The Barbican Brasserie is the new name of Searcys restaurant in the Barbican centre. This is one of the group’s few public venues, alongside such stalwarts as the champagne bar at St Pancras station.
It has also been here for a very long time, and I remember visiting not long after it opened, I think in the early nineties, at which stage is was one of very few places in the City which served decent food. As a result, it developed something of a reputation and was for a long time very popular with the lawyers, accountants, bankers and consultants of the square mile.
Time passes, and slowly it was forgotten, overtaken by the massed ranks of noodle specialists and Deliveroo bikes. For a period it was focused on Italian cuisine and there is sat as the years went by. The city workers forgot it, and its customers were increasingly only those going for a pre-theatre meal or a lunch after an exhibition.
But it has now been given a new injection of life, reverted to its brasserie roots, and wow is it good to have it back.
First, the venue itself. It is admittedly hard to find in the centre of the brutalist labyrinth that is the Barbican Centre, but trust (follow the yellow brick line!) and you will find it eventually.
Inside, details from the original construction have been kept, the furniture is simple and elegant, and the views are wonderful – out over the stunning oblong turquoise pool of the central area towards the mediaeval St. Giles Cripplegate church. One of the most evocative views in the City.
The food has also returned to its roots: I had an excellent starter of scallops, but rather than being lazily shipped up on pureed cauliflower or similar, the dish was full of different textures and flavours, with in particular sharp pickled beetroot puncturing the buttery fat of the crustacean. Intelligent, bold cooking.
For the main course, I ordered something I almost never do: chicken. But this was paired with nduja on a bed of Bertolli beans. Many flavours, many textures and delicious, albeit I did look at my guest’s halibut with some considerable envy – it looked incredible. For next time.
Finally, to finish off, a cheesecake to end all cheesecakes and for me a rather wicked, creamy pair of cannolis.
All excellent, but the best bit is still to come: £26 for two courses, £31 for three courses (with very few add-ons). Unbelievable value. How to revamp an old favourite during a cost-of-living crisis indeed!
