Review: Bond & Brook

Shopping sustenance in Fenwick

Shopping is a serious business and one which requires proper fuelling. The beautiful branch of Fenwick on Bond Street have opted to cater to this need (quite literally) by erecting a delightful restaurant on their second floor: Bond & Brook.

Myself and a friend went to check out this new eatery. Despite being a Saturday, it was buzzing without being overly busy, and we were led straight away to one of the immaculately laid tables.

The idea here is total flexibility to find your perfect meal. You can select either a few of their tapas-style dishes, opt for two more courses from the set menu or order whatever you like à la carte. My friend and I, ravenous from hours of shoe shopping, decided on the latter.

The crab arancini and feta and broad bean salad were the perfect place to start. While the arancini balls were rich and almost donughty in flavour (and complemented by lime and vanilla mayonnaise – a genius flavour combination), the salad was perfect blend of tart and sweetness. We also opted for a side serving of flat bread which was satisfyingly chewy yet crunchy.

Having actively restrained ourselves from licking our plates, our main courses were served with a welcome swiftness. My friend had chosen herb crusted cod. The delicate herb crust, although not exactly crusty, really makes what would otherwise be a fairly bland dish, yet I must say that it was nothing compared to my pan roast salmon. Meaty and moist with a gratifying crispness to the skin, it was perfect fishy fare. The fillet was served with a crunchy battered egg, the novelty of which made it appetising, though it was quite a stodgy accompaniment to an otherwise light dish.

All notions of a semi-virtuous lunch went out the window when we were presented with the dessert menu. A combination of proper puddings and more delicate bites (such as the very-in-vogue macaroons), it is a consummately designed collection of treats. The passion fruit delice (our first) was wonderfully fruity and surprisingly light, but paled in comparison to the salted caramel and chocolate tart. Combining the holy trinity of sugar, salt and butter, it was dangerously moreish.

All dishes were presented in an understated yet elegant manner on white plates, and always served with a smile. The Bond & Brook restaurant aims to capture the glamour of the fashion industry, and does so with aplomb.

In fact, my only gripe is that fashion and food don’t always sit well together. Trying on dresses after two puddings was a somewhat sobering experience.

That said, it was worth every Bond & Brook bite.