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Review: Brasserie At The Bull
IT struck me, while tucking into lunch at Brasserie at The Bull, one of Halifax's newest eateries, that I could actually hold a conversation with my guest.
Something far too rare these days at many places.
There was no overbearing music drowning out our chat; no need to shout or use our own sign language.
And this is not the only thing the Bull – situated at Bull Green, Halifax – has got spot on.
The welcome was terrific – someone actually opened the door with a smile, took our coat/shopping bags/umbrella and showed us to our table.
The decor is luxurious, tasteful and eye-catching but, more importantly, the atmosphere was relaxed and the window booths offer a perfect place to sit and unwind for a time while the traffic and the shoppers hum by outside.
Okay, so enough of the scene-setting, you're probably saying. Get on with it. Tell us about the food.
The menu has a good range of dishes to suit everyone's taste, pocket and time, including sandwiches, salads, grills and hearty dishes such as haddock fillet in Timothy Taylor's beer batter or slow-braised lamb shoulder served with balsamic roasted shallots and goat's cheese and chive mash. There are also some tempting varieties of pizza (Parma ham, dolcelatte, smoked chicken and confit onions) and a range of pasta plates.
But it was the fillet steak sandwich served on toasted focaccia with chunky chips and bearnaise sauce that tempted me – and it did not disappoint.
The steak was beautifully cooked, flavoursome and tender (almost too good to put in a sandwich) and the chips were cooked to perfection.
Sometimes chunky chips can be rock solid and barely cooked in the middle.
Not these. They were substantial but still fluffy and crisp. Great for dunking into the bearnaise.
My guest plumped for one of the sharing plates – the fishy one with crayfish in marie-rose sauce, smoked salmon (piles of it) with shallot and gherkin relish, haddock fish cakes, tartar sauce, potato and peppered mackerel salad, and chunks of lovely thick-cut bread and butter.
At 7.95 (and really designed for two) it is great value. He sighed with every mouthful.
To be honest, we were both too full for dessert but, well, we managed.
A menu that includes white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding and trio of chocolate (dark chocolate delice with white chocolate chantilly, white chocolate and pistachio blondie with chocolate sauce and dark chocolate and orange sorbet) is just too tempting to ignore.
We plumped for dark chocolate tart, which was served warm with mango puree and passion fruit cream. I was hoping it would have a sludgy kind of consistency but it was light and airy, more like a cake or sponge. Still good, though.
Throughout, the staff were attentive and very friendly – all of which added up to a great lunchtime experience.
It felt like a real treat, decadent but without being painful on the pocket.
Two fruit juices, two mains and one pud came to a total of 23.85.
My lunch guest told me he eats there regularly because he always knows it will be good. I suspect there are many more like him.
More details (including a special Valentine Day menu) at
www.brasserieatthebull.co.uk
Details
Name: Brasserie At The Bull
Address: 5, Bull Green, Halifax
Telephone: 01422 330833
Courier reviews conducted without the prior knowledge of the restaurant
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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