Review: Browns Lunch

We took a trip right in to the heart of Bath to grab some lunch at Browns. Read on to see what we made of it!

Situated in the beautiful City of Bath, Browns is a first-rate choice for dining. It is located in the centre of the City very close to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths, so is a perfect location for local residents, business people and visiting tourists. The building Browns is housed in is very impressive, being a former Magistrates Court and Police Station.

As soon as we arrived we were warmly welcomed by the staff and shown to our table, which was situated right by the window overlooking their lovely outdoor terrace. Browns has many options for dining; including gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan options. The menu is wide and varied and includes the amazing Tender Beef Specials with the meat being sourced from field to plate.

Our delightful waitress, Desi, could not have been more friendly or helpful and was attentive without being intrusive. She recommended a superb wine - the Mamaku Sauvignon Blanc - which is a New Zealand wine, its name meaning ‘Black Tree Fern’. The wine was full of lush, rich tropical flavours including hints of grapefruit and kiwi which was the perfect accompaniment to our choice of a fish based lunch.

To start I could not resist an old-fashioned favourite of mine, prawn cocktail. This was beautifully served and consisted of a very generous portion of succulent prawns in the classic sauce served with brioche croutons and buttered sourdough bread. My companion opted for the Devon crab on toasted sourdough which he raved about. Succulent, delicious flakes of both brown and white crab meat garnished with fresh watercress and lemon.

For our mains, we both selected from the Light Mains Menu, my choice being the smoked haddock fishcakes served with sea herb mayo and samphire salad. The samphire salad is usually served with tomatoes but I requested these be omitted. The fishcakes were absolutely wonderful - fresh, hot and packed with the delicious taste of fresh smoked haddock. The samphire with its distinctive crisp and salty taste was the perfect addition to the dish and also included slivers of warm cucumber. My companion opted for the prawn and crab linguine which he said was one of the best pasta dishes he had ever tasted and was enhanced by a wonderful combination of herbs and spices.

We couldn’t resist the dessert menu and on a cold, wet February day we both chose some traditional favourites; my choice being the apple, cherry and almond crumble with vanilla ice cream - a wonderful blend of distinct crunchy apples and juicy cherries. My companion gorged himself on sticky toffee pudding with ginger ice cream - as he said “a great combination.”

Fully replete we reluctantly left Browns Brasserie with a promise to ourselves to return the next time we are back in Bath. We both agreed it had been a superb lunch and we would highly recommend a visit here to anyone living in or visiting Bath.