Checking Out Weekend Brunch at Sam's Brasserie

Brunch is a meal that takes place in my family by accident or if you prefer a fortuitous consequence of fatigued parents, ravenous children and an absence of food fit for human consumption in the fridge. And it was this happy ‘accident’ that found us at Sam’s Brasserie last Saturday morning.

For those who are yet to experience this establishment, Sam’s is a bar and brasserie situated in Barley Mow Passage. Formerly part of a paper factory this remarkable building has retained much of its Voysey influenced raw and industrial New York loft style design.

With emphasis on affordability and flexibility, Sam’s offers everything from breakfast or a light snack and coffee, to brunch, to drinks with friends or a full three course meal with wines.

Back to brunch and omnipresent Proprietor Sam Harrison and Head Chef, Rufus Wickham have created a well thought out menu ranging from toast and jam to fried eggs, and home cured bacon served with home baked beans. Children are catered for with sensible and healthy options that they will actually eat (Wickham has a three year old child) and entertainment is provided with a range of excellent books, paper, pencils and crayons.

Adults drank the drink of the day which was freshly squeezed orange juice (£3.00) and coffee (£2.00), whilst the children opted for apple juice (£2.00) to accompany their croissants (£1.00) and an exquisitely presented plate of juicy blackberries and raspberries, apple, pear, kiwi, melon, pineapple, pomegranate and sliced banana (£5.50) which produced a satisfied “scrumptious” from my eldest offspring.

The grown ups decided on an inspired combination of French toast, crispy bacon and caramelized apples (£5.75) and Scrambled eggs served with piperade (stewed Spanish peppers) and Serrano ham (£7.50). My husband, renowned on both sides of the Irish Sea for his fabulous scrambled eggs, chose the latter dish and was forced to admit that he was suitably impressed.

The brunch menu also included Organic Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit and muesli, American hotcakes with maple syrup, Kedgeree with poached eggs or Eggs Florentine. Prices ranging from £1.00 to £7.50 make this an affordable family meal. Our bill for five full-up people came to an acceptable £37.96.

Sam’s also provides an intuitive kids menu, again inspired by Wickham’s own first hand experience, which offers Shepherds pie with broccoli, Home made fish fingers with pea mash or Vegetable sticks with humous and mayo which, when finished off with ice cream and fresh fruit or bananas and cream, provides a nutritious and delicious two course meal for £5.50.

Sam’s Brasserie has indisputably followed through with their family friendly philosophy and aptly provides an enjoyable dining experience for the whole family. As a mother of three who rarely finds a children’s menu that deviates from the demonised chicken nugget or brutalised burger, it was refreshing to discover that Sam’s caters for both today’s more discerning child and their discriminating parents.

Emma Brophy

October 29, 2005