I found Soho’s Prix Fixe Brasserie by accident. We were meeting our daughter for her birthday, which fell on a Monday, and, as I had not realised just how many restaurants in London shut for their weekly rest on Mondays and I discovered all those originally high on my list would be closed, I hit on Prix Fixe.
I’m glad. Not only was it open, it was also a way of extending my restaurant repertoire.
The restaurant lives up to its name. It has set menus at prices that look as though they belong to yesteryear. For £12.90 you get a starter and main course. It’s £15.90 for pre-theatre. Pay another £3 and pudding is added to the deal.
For these prices, you don’t get something that’s out of the world and off the planet cuisine. But what you get is good – and generously portioned.
I started with Buffalo Mozzarella, Sicilian datterini tomato and crispy bacon salad, croutons and lemon dressing. It was tasty – and served with as much bread as you wanted.
I followed this with Chargrilled Lamb Kofta with aubergine compote, mange tout, sautéed new potato and tzatziki. Yes, this is cross-cultural and so daring for a French inspired restaurant. But it worked and I was licking my lips.
My daughter went for the Grilled Mussels in garlic, Pernod and parsley butter which she said was excellent followed by a difficult to fault (and admittedly easy to cook) Chargrilled Cheeseburger, cabbage and carrot slaw with sriracha mayo, and home made frites. She could have added an egg or bacon for £1 extra but chose not to.
As it was a birthday, we all had a glass of fizz to start with – prosecco at £5.25 and champagne at £6.95 is the main choice. And besides tap water – that staple of London restaurants now – we washed it all down with a bottle of Malbec (£24.50).
Puddings were the usual – Tarte Tatin, Eton Mess and Banoffee pie – fine but, in common with that course generally, not memorable. Still, they rounded out a leisurely lunch.
The service was cheerful, helpful (we had a toddler with us) and efficient. And the place is obviously popular. Although we had a wide choice of table at 12.30, by 1.00pm, the place was almost full.
Our bill including coffee, drinks, and service came to just over £120 – £40 a head for a full meal in the centre of London.
I’d go there again – and not just on a Monday.
Prix Fixe Brasserie
39 Dean Street
London W1D 4PU
020 7734 5976
Nearest stations: Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus.