Eat & Drink
Originally published on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Brawn
New Hackney natural wine bar and bistro.
49 Columbia Road, E2 7RG - 020 7729 5692
www.brawn.co
Location
A welcome vision on a chilly January evening, this simply furnished corner site glows like a beacon of low-key cosiness, its modest bar and laid back atmosphere drawing you in.
Vibe
You’ll love it, everyone told me, when Brawn opened at the end of November, and the twittersphere became alive with descriptions of silky smooth ‘zander boudin’ and ‘exceptionally meaty andouilette’, one food critic even coining the term ‘Brawnographic’. Run by Ed Wilson (exec chef) and Oli Barker (manager) from Terroirs, with Owen Kenworthy (formerly also Terroirs, plus the Wolseley and Galvin) in the kitchen, the place comes from the sharey, carey, less is more stable that is so hot right now. So in the midst of Michelin madness felt like the perfect time to be going somewhere that was the antithesis.
Flavours
Spurred on by all the promising tweetage, I was feeling optimistic as we nibbled on little slices of salami and parmesan with our first sips of Verdicchio. And then, disaster: no andouillette or boudins of any description. Instead, highlights we tasted were silky slices of prosciutto, clams in an incredible Manzanilla liquor and chanterelles on toast with warm duck egg. Less fabulous were the red mullet with fennel and the rhubarb crumble we finished with.
Décor
With its white washed brickwork, local artworks on the walls and formica tables, the former Victorian warehouse is sort of groovy Amsterdam cafe meets sixth form common room. This is a good thing. And a semi-open kitchen at the back warms the place up nicely.
Upshot
I like Brawn. I like the prices, I like its casual vibe and I liked our waitress with the cute French accent who looked like she should be in an iPod advert. But I left feeling like I should have liked it more. The only solution, I think, is to return for more natural wines and charcuterie, and for breakfast on Sundays when the flower market is in full swing. That should do it.
