I have really loved my local lockdown finds, and one of those is The Brothers’ Supper. I ordered a Father’s Day meal for Ash back in June and was really impressed. It had been ages since we’d treated ourselves and having followed them on Instagram and regularly drooled over the menus, I thought it was only right we had another great foodie experience!
To be honest, it was difficult choosing between the menus – three were uploaded all at once and I wanted them all. We rarely go out for dinner or have takeaway so it wasn’t really like I could justify it, but in the end, we agreed on a menu.
With The Brothers’ Supper, you get a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home. We had canapes and a bread course, followed by a starter, main course and dessert. For the starter and main course, there was a choice between two dishes, while everything else was as per the menu. All the food comes in oven-proof foil or microwave-proof plastic containers, which are clearly labelled, ready for heating. There’s also an a4 sheet of instructions so you know how to cook and serve each item – as well as plating videos to use as a guide on Instagram. In plating my dishes, I realised I don’t have enough serving plates/platters and ramekins and certainly don’t have the skills to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
They offer delivery or collection. Last time I had my food delivered, I don’t think there was a delivery charge – but I also believe there is a delivery radius, or it is restricted to certain postcodes, so always best to check. This time I collected from their unit in Tongwell. Collection was easy – other than the fact I hadn’t realised my food was under my Instagram handle. But let’s get onto the main event – the food…
Canapes | Truffled potato croquettes with parmesan mayonnaise, crab & pea tartlet, crispy halloumi with chilli jam
The canapes are a great way to start the meal and are always the perfect size without being too overwhelming or spoiling your appetite for what’s to come. My favourite this time was the bite-size crab tart. It was so flavoursome, and I love crab – it’s something I wish I could have more often. You can’t go wrong with halloumi, especially if it’s been deep-fried and the chilli jam was divine. Not too spicy, with definite smoky tomato hints. There was plenty in the serving pot, but I didn’t save it. And the croquettes are always very good – I had one as a starter the last time. Everything is just so well put together, complementing each other and I had high expectations for the rest of the meal.
Bread | Caramelised onion focaccia with honey & balsamic butter
The bread was so light and fluffy, almost cloud-like. The butter accompanied the sweetness of the caramelised onions well, without the two being too sweet. Either my oven wasn’t hot enough, or I didn’t put the bread in the oven for long enough as the middle wasn’t warm enough and the butter didn’t melt as well as it could. But the portion was huge, especially as there was a starter to follow.
Starter | Korean chicken bao bun, apricot hoisin sauce, kimchi claw
Wow! I’m a huge lover of bao buns – they’re so light and fluffy, and always packed full of filling… and these were no exception! I really need to find an independent around here that you can order them from, or just start making them at home! The marinated chicken was beautiful, the hoisin rich and fruity – like a hoisin should be – and I had never had kimchi before, so I was pleasantly surprised. There was plenty of filling for two buns and while it photographed well, it oozed out of the sides. But just take a second to admire those buns – they look like angels’ pillows. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want another almost immediately.
Main course | Slow roasted beef sirloin, dauphinoise potatoes, chantenay carrots, creamed kale & leeks, red wine jus
On a cold winter’s evening, you can’t beat some hearty but indulgent fare, and this ticked all the boxes! This whole plate just warmed my insides and made me feel so content. Beautifully succulent beef, although slightly underdone for me (and too rare for Ash), rich dauphinoise, creamy greens and those beautiful coloured carrots! I sort of watched the video to plate this up and ended up just doing it my way – it started well with perfectly placed puree, and then it was a bit of a game of Jenga! Like I mentioned in my intro, this tasted exactly as it would have, had I ordered it in a restaurant. Maybe it wouldn’t have been presented in quite the same way…
Dessert | Spiced ginger parkin, salted caramel, apple crumble cream
And what a way to finish. In my opinion, in the cake/pudding world, parkin is massively underrated. It really reminds me of autumn/winter, and especially bonfire night. It was delicious, and the salted caramel sauce was super rich, and sickly sweet – in a good way! The real highlight for me was the apple crumble cream, and while I had glazed the parkin with sauce, so it wasn’t dry, the cream made it. Those hints of cinnamon and crumble and the apple pieces! I even put my quenelle skills to the test and was fairly impressed, until it all started to melt and collapse. It continued the theme of rich, indulgent food and did not disappoint. Sometimes, dinners like that are much needed. I felt content but full afterwards, but like I had treated myself – we all need that once in a while, a little pick me up!
I believe the last lockdown menu of 2020 is this weekend, but if you’re unable to get a table at The Brothers’ restaurant, no. 31, check out their social channels for any other meals they’ve got planned.
Lockdown menu 27 got a very solid 10/10 from me!
Love, Lucy xx
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Love, Lucy xx