A Spring Evening Meal at Bramleys Brasserie

Just a stone’s throw from Wollaton Park, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, and Highfields Park & Boating Lake, one of the delights about visiting Bramleys Brasserie is taking in the University of Nottingham campus as you drive up to the restaurant - a reminder of what a beautiful part of the city this is.

We were lucky enough to be asked to review their new spring menu, and so two of us went along on a beautiful spring evening for a delightful meal for two. Part of the De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre and Orchard Hotel, Bramleys offer modern British cuisine with an emphasis on locally sourced produce.
 

Greeted by the staff, we were shown to our seats and although inside on a warm and sunny evening the light filtered in through the restaurant beautifully. This is a place with an air of calm sophistication, which was also mirrored in the great service we received throughout our dinner.

Browsing the menu, we particularly loved reading the story of The Bramley Apple, after which the restaurant was named. This famous fruit was originally grown in Southwell, north Nottinghamshire, and twelve trees, cloned from the original mother tree, are now thriving in the Millennium Garden in the University Park.

Sophie

There were numerous tantalizing choices available on the menu for vegetarians, so I was not stuck for meat-free options. To start I went for a Goats Cheese Salad, served with toasted hazelnut and honey roasted beetroot. Unlike anything I have tried before, it was a unique medley of creamy, almost mousse-like goats cheese, crisp, thinly sliced toast and fresh beetroot and pear. It was apparent this dish had a lot of thought put into it, and it was a nice surprise to be presented with something so delicate and delicious when ordering a salad.

The main course was a toughy. My eyes kept flicking between a comforting Cropwell Bishop Stilton Tart (served with caramelised onions and potato; with a side of purple sprouting broccoli and Bramley apple puree – oh my!) and the more healthy Superfood Salad (a springy mix of spiced sweet potato, feta, brazil nuts, broccoli, black quinoa, pomegranate and chilli - which I’m sure would leave me levitating with good health afterwards!).
 

In the end, craving a good hearty meal, I opted for the Halloumi Burger and fries. Deep fried in spicy breadcrumbs, the halloumi was just the kind of chewy texture us veggies like from our burgers. (Peas and carrot mush does not a veggie burger maketh!) The roasted red pepper relish was perfectly tangy and best of all, the whole thing did not fall apart in my hands as I ate – very important! Having had such a rich and unusual starter, I did kind of wish that I’d chosen one of the more intricate dishes I’d looked at, but a top-quality halloumi burger is never cause for dissatisfaction. I guess I’ll just have to go back and try more of the menu at Bramleys!

For dessert, it had to be the chocolate swiss roll. I knew this would be realms above any shop-bought swiss roll I’d tried before, but the addition of marmalade, whipped cream, and honeycomb to dip into was just exquisite.
 

Alex

I’ll admit, it’s been quite some time since I ate in a restaurant as elegant as Bramleys Brasserie, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, both from the menu and the general vibe - I was thoroughly impressed by both!

After quite some time ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ over to what to choose from the menu (I was very tempted by one of the delicious-sounding pizzas, but I knew that I would enjoy one of the more sophisticated offerings on the menu), I decided on whisky cured Salmon infused with Scottish whisky as a starter. Served with horseradish crème fraiche, and a cucumber and dill dressing, it was a fantastic concoction of textures! The salmon was the nicest I’ve ever had – incredibly fresh and tasty, and the dressing just went perfectly with it. The dish as a whole was so lovely to look at too.

For main course, I had roasted duck breast served with orange glazed chicory and dauphinoise potato. The duck was wonderfully tender and cooked to perfection. Paired with the dauphinoise potato, which was delightfully creamy with crispy edges, the dish was just delicious.
 

I’m partial to a cheeseboard so decided on Bramleys’ offering for dessert. There was an impressive stack of sourdough crackers on which to tower the fab selection of cheeses - Colston Bassett Stilton, Lincolnshire Poacher cheddar, Bosworth Ash goats cheese and Tunworth soft cheese. The quince jam and generous portion of grapes was the icing on the cake with this desert.

We'd most definitely recommend a meal at Bramleys Brasserie - the perfect place for a special celebration, meeting or date - and if the weather is nice, don't forget to take a wander around the gorgeous grounds while you are there!

Find out more about Bramleys Brasserie by clicking here.
 

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This blog was written by Alex Broughton, Marketing Manager at Visit Nottinghamshire, and Sophie Gargett, Marketing Assistant at Visit Nottinghamshire.