LA BRASSERIE a destination restaurant with reason
FOOD + DRINK
LA BRASSERIE a destination restaurant with reason
Close your eyes . Now , imagine a sleek dining room , professional yet warm and attentive service , a good wine list and an array of mouthwatering , beautifully presented dishes ... now open them . Let me guess , you were thinking a hotel at Gatwick Airport , right ? No ! Me neither ! Put those preconceptions aside and prepare to be inspired by ... La Brasserie at the Sofitel London Gatwick . BY SAMANTHA READY
It ’ s fair to say that when planning a night out , an airport hotel restaurant has never factored into my shortlist , yet consider the facts : it ’ s easily accessible ; my dining companions were travelling from Sussex , Kent and Surrey , and all knew where it was and could get there in under an hour ; there is ample parking ( albeit with some interesting jetlag-inspired bay-hogging techniques ); and of course there is always the option of a room for a night if you overindulge . Jokes aside , and on a more serious foodie note , Gatwick is also primely situated to make the most of a host of fresh local and national produce suppliers , which head chef , David Woods recognised when taking charge of the 24 staff who work around the clock for not one , but three dining options at the Sofitel .
On this occasion my guests and I were heading for La Brasserie , the two rosette , fine dining offering - defined as modern British with a French twist . Settling down at our corner table for four , glass of prosecco in hand , we began to peruse the menu , which offers a selection of à la carte options , as well as daily specials advised by the waiting staff and , on this occasion , David himself , who inspired us not just with his fondness for his location - having lived most of his life in Sussex - and passionate ethos on using local ingredients , but with his menu highlights . Influenced by the keen fisherman , we were swerved away from our ‘ usual ’ choices to try different options throughout the evening .
Much umming and ahhing ensued , but , decisions made , we were immediately served our amuse bouche of spiced carrot soup ; the lightly spiced , thick , warm broth was delicious and a great precursor to the rest of the starters - the parsnip and celeriac soup of the day - thick , hearty and flavoursome ; the lobster , king prawn and west country crab with its innovative avocado and mango accompaniments ; the pulled pork rillette , a delicate dish with calvados jelly and a great apple sauce ; and the monkfish , delicately infused with curry spices before cooking , it tasted divine .
Eager for the next course , we were promptly served with our main options : a Surrey Farm , grass-fed , aged ribeye steak ; perfectly cooked , with an interesting cognac peppercorn sauce and triple-cooked chips ; the yeast-battered , South Coast fish and chips , which was beautifully presented with pickles , hard boiled eggs and homemade tartar sauce . My final guest opted for the pork belly special while I chose the pork belly signature dish - both very different from one another and both delicious . My guest ’ s dish offered two cubes of pork with delicate scallops and Asian-inspired vegetables , while mine proffered a huge dish of creamy mashed potatoes and a large cut of pork with the longest , crispiest shards of crackling and a rich calvados jus .
Of course we made just enough room for dessert . My guests opted for the sticky date toffee pudding ; a molten treat of velvety butterscotch pudding , the crème fraîche cheesecake with a brilliant zingy Granny Smith apple sorbet , and the ice cream - simple enough until the heaving glass dish of clotted cream , peanut butter and strawberry ice creams appeared ( honestly , the best peanut butter ice cream ever ). I opted for the special raspberry
chocolate fondant and it did not disappoint ; perfectly cooked , offering a refreshing change in the form of a hot raspberry chocolate middle and perfect with a scoop of clotted cream ice cream .
Each of us was impressed , not only with the presentation of each dish , and of course the taste , but with the sizes of the portions and with the service too . It appeared that we weren ’ t the only ones and the secret is out - the restaurant was really busy . Naturally , there were hotel residents eating , but it was evident that , like ourselves , there were many diners travelling here for what ’ s a fantastic destination restaurant . Booking is highly recommended , and for all the right reasons .
La Brasserie Sofitel London Gatwick North Terminal Gatwick Airport West Sussex RH6 0PH
01293 567070 ( opt 3 ) www . sofitelgatwick . com
@ sofitelLondonGA / SofitelGatwickLondon
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