REVIEW : Brasserie Ecosse, Dundee
Dundee is certainly up and coming and much of that I think is to do with the opening of the new V&A. The waterfront is undergoing a massive regeneration with many new restaurants and bars moving in on the action, you just have to navigate the one way confusing traffic system!
Brasserie Ecosse is about 5 minutes walk from the V&A Museum but also has an abundance of paid parking available right outside the restaurant.
It’s a large restaurant with a gorgeous U-shaped bar as you enter, spacious seating and an area to the back that can be sectioned off for private functions and events
As we were visiting on a Sunday, they only have the one menu available ~ The Sunday Brunch Menu which is superb value for money. 4 courses for £19.95. During the week they run an A La Carte menu as well as a Kiddies Menu.
Course 1 – Soup of the Day, Carrot and Ginger.
The soup was spot on. A large colourful bowl of hot thick and creamy soup.
Course 2 -Chef’s Table. There is a table set up close to the bar in the centre of the restaurant providing a selection of cold dishes.
Couscous with pine nuts, sesame and sumac.
Rocket, sun blushed tomatoes and parmesan salad.
Poached, smoked and hot smoked Scottish salmon.
Cured meats.
Scottish artisan cheeses.
Bread.
For me this was a little half baked and I would think about calling it something else – Salad Bar mayeb, as this is more an assembly of ingredients rather than something the Chef has made.
All ingredients were fresh though and you could basically load up your plate with salad ingredients. There were additional ingredients like orange segments, grapes, olives, oatcakes etc.
As designated driver I was on the non-alcoholic drinks, and opted for the Virgin Bloody Mary of which I ordered two – they were so good. And thanks to this, this has reignited my love of Bloody Mary’s and the search is now on to find the best Bloody Mary in the Edinburgh (perhaps Scotland too).
They do have a rather nice cocktail list as well as a mocktail list. Pictured above is the Daiquiri mocktail but if I wasn’t driving I’d have chosen the Pink Margarita with Aperol and Blood Orange juice or the Lychee Mojito with Seawolf Scottish Rum.
There are 9 mains dishes to choose from and as this is an all day brunch menu you can expect to find breakfast dishes through to the meatier, heavier dishes like Steak Frittes and Sea Trout.
Course 3 Dish 1- Wild Mushroom Ravioli with truffle and walnut pistou.
A bit of a strange coloured dish (I suspect from the walnuts and the truffle) but I loved the bright green pool at the bottom. The ravioli was well cooked and it was loaded with thick slices of mushroom. You could most certainly taste the truffle and along with the mushrooms and the walnuts, it had a very deep rich earthy flavour. Lovely dish, but be warned, there is alot of it!
Course 3 Dish 2 – Chargrilled Gammon Steak Parmentier with fried egg and gremolata.
For me this was the perfect portioned dish. The gammon steak was a nice size and thickness, not chewy and beautifully chargrilled with just enough of the smokiness coming through in the taste. The potato cubes smothered with the gremolata (herbs with lemon, garlic and parsley) was delicious and I wanted more of it. The fried egg was spot on. What’s not to like about bacon and egg?!?!?
Course 4 Dish 1 – Tonka Beans Creme Brulee with raspberries.
Heavenly. The top was caramelised and provided the ultimate sugar crack when tapped with the side of your spoon. The custard was silky and smooth with the tonka bean flavours shining through- hints of vanilla, almonds with a little bit of spice on the back note.
Course 4 Dish 2 – Iced Banana Parfait with hazelnut and milk chocolate.
If you love bananas then you’ll love this dessert. The parfait was full of banana flavour and the whole dessert worked really well. A large portion though especially after 3 courses.
Lastly we tried (one sip) of the Haroosh Liqueur. This is a Scottish spirit of brambles that are infused with honey and whisky; and Brasserie Ecosse is one of the few restaurants that stock it as it comes from a small batch producer and they only make a limited number of bottles per year.
Brasserie Ecosse is a great new restaurant in Dundee – a city that has been crying out for a modern, contemporary restaurant that delivers on service, ambience and the food. Well worth a visit or two.
Brasserie Ecosse, 4-5 Shore Terrace, Dundee, DD13 AH. Tel : 01382 322421. www.brasserieecosse.co.uk
My Spoon Award : Silver Spoon 8/10
