Browns is located at the top of King Street in the old converted Athenaeum that was once Parrs Bank banking hall. Possibly one of the prettiest builldings in this part of town Browns bar and brasserie splits eating and drinking areas well so, even if the bar is bustling, you can still enjoy a quiet meal with friends.
We visited to try the festive menu which is reasonably priced at £35 for three courses. The choice is incredible and vegetarians are also welcome to choose from the main menu if they don’t fancy the vegetarian option on the festive menu. I thought this was a lovely touch knowing many vegetarians who struggle with a set menu in a restaurant.
I struggled to choose a starter but eventually settled on the soup. Made with honey roasted pumpkin it had a lovely hint of chilli to heat the mouth whilst the basil oil added a touch of savoury to mellow out the sweetness the pumpkin. The crusty bread was warm and served with soft butter – something I am a huge fan of and that every bowl of soup should be served with.
The smoked duck was served with fried pickle, orange and cranberry dressing which worked well together to balance the flavours of the dish. The duck was soft and succulent with a melt in the mouth texture and lightly smoked flavour.
Our mains were served with sharing platters of honey & thyme roasted Newark carrots, Brussels sprouts, roast parsnips, curly kale and roasted potatoes. I’m not a fan of parsnips and these ones were slightly overdone for my taste. The carrots were lovely and sweet yet still firm. You wouldn’t get me near a Brussels sprout but my friend assured me they were gorgeous and ate them by the forkful until the bowl was empty. The curly kale was a lovely addition yet slightly overdone and with a bit too much garlic, I certainly kept the vampires at bay for Christmas! The roasted potatoes on the other hand were perfect. soft and fluffy on the inside with a crunchy outside . The bowl didn’t last long that’s for sure.
My friend chose the vegetarian option of flat cap mushroom, stilton and spinach parcel that was served with green beans and an onion gravy. I’m not a fan of mushrooms so it certainly wasn’t to my taste but the fluffy pastry was crispy and she ate the whole thing as well as the bowl full of Brussels sprouts!
I chose the traditional turkey option served with orange and cranberry stuffing, buttered cabbage, pigs in blankets and redcurrant gravy. I thought the sweetness of the gravy would overpower the flavours of the turkey but it worked well together. The bacon wrapped around the juicy chipolata sausages was crispy and the addition of orange to the stuffing was a lovely touch. The turkey was juicy and the cabbage just cooked so it still had bite and flavour. Having not been on a Christmas do this year my main at Browns hit just the spot.
For dessert I chose the Eton mess that had been given a winter spin with roasted plums, cinnamon, chestnuts and orange soaked cranberries. Served piled high the meringue was a little too well done for me, I prefer my meringue to be slightly soft and chewy. I did love the winter flavours though and the plums were nice and soft which worked well with the cream.
My friend went for the cheeseboard which had a lovely beetroot chutney. It was slightly sweet and clearly fresh – something so many restaurants get wrong and serve out of a jar. The biscuit selection was also good with some pretty heart shapes too. The star of the board was definitely the cheese with Croxton Manor brie, Garstang bomber and little black bomber. My friend was certainly a happy lady and made short work of the platter considering the amount of food we had already consumed!
Huge thanks to Browns for the hospitality. I’ve heard so many people say how disappointing their Christmas do meals have been this year. I’ll be recommending Browns for next year that’s for sure.