Tomos Parry busying himself in full view of his clientele
Brat is Tomos Parrys (relatively) new Restaurant in Shoreditch having opened just over a month ago. It has already received superlative reviews from many well read and infamous Restaurant critics, and my reservation for this Saturday just happened to coincide with Giles Corens review appearing in The Times the very same day. I read Giles column with avid interest (as I do every Saturday), Mr.Coren being my “go to” reviewer and my literary food hero, if that’s not to strong a phrase.
So now I have the opportunity, within 24 hours, of comparing our experiences – it’s David versus Goliath , Giles with a readership of probably millions and me of approx 12 – if I am lucky ! Giles starts his review in somber mood trying to get us to feel sorry for him explaining that he has the unfortunate life experience of only going to wonderful new restaurants only once, due to his occupation of Food Critic. This compells him to find new experiences to report and write about for his readership, and therefore precludes him from enjoying, for a second time, some of the most wonderful dishes he has been fortunate enough to savour on his first visit. Sort of understood Giles, but there is nothing to stop you doing this in your spare time as I do, and I have a full time job and go to school from 9 to 5 , 5 days a week too ! I will be happy to arrange repeat visits for you, and even accompany you if you need them to be organised ? 😂😉
Anyway back to Brat. Tomos Parry was the wonder kid who was receiving stellar reviews and visitations from the rich and famous at Kitty Fishers, Shepherds Market when it opened in December 2014. Then he left and whilst I have no clear idea what was behind this, it has culminated in the opening of his new venture in Shoreditch named Brat, apparently being the slang name of Turbot, the signature dish of the new restaurant. It is a joint venture with Ben Chapman whose company owns the Smoking Goat next door, in a building that was, until recently, an old East End Strip Pub called The White Horse ( memories I have of that place !)
It is a 1930s building with the entrance through a small door, outside of which there were a queue of people when we first walked past (just before 6) which I assumed were eager punters without reservations.
Upon entering you continue along a corridor and up a steepish staircase to the upstairs dining room where I immediately spot Mr.Parry busily at work at the open fireplace/ wood fired oven/ coal area. The room is inviting , all wood, bar down one side for walk ins, and all the cooking being performed right in front of you within an area basically doubling up as kitchen and pass, space being at a premium. Indeed so close to the oven/ grill was our table we were feeling as smoked as the food by the end of the evening – but that’s not a complaint.
As recommended by Giles I started the evening with an amontillado and tonic, and boy oh boy what a refreshing nutty thirst quencher it was , especially as I had been shopping vintage clothes with my wife for the past 2 hours and was completely parched. 
Thereupon the menu appeared with a list of snacks, starters and mains all of which I would have happily eaten – that’s just how inviting and intriguing (albeit at the same time seemingly simple) the menu is. Narrowing it down to just a few dishes to share was extremely difficult but we went for the Oysters Roasted with Seaweed, Langoustines, and at Giles behest, as he commented that “it was the greatest new dish invented in this country in decades” the Chopped Egg Salad with Bottarga. The latter not being something I would have rushed to order without Giles’s revelatory recommendation.
The Oysters were maybe one of the best Oysters I have eaten, lightly smoked, and just warmed through to give an even more satisfactory mouthfeel than an Oyster normally provides. Langoustines were very lightly roasted/steamed ? with Rosemary so that there were almost raw. 
The meat was soft and silky sweet as anything, and by sucking on the head you had just a hint of the rosemary coming through.
The aforementioned Egg Bottarga combination was indeed a great combination, served on rye sourdough with a little parsley and cress running through it.
Unsure if it was “Epochal” as quoted by Giles – it had the feeling of eating very underdone scrambled eggs with salty fish eggs running through it, all in a very positive and enjoyable way, with the crunch of the toast complimenting the softness of the topping.
We had not ordered other starters nothwithstanding the temptations on offer as we were saving ourselves for a 1.2 kg Turbot retailing at £55 which I thought we just could not miss , understanding it is the star of the show. ( You can also spend £65 for a 1.6kg Fish for sharing between 3/4. )
There appeared to be a bit of a run on Turbot at that precise time as ours took sometime to appear and I am guessing there is just not enough space to accommodate that many Turbot over the raging coals at one time.
They are roasted in special “cages” seemingly purpose made for them, and after being exposed to the wood charcoal fire they are rested for a short time in the wood oven and then basted in their own gelatinous juices with an oil style Pil Pil emulsion before being presented at your table.
Mr.Parry personally delivered ours to the table explaining the backbone had been cut out and that we could eat the burnt bones on the frill as well, comparing them to Pork scratchings, Fish style,recommending we sprinkle sea salt on them first. Indeed I did try them in this way and it was possible to crunch through some of them redolent indeed of eating a salty pork rind. My wife immediately cut the fish head off and dived in to all of the meat around that, this representing her favourite part of most fish! It was, I must admit, orgasmic meat, with the flesh sliding off the bones that were left intact, and the browned flesh and skin emitting the smokiness of the cooking process in a “please sir I want some more” way. 
The only accompaniments on offer with the fish were a Tomato salad and smokey potatoes. We went for the Pink Fir Apple Potatoes which had been roasted skin on, and were gnobbly and gnarly, good, but I would have preferred them to have been crunchier on the outside, softer inside and even smokier, but a minor criticism. Could you oblige Mr.Parry ? 
Our plate,when we were finished,consisted of just a few bones scattered around as we had decimated the fish and both of us were sated and very satisfied. Indeed so much so we could not sample the desserts of which they were only four on offer including a brown bread ice cream which I fancied but restraint entailed.
I had been drinking a couple of glasses of red Samaur as recommended by the Sommelier to go with the fish and it was light and fruity and went very well with the meaty Turbot. (£11 a glass).
I spoke to Mr.Parry on the way out and relayed my joy of the Turbot and also commented on the fact that the Beef Chops looked ominously fantastic too but that I could not have tackled one after the Turbot. He commented that he has had couples doing just that – finishing off a £1.2 Kg Turbot and following up with a steak. Maybe these are couples who, like Giles, are afraid they will never repeat the visit here and focus on eating everything on the menu in one gargantuan food frenzy ?
Brat is what restaurants should be all about, the whole experience crying out to be enjoyed again, with a menu you were desperate to tick off every entry leaving you no option but to organise a repeat visit ASAP. I will be – but I guess I will not be seeing Giles !
Rating – Food Blazingly Hot Pan 5/5
Service -Almost Blazingly Hot Pan 4.5/5 (delay on the Turbot)
Brat, 4 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch,E1.
Mr Giles is clearly missing out!