asked to be moved - they seemed a bit surprised that we
didn't want to sit right next to the door! I have never been anywhere
that fills the worst tables first, normally they go last and late
arrivals either have to put up with the position, wait for a better
table or leave.
Would I go there again - if it were someone elses treat - yes! If it
was me having to pay out, well probably not.
Sam Holloway
> In article <u6s*JL...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Dudley Simons
> >In my infinite wisdom I have booked a table at Brasserie Gerrard on
> >Bridge Street as a treat for my wife, her sister, niece and myself - for
> >which I am paying, to have lunch on Thursday.
>
> Went there a few weeks ago, very noisy and they have this annoying habit
> of not letting U book a table for less than 8 persons.
> Still his mum and dad still have the Cricketers over at Clavering doing
> it as it should be:))...
That's Jamie Oliver's parents who own that pub - are you confusing
Brasserie Gerard with Jamie's Italian?
Sam
The Natural Philosopher
Dunno. Just finished blowing the pheasants away and the 12 bore needs a
clean.
But, if they are game, We are!
Dudley Simons
no
I have booked for B G and wondering if it was a mistake to have done so
tony was commenting on Jamies as I had mentioned it and suggesting that
his (Jamie Olivers) parents' pub was a good place to go
try to keep up ;o)
The Natural Philosopher
>
>
> Would I go there again - if it were someone elses treat - yes! If it
> was me having to pay out, well probably not.
>
They cater for food snobs at a high price.
I would FAR rather go to a country pub and have a well cooked steak, or
pie, or sausages with lashings of vegetables on a hot plate and cheerful
staff and a roaring log fire, than trek all the way into suburbia and
get ripped off with fancy food that doesn't actually taste any better,
indifferent service and cold feet and full of noisy people.
But best of all is eating at home. We do a steak and kidney pie and two
veg at about £3 a head, pus dessert and including wine, have our own
roaring log fire, and no noisy people, and if we want a cigar afterwards
with a brandy, we don't have to stand outside in the snow to enjoy it.
Eleanor Blair
>
>That's Jamie Oliver's parents who own that pub - are you confusing
>Brasserie Gerard with Jamie's Italian?
Tony didn't snip any of Dudley's post, you snipped the wrong bit :)
(Dudley mentioned Jamie's Italian as an alternative his wife would
possibly have preferred, and Tony was commenting on *that*)
Dudley Simons
send me your address and I'll drop in for a steak and kidney pie but I
thin I'll pas on the PUS dessert!
Chris Newton
> In my infinite wisdom I have booked a table at Brasserie Gerrard on
> Bridge Street as a treat for my wife, her sister, niece and myself - for
> which I am paying, to have lunch on Thursday.
[...]
> Have I made a mistake? Is it dire?
I haven't been recently, but on several previous visits the food was
decent-to-good and the service friendly (though occasionally a little slow
at busy times).
HTH,
Chris
The Natural Philosopher
I'd have to charge you more to deter the mad rush...
The Natural Philosopher
But is that what you want to pay £30-£60 a head for?
> HTH,
> Chris
Chris Newton
> Chris Newton wrote:
>> I haven't been recently, but on several previous visits the food was
>> decent-to-good and the service friendly (though occasionally a little
>> slow at busy times).
>
> But is that what you want to pay £30-£60 a head for?
At the times we went, the prices we paid seemed fair for the quality of the
food and service, being somewhat above average on all counts. YMMV, but I
have no complaints personally and would happily book again.
Cheers,
Chris
Sam Holloway
Gah, I should have known, and stand corrected! Tony doesn't make
mistakes like that. :-)
Sam
tony sayer
s.com>, Sam Holloway <sam.ho...@gmail.com> scribeth thus
I don't go out that often so I tend to remember places I've been;!
Mind U the missus is an excellent cook so one tends to stay in;))..
--
Tony Sayer
The Natural Philosopher
> Mind U the missus is an excellent cook so one tends to stay in;))..
Although the costs of ownership has to be reckoned against the cost of
eating out every night. HOW many shoes did you say?
rosen...@cix.compulink.co.uk
(Dudley Simons) wrote:
> so its quite possibly my wife being a bit sniffy then ;o)
I find it great most of the time. The only exception I'm aware of was last
Christmas when they were rather below par for my wife's office Christmas
do. But their main strength, steak, is reliable and good IME.
--
Colin Rosenstiel
tony sayer
<t...@invalid.invalid> scribeth thus
Very few unlike eldest daughter who is a dedicated follower ofd Imelda
Marcos!...
--
Tony Sayer
Cambridgecreative
Street, the bistro style one, after cafe rouge. It's excellent,
reasonably priced and won budget restaurant prize. Very french and
great service.
magwitch
I like going out just to get ideas for my own cooking at home... I went
to Viners on the South Bank and had chargrilled asparagus, so I always
do asparagus that way now, boiling/steaming ruins it.
If I went anywhere I'd rather save up and go to the Etoile Charlotte St.
in London... real old-style French cuisine. Lovely food, lovely staff
(with good memories)...
I passed on the liquors once at the Christmas department lunch, so they
let me sample every one of their puddings instead. A year later I was
really embarrassed - the elderly waiter looked up when we came in and
said "Ah! zee girl who had 5 puddings!" :-(
Fevric J. Glandules
> that's what I find eating out anywhere in towns.
>
> They cater for food snobs at a high price.
>
> I would FAR rather go to a country pub and have a well cooked steak,
<snip>
> But best of all is eating at home.
<snip>
They're *all* good.
As is *anything* hot and filling eaten half way up a mountainside.
But what a restaurant can offer is things that you don't have the
skills, equipment, or time, to make yourself. I was at a wedding
recently where the pre-meal buffet included a couple of "El Bulli"
recipes. One was a "deconstructed olive", number 2 on this page,
http://www.ashkeling.com/07spainmor/bulli1.htm
the other the "omelette", mentioned here:
http://www.pyreneesguide.com/2079/pyrenees-guide-place-el-bulli-restaurant-.html
Both were - literally - sensational.
Al Grant
Seconded, we went there for dinner a few weeks ago.
The sort of place that makes kids feel like they're having
a grown-up treat (try the "choccolino"). Some of the best
steak I've had in Cambridge, and very good value all around.
Service was good too.
Never been there for lunch though, it might be one of these
places that's quite different.
Jon Green
> I like going out just to get ideas for my own cooking at home... I went
> to Viners on the South Bank and had chargrilled asparagus, so I always
> do asparagus that way now, boiling/steaming ruins it.
Quite right too. The flavours in asparagus are carried in water, so if
you want to make the best of them, char-grill, bake, or shallow-fry. If
you're going to fry, either use the minimum possible oil to avoid
tainting, or alternatively a strongly-flavoured olive oil on only a
moderate heat works nicely as a complement.
Jon
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Dudley Simons
was excellent and in terms of value for money was most definitely better
than Jamies.
The cost was pretty much on budget - had a stack of Tesco vouchers, and
was happy to pay the extra for the drinks.
Would I go there again? - Certainly!
regards
Dudley
Andrew May
But what did your wife think? That is what is important.
dudley
was forced to admit that the food was very good :o)
she also said she woud be happy to eat there again, as would her sister
and niece.
regards
Dudley
Espen Koht
"Fevric J. Glandules" <f...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> But what a restaurant can offer is things that you don't have the
> skills, equipment, or time, to make yourself. I was at a wedding
> recently where the pre-meal buffet included a couple of "El Bulli"
> recipes. One was a "deconstructed olive", number 2 on this page,
> http://www.ashkeling.com/07spainmor/bulli1.htm
> the other the "omelette", mentioned here:
> http://www.pyreneesguide.com/2079/pyrenees-guide-place-el-bulli-restaurant-.ht
> ml
I thought fad of serving highly processed foods in restaurants was
coming to an end.
Fevric J. Glandules
Quite possibly. El Bulli is closing. These are extreme examples of
recipes requiring skills, equipment and time, but I'd say it still holds.