The Old Truman Brewery,
152c Brick Lane,
Brick Lane,
London,
E1 6RU
(020) 7247 0005
The ViewLondon Review
With comedy, cabaret, burlesque and credible DJs, this infamous Brick Lane supper club has entertainment galore and you can make an evening of it by indulging in their ambitious food, too.
The Venue
The Brickhouse has always led more of a mysterious existence in comparison to its rampant neighbours. The respective courtyard space at Vibe and 93 Feet East ensures they can’t be missed but Brickhouse prefers to go about its business in a less
in-your-face fashion. All that signals the venue’s presence is a discreet sign above the door and, once inside, a cloakroom is your first port of call before being ushered through the double doors and into an open-plan, triple-level space. The overwhelming
colour scheme is white with vivid colours provided by the in-house lighting system. It has a smallish stage area hugging the left-hand wall and, beyond that, a DJ booth. A ground floor bar sits opposite the booth and there’s seating available for eye-level
views of the performance. By far the best seats in the house are up on the first mezzanine level, where large squishy purple booths provide elevated vistas of the entertainment whilst you tuck into your supper.
The Atmosphere
A varied roster of events means that the atmosphere can fluctuate dramatically. Earlier on the evening (around 8pm), you may wonder if the venue is going to actually live up to its billing as one of the liveliest in the areas, but once the clock ticks on and
hits show time, the atmosphere has warmed up considerably – a couple of hen parties see to this - and the compere ensures that the laughter flows thick and fast.
On Fridays, the entertainment starts at 9pm and the combination of hilariously outlandish comments from the camp-as-a-row-of-tents compere and strangely absorbing performances from the female acts is definitely the highlight of the evening.
The Music
Later on, the Brickhouse turns into a club proper, with DJs tending to play a mixture of house, funk and soul. All Back To Ours is a particularly popular event from a Manchester-based brand. If you arrive early and intend to eat, you’re in safe hands as the DJ who warms
things up before the Alice in Wonderland-themed show selects stone cold classics from the vaults like Rae and Christian’s Spellbound featuring the heartbreaking vocals of Veba.
The Food
Essentially acting as a supper club in the earlier part of the evening, the food comes in two set menus – a 5 course meat or vegetarian tasting menu – and these both cost £35 per head. Food is of a reasonable standard although if you are used to dining
at a decent level of restaurant, you may expect more. First up a selection of good quality bread, including a moreish sun dried tomato slice, is a promising way to start. Next, a thin mushroom soup with a spoon of creme fraiche at its bottom is
adequate, but it is a little oily and you can’t help feeling it would benefit from being in thicker in consistency and for the intensity of the flavour to be pumped up a few notches. The next small plate - a pan-sealed scallop - is cooked well, so the scallop is
braised on the outside without losing its supple consistency within. This sits on a bed of very fishy pulped salt hake and cress. The scallop is perfectly enjoyable on its own but less successful is the overpowering flavour from the hake, however a tart and
vinegary salsa verdi balances this out somewhat.
The most substantial dish arrives next – a breast of chicken wrapped in wafer-thin slice of Parma ham. A warm and wet braised gem lettuce and a couple of small squares of roasted potato sit in the bowl with the meat. All of these ingredients are bathed
in a tiny amount of gravy, billed as marjoram jus, which doesn’t have enough character to really make the dish stand out. By this stage you might need to request a break before you enter the final stretch of cheese and biscuits and a creme brulee.
When the cheese arrives it’s a combo of very mature brie, with an eye-wateringly ripe flavour that makes it taste more like a stinky mature cheese rather than the mild flavour you typically associate with it. A sticky fig in a rich treacly sauce is on hand to
contrast, as well as a rather lovely and infinitely better chutney. Finally, the most enjoyable part of the sitting – a most excellent creme brulee is a lovely version of the classic pud.
The Drink
Cocktails are a good place to start at the Brickhouse. A comprehensive list is split in two sections – House Specials and Classics. They flutter in price from £8-£9 and The Brick House and Charlie’s Angel are two refreshing numbers off the house list.
The venue’s namesake mixes Russian Standard Vodka, Chambord, raspberries, lemon juice sugar and Prosecco, whilst you will find the same vodka, along with pear Cognac, Liquor 43, apple and pear juice and sugar in the sweet and soothing Charlie’s
Angel.
Wine starts at £4.50 a glass/£18.50 per bottle and goes all the way up to £60. Both red and white house wine is from Spain, using the Tempranillo and Macebo grapes they offer a respectable quality, particularly for house. The red is particularly vibrant
in flavour and it is an easy-drinking tipple. They also have a Pinto Noir on their list, which is more expensive but is a superb choice if you’re in the mood for something with a bit more class.
The Last Word
The Brickhouse has lots to offer in terms of its quirky, diverse roster of performance and music. The chances are the entertainment may well overshadow the food but, if you’re out celebrating with friends or a loved one, you’ll have
a hoot.
The Brickhouse has been reviewed by 20 users