A Great Dinner At Last

Brabernec’s Restaurant

187 Wellingborough Road

Telephone: 01604 634428

It’s been a long time since I last went to Brabernec’s and not due to any unfortunate incident or poor food, in fact quite the opposite. I remember the food having been excellent, the service friendly and the whole evening enjoyable and despite friends and colleagues saying I should go again, I had hesitated. Perhaps and I admit, somewhat irrationally I was worried it might shatter that fond memory if I found it changed from my rose tinted and aging happy memory.

I needn’t have worried. We hadn’t booked, something I recommend you do. In fact we had no idea what we wanted to eat that night and had been wandering up and down the Wellingborough Road in the drizzle trying to gain some inspiration.

The restaurant is on one of the main drags into Northampton Town centre and looks tiny from the outside, set in a parade of shops it’s easy to miss but it would be a real shame if you did. I will say from the outset this was the nearest to a perfect evening of food and service we have had since beginning this blog.

I apologise first for the lack of photography, let’s see if I can do the food justice in words alone.

The menu is quite traditional with an equal amount of classic dishes, some seasonal game, fish and vegetarian options. The crab and mango salad was delicious and that’s from a seafood novice and there was so much of it I thought I might struggle with the main course. The dressing was rich and creamy but nicely offset by the diced fruit and crisp lettuce.

My partner had a black pudding salad, once again the serving was substantial with large chunks of black pudding fried to textural perfection, crispy on the outside while soft and yielding inside.

The mains were equally substantial. I chose blade of beef and I chose very well. It was incredible, I know it’s just dinner but it’s a dish I could eat again and again. The slow braised meat gave way at the merest touch of the fork, it’s succulence added to by a delicate sauce made with beer. We were offered a choice of sauteed potatoes or mash but the waiting staff gave us both as we struggled to choose. Each dish came with a generous serving of vegetables. My partner had Beef Wellington, again a beautifully cooked to medium rare cut of beef wrapped in pastry, despite our bulging stomachs we bravely ate our way through.

I want to comment on the service a little further. From the moment we arrived we were entertained by knowledgeable, friendly and unfussy front of house staff for whom nothing seemed like too much trouble. It’s the way it should be when eating out but many places get this so wrong. We ended up lingering over a brandy as dessert seemed like a mountain neither of us could climb.

For such great service, delicious food and drinks, the bill came to just under £70 and in our opinion worth every penny. We’ll be returning soon as there’s a few dishes I have to try before they change the menu. If you haven’t been yet, I think it’s a must go to restaurant in Northampton.