James Kean For a brasserie tucked away in such a handsome old building, this is a dining room that can get overlooked. Perhaps itâs just too far on the periphery of for some - Portland Street is a bit of an unofficial city barrier crossing. But a recent refurbishment, and new owners (the hotel itself is called the Macdonald Townhouse after a takeover by the MacDonald group) and a menu packed with robust dishes is making it worth walking the extra few yards.
The gentle creams, greens and greys of the revamped room create a calm hideaway from the busy road outside. Once inside, the menu is a classic British affair. Save for some seasonal splashes of character, all your traditional starters are there, such as a chicken caesar salad, replete with crispy bacon and plenty of parmesan cheese, and the punchy and fresh ham and Cheshire cheese terrine that I tried out on my last visit. The apple chutney was suitably tangy and was great with the warm soda bread.
For the main courses, a meaty, herb-crusted fillet of sea bass worked well with the warm greek salad it was served with. Perhaps not the most obvious pairing but the saltiness of the olives and feta was a perfect match for the moist, buttery fish.
A generous hunk of fillet steak with chunky chips and cholesterol-laden bearnaise sauce was also a welcome arrival on a dark, cold night. Perfectly pink in the middle, this was a slab of meat for serious steak lovers. I finished with a baked cheesecake that melted in the mouth, right down to the firm, buttery base; on the opposite side of the table, my companion was getting stuck into a steaming hot sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. An excellent end to a thoroughly decent feed.
At £14.95 for two courses and £18.50 for three courses, itâs up there in terms of value as well. Otherwise youâll pay around £5.50 for a starter, between £11 and £16.50 for a main course and about a fiver for a pud. Throw in a bottle of drinkable house wine at £13.50 and itâs still not a bank-breaker.
101 Portland Street, M1 6DF. Tel: 0161 236 5122
