Brasserie Blanc review

Vive la France! The Brasserie Blanc restaurant has come to Milton Keynes and what an impact it has had. As part of the Raymond Blanc stable of restaurants it brings a little bit of France to this Buckinghamshire city. Raymond Blanc’s mantra for all his restaurants has always been: fresh, seasonal, local and, of course, tasty food - and Brasserie Blanc does not disappoint.

Situated in thehub:mk restaurant quarter, Brasserie Blanc has a lively but grown-up atmosphere. Rich lighting and an open kitchen means you really get involved with this eating experience. When we arrived on a Friday evening the place was packed, I think booking is going to be a must, but the restaurant never felt full. Each table has plenty of room and although the noise levels are reasonably high they were never intrusive. We were shown to our table by the maître de, of course, and handed our seasonal winter menu to choose from.

The menu has real French flair as you would expect and plenty of choice although the vegetarian options are quite limited in the main courses. We could both have easily chosen five or six dishes but two starters really stood out.  The truffle-flavoured chicken liver parfait was simply delicious with the decadent truffle taste creeping through to stimulate the taste buds. The Burgundian snails in garlic herb butter were a bold choice bearing in mind we had never tried them before but we just couldn’t resist. They arrived ‘sans-shell’ which made them look a little less like snails which did help but once tasted you truly forget that fact anyway and just let the wonderful flavours consume you.

For the mains we went quite traditional with a fillet of haddock served with a shellfish white wine sauce, and chicken stuffed with ceps and wild mushroom risotto. The haddock was cooked to perfection and the sauce was exquisite. The chicken portion was quite big and the wild mushroom aroma just filled all of our senses. Dessert was a no-brainer; crème brulée and the traditionally-made, seasonal French cheeseboard selected by Eric Charriaux from the Premier Cheese Company. The brulée was as rich and creamy as ever, one of the best I’ve ever tasted, and the cheeses were a fine example of what the French can produce. Being a French restaurant you expect the wine list to be good and again this doesn’t disappoint. Choose from rich and full-bodied reds, fruity and aromatic whites, refreshing rosés or indulge yourself with Champagne.

The menu also offers the ‘Jeune Blanc’ range of dishes. These are a selection of main courses that can be ordered in half portions and at half price suitable for 8-12 year olds; a really good idea if you’re looking for a special restaurant that is able to cater for this sometimes difficult age range. And if you’re not quite finished by the time you come to leave why not stop off in the ‘Maman Blanc’ shop, named after Raymond Blanc’s mother, in the foyer of the restaurant. Offering classic French produce, authentic ingredients and beautiful gifts, this is somewhere to spoil yourself and to take a little piece of France home with you.

Ratings:
Atmosphere:  9/10
Menu range: 7/10
Quality of food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Value for money: 7/10

Summary: 
Overall, Brasserie Blanc is a wonderful eating experience suitable for a romantic meal for two or just a great get together with friends. The restaurant promises real French food, close to home and it definitely delivers; it makes you want to jump the Channel and sample the real thing!

Facilities:

Disabled facilities
Restaurant is all on one level for easy access.

Parking
Daytime parking can be difficult and costly (pay and display). Evenings, after 7.00pm, there is plenty of parking available and it is free.

Other amenities
Alfresco dining area available (summer months only). Maman Blanc shop selling French food and gifts.