Reasonable prices and a relaxed atmosphere in Knightsbridge? Brompton Bar and Grill is full of surprises.

The Venue
Formerly known as Brasserie St Quentin (and even more formerly as Brompton Grill), Brompton Bar and Grill is exactly what it promises – mainly, a bar and grill on Brompton Road. Inside is a mixture of modern furnishings and almost retro touches, like round metallic hanging lamps and a long wall hung with colourful sketches and old exhibition posters. An impressive bar lines the opposite wall to the right, and they’ve done well to get in as many tables as possible. Although it seems slightly cramped, when the crowd arrives the extra seating is well worth it.

The Atmosphere
It’s quiet early in the evening but the subdued atmosphere is pleasant, and at about 8pm the crowds begin to pile in, with everyone from couples to groups of friends having a mini-reunion. Clientele are older, smartly dressed but not too formal or stuffy – this is a grill, after all. Despite being just down the road from Harrods the environment feels friendly and open, the exact opposite of the expensive and aloof atmosphere you’d expect from a Brompton Road venue. Service is pleasant and helpful, especially with the wine recommendations, the only quibble being that you shouldn’t have to tentatively raise your hand to claim your dish when it’s brought out, particularly if you’re part of a small party.

The Food
The menu includes traditionally British dishes with the occasional French influence, including a few choices that you don’t see very often, such as crispy pig tails (£4), crab on toast (£8.50) and Barnsley Chop with grilled kidney (£14.50). The menu also offers a few surprises in regards to pricing, with some dishes that are definitely good value for the area. Overall though, the menu is more than reasonable for Knightsbridge and the packed crowd attests to this.

From the list of starters, the chicken liver and foie gras terrine (£9) is superb. The pieces of chicken liver and foie gras are layered together so that the terrine looks like an intricate jigsaw puzzle, letting you appreciate each piece of sharp, irony chicken liver and rich, succulent foie gras individually. Potted shrimps (£9.50) are also a winner, with a nice texture. They’re mixed together with a light but well seasoned dressing.

For mains, the grilled monkfish with chilli salsa (£17.50) is another surprise, particularly if you’re used to monkfish served in medallion style pieces. This dish, however, is served up as a large chunk of the tail on the bone, topped with a refreshing tomato salsa that doesn’t overpower the flavours of the fish. The fish itself is well cooked, with the familiar meaty texture, although getting it off the bone is a bit fiddly and the bok choi underneath seems limp and soggy. The flat iron steak (£16) is simple but done well and cooked perfectly to order; the long, thick cut is high quality and smoothly divided into pieces with your knife. An accompanying sauce is nice but not strictly necessary, with a brown pepper sauce being thick and surprisingly sweet, with a few whole peppercorns mixed through. The accompanying chips are fantastic and clearly homemade, with a crisp outer layer and a fluffy, steaming hot interior. They come stacked on the side of the steak but might prove a bit much to finish – they look so nice that your dining companions will be hard pressed not to sneak a few off your plate.

A short but sweet dessert list includes British classics like sticky toffee pudding with clotted ice cream (£6) and rhubarb crumble with ginger custard (£6.50). Whilst the sticky toffee pudding is lovely, moist and cakey with a generous helping of hot toffee sauce, the rhubarb crumble is slightly bitter and could be a bit more, well, crumbly. The accompanying custard is served cold, so if you like your desserts warm it might be best to stick with the molten hot sticky toffee pudding.

The Drink
With a home on Brompton Road the Brompton Bar and Grill could happily bump up the wine list’s prices with little to no argument. Happily, though, they haven’t, which makes the biggest surprise of the evening the wine list, with bottles from £10 (£10!). There are 21 choices of bottles for under £30, with the top of the list hitting £86 for white and £165 for red. As for glasses, there are eight each of red and white from £3.50, and one rose for £5.50. The Amalaya Malbec (£5 a glass, £20 a bottle) is rich but not overwhelming, with a nice red berry flavour. A glass of Cotes du Rhone, Domaine Brusset (£5.50, or £22 per bottle) is light enough to be a good complement to the fish dishes. Magnums and half bottles are also available.

A list of seven Champagnes starts at £8 a glass and £40 a bottle, whilst a Prosecco provides a slightly cheaper option for £6 and £26. The list of cocktails also looks quite intriguing, priced between £7.50 and £8.50, with classics such as Mojitos, daquiris and Bloody Marys mixing with the more unusual Red Apple (gin, Manzana liqueur, lemon juice and grenadine) and Stand Back (basil, passion fruit, tequila, lychee and apple juice).

The Last Word
Brompton Bar and Grill proves that dining in Knightsbridge doesn’t have to be intimidating. The low wine prices leave room to splash out a bit on the food, which is definitely worth it.

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