Browns
I’D ALWAYS turned my nose up at Browns, assuming any restaurant within a shopping centre couldn’t possibly have anything decent on offer. And, based on previous reports of the food and service, it seemed a fair assumption.
But the six-year-old eatery has just been refurbished, with the chain promising not only a new look but a new menu and new style of service.
The setting – the converted 1930s banking hall of the former Leeds Permanent Building Society – is grand and feels spacious however busy, thanks to its incredibly high ceiling. And it offers a great view of the Headrow, through a row of magnificent arched windows. Our table for two was tucked in a corner on the upper level, providing a great vantage point from which to observe dozens of diners in the bustling brasserie and the low lighting helped create a cosy atmosphere despite the size of the room.
With more than 30 dishes to choose from on the new menu – and that’s without the nine desserts, plus appetizers and side orders – we took a while to make our choices.
Eventually I opted for the grilled Cornish goats cheese with dressed green leaves, figs and hazelnuts (£6.25).
At first glance it was disappointing – dried fig rather than fresh and almost microscopic pieces of hazelnut. But once located they were very tasty, there just should have been more of them. The melted cheese worked well with the other flavours but it could have been better with greater attention to detail. My partner had the slow roasted peppers with plum and sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil (£5.25). The melt-in-the-mouth vegetables were deliciously juicy and slightly caramelised – a light and simple but effective starter. To follow, my partner chose the grilled fillet of salmon with a warm cannellini, flageolet and French bean salad with courgette, lemon, parsley and red onion (£11). The fish was cooked to perfection and the texture of the beans and subtle flavours of the vegetables and seasoning created a delicious, clean-tasting dish. Other choices include Browns steak, mushroom and Guinness pie with French beans and mashed potato (£9.50) ; grilled half Canadian lobster and char-grilled fillet steak with béarnaise sauce and chips (£21.50) and duck confit with sweet cherries, mashed potato and French beans (£12.50). I plumped for the brie, spinach and asparagus tart, with shallot and thyme pastry, served with roasted asparagus and dressed green leaves (£8.75). The salad was a handful of straight-from the- bag lettuce which was tasteless, verging on bitter, and the asparagus was overcooked and tough. But the main attraction - the tart – was absolutely divine. It was more like a quiche, with a wonderfully fluffy, moist interior.
It was light and creamy rather than overpoweringly cheesy and was perfectly complemented by the flavoursome, firm yet crumbly pastry and I relished every mouthful. It was larger than expected, about six inches in diameter, but so delicious I could have eaten it all. Instead I gave a quarter to my partner so she could experience the taste sensation for herself. The waitress forgot my side order of green salad and was decidedly unapologetic about her mistake but with the sumptuous taste of the tart still lingering, it didn’t matter.
And after all that gastronomic delight there was still dessert to come. The mouth watering selection includes crepes suzette with hot Grand Marnier and homemade orange marmalade sauce with vanilla ice cream (£4.25) and sticky toffee pudding with a rich toffee sauce and clotted cream (£5.25). My dining partner went for profiteroles, again a generous helping of around six wonderfully light, pastry balls filled with sweet cream, served with hot chocolate sauce to pour over – enough to satisfy even the most die-hard chocoholic (£4.50). I went for Browns chocolate fudge brownie topped with chocolate sauce, served with vanilla ice cream (£5.25). It was perfectly dense and gooey and with the contrasting hot sauce and ice-cream, it was a perfect taste explosion.
We washed down our feast with a fruity New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, £4.30 per glass or £17 a bottle, from a very comprehensive wine list and polished off two espressos and two large bottles of sparkling water. The bill came to a reasonable £61.65.
Browns was a revelation to me and the fact that it forms part of an indoor shopping centre shouldn’t put any diner with snobbish tendencies off, it’s irrelevant once you’re inside. It was a wonderful surprise to discover some of the best food in the city on offer in a restaurant I’d never considered before, despite walking past it a million times.
