The Waterside Inn (Bray)
Number of visits: 1
Ah, the Waterside Inn. A true bastion of French cooking with its picturesque setting along the idyllic River Thames. Once led by legendary Chef Michel Roux Snr, it is now in the very capable hands of son Alain Roux. The dishes here, while rooted in classical French, showed a light touch, as shown by this dish of hake, stuffed lettuce, and creamed mushroom sauce.
Slivers of just-cooked hake yielded easily to the fork, its subtle taste heightened by the sauce of mushrooms, which had a great depth of flavour. Asparagus, lettuce, and peas brought vibrancy and different textures to the plate.
The restaurant celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and it’s not difficult to figure out the reasons behind its longevity. It isn’t just the quality of food; service, led by Maître d’ extraordinaire Diego, was in a class of its own; warm, attentive, and with the right touch of professionalism. Although it may be a little on the pricy side, a meal here is a most enjoyable experience, and one you will remember for a long time.
The Waterside Inn
Ferry Road, Bray
Berkshire SL6 2AT
The Hinds Head (Bray)
Number of visits: 1
It’s not easiest of tasks to shine whilst in the vicinity of two 3-michelin starred restaurants (within walking distance!), but the Hinds Head does so with aplomb. This could be put down to Heston Blumenthal’s magic touch; there’s so many things to like about the place. While maintaining the rustic character of a traditional pub, it offers a menu of historic British dishes brought into the modern era, like this one with pigeon, celeriac, hazelnuts, and dates.
The breast was tender with a rich gamey flavour, working beautifully with the slices of sweet, nutty celeriac. The leg was braised and enclosed within crispy pastry, combining with the hazelnuts to provide delightful textural contrasts.
It’s interesting to see how food from a previous era can be “updated”; with the level of execution observed here, it can amaze both your tastebuds and mind. I can’t think of a better place to experience this process, than right here.
The Hinds Head
High Street, Bray
Berkshire SL6 2AB
Naughty Piglets
Number of visits: 1
It looks like the husband and wife team of Joe Sharratt and Margaux Aubry have found a winning formula for a smart and successful local gem. Having spent time as head chef of Trinity, Joe heads up the kitchen here, elevating simple dishes to a superb level, while Margaux, previously of Terroirs, runs the front of house, giving out the best of drink recommendations.
A favourite dish was one of pork, sesame, and korean spices. Fresh slices of spring onion were sharp; the sweetness pairing delightfully with the char from the pork. The flavours on the plate were brought up a notch by the tangy and spicy korean sauce/dip. Sweet, sour, bitter, salt, umami; it was balanced and truly tasty.
The menu has a small plates format meant for sharing; go in a bigger group so you won’t have the problem I had of struggling to narrow down what I wanted to try. It may still be early days, but Naughty Piglets is proving itself to be a lovely addition to the Brixton restaurant scene.
Naughty Piglets
28 Brixton Water Lane
London SW2 1PE
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