Chiswick used to be a no-go area for eating out but, like almost everywhere else in London, W4 is a haven of hospitality as far as restaurants go, and the High Road Brasserie is top of the list of places to dine now.

The Venue
As a branch of the Soho House group, the High Road Brasserie offers everything that central London has and perhaps even more. The High Road is not just a restaurant, but also a hotel, a shop (the Cowshed sells things with which to pamper yourself) and a members’ club, with various types of membership and areas with such enticing names as the Games Room, the Playpen and the Playground. However, the restaurant on the ground floor is just how you expect a brasserie to be – large, busy, noisy and, above all, smart. It’s obviously the smartest place on the block in beautiful downtown Chiswick. Remember that all the managers here are dressed by Ted Baker.

The Atmosphere
The overall greyness of the decor is not at all offputting. In fact it is quite stylish and the decoration is supplied by the customers themselves, dressed to kill and fresh from an ad agency, a film company or the gym. And of course they can arrive at all hours, starting with breakfast or brunch through to lunch and dinner too. Lunchtimes and evenings must be the noisiest times because of all the hard surfaces and high ceilings so, if you are after peace and quiet, call in at an offpeak time.

The Food
Apart from breakfast which runs the gamut – grilled kippers, porridge, muesli, egg and bacon bap, anyone? – there’s lunch and dinner menus of small plates, starters, seafood, salads and sandwiches. The set lunch at £13 for two courses or £16 for three is good value. The borlotti and broad bean salad with piquillo peppers and courgettes is better than it sounds, even for non-vegetarians: a nice, light summer starter. However, the Caesar salad is even better – lots of crisp lettuce leaves with croutons, egg and anchovies plus, customers are warned, bacon bits. Although not strictly kosher for a Caesar salad, the bacon adds a definite oomph factor to the dish.

The pork chop with lentils, ham and thyme gravy is a good and luscious piece of meat, pink and succulent and with a fine porky taste. Red gurnard with sweet onion salsa is a good choice for fish (and more sustainable than cod) with a strong flavour, although it needs more than just an onion salsa to make it a complete course. The button mushrooms on sourdough bread with Fontina cheese is a little like a homemade pizza. The bread at the High Road Brasserie is excellent and really fresh and they are not stingy with it either. The mix of fungi and cheese is very appetising, crunchy bread, delicious, piping hot mushrooms covered in stringy cheese makes a tasty and unusual lunchtime platter. Desserts on offer include p;ear crumble and custard, Bakewell tart, chocolate fondant and milk ice cream. The poached pear in red wine with coconut sorbet couldn’t be nicer, the epitome of the very good pud. A selection of cheese and biscuits is an acceptable alternative.

The Drink
Any club restaurant worth its name has to have a good drinks list and here the usual quirky cocktail names surface with a Dirty Gherkin martini, the Raspberry Flirtini and a High Road Love Potion made with Champagne. The wine list has glasses from £4 and half litre carafes from £10 plus good house wine, a vin de Pays d’Oc, at £14 and a further selection rising to the £125 price bracket. The usual long drinks, soft drinks, draught and bottled beers and mocktails are all on hand.

The Last Word
The High Road Brasserie has the reputation of its other sister establishments that gives it the gravitas that breeds reliability. It is a big operation but one so obviously well managed that it is difficult to find fault. The attention to detail is obvious at every turn and that is why places such as the High Road Brasserie deserve their continuing success.

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