REVIEW: Hush Brasserie, St Pauls
A few weeks ago, amid deadline stress and exam overload, I decided to escape to London for the weekend to spend a bit of time with my family. As part of this quality familial bonding experience my Mum and I went out for the day, into the city for shopping, an exhibition and numerous other middle class weekend excitements. Because dissertation research necessarily took me to the museum of London we found ourselves, stomachs growling, in the city of London at 1pm.
Anyone who has worked, lived in, visited or found themselves salivating in this general area will tell you that the city is a pretty difficult place to get a good meal. It is not that it is devoid of restaurants, there are thousands, but they range from tired chains and 2 for 1 steak joints hoping to attract the tourists swarming around St Pauls, to Michelin starred restaurants where a starter costs more than my month’s rent, with very little in between.
Somewhere reasonably priced not rammed with coked up bankers or tourists sporting squishy union jack head-ware is tricky to find. This is why we ducked into Hush. The younger brothers of the swanky mayfair restaurant, the Hush Brasseries of St Pauls and Holborn are a refreshing alternative to their tired nighbours. Nether the decor nor the menu are path breaking but both are tasteful and comfortably recognisable. The food was not cheap but well priced for the area, with mains coming in between £12 and £20, and the service was impeccable.
As I was not paying, I did what every well brought up daughter does and ordered the most expensive thing on the menu. My lobster roll although perhaps not comprising of the full half lobster promised, was delicious and suitably decadent. My Mum’s pulled pork roll was equally good and avoided descending into a textureless mass of protein unlike the attempts of many other restaurants. Fries were perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy within and the accompanying salad was simple and well dressed.
The wine list is extensive and covers all budgets and the large selection of wines by the glass makes this a good destination for lunch. All in all this restaurant is not exquisite or mind blowing but good. A safe, delicious and comfortable choice for anyone eating out in this area. Tasteful elegance and fantastic service combined with a simple and appealing menu makes it a perfect place to take parents but because of its locale Hush remains a little out of my price range.
Cost per head: £27 with wine.