The Brave’s glistening gold letters and cobalt blue frontage speak true to its name, but inside, it’s actually very understated – casual, even – with a large L-shaped bar in the centre and lots of tables for couples and small groups. James Cochran (formerly of 12:51) is the man behind this bistro-esque venture on Essex Road, offering a fresh take on British pub culture inspired by his Scottish-Caribbean heritage. Walking in, you could be at any other London pub, but the menu says differently, offering playful, elevated twists on classic dishes, and all executed brilliantly.
Start with a selection of snacks to get you going. Must-orders include a trio of prawn and lardo toasts drizzled with fiery chilli sauce, and the homemade soda bread, which comes with whipped, tangy Marmite butter. James' food is imbued with a clear sense of style and personality, cleverly steering clear of ever feeling like overdone iterations of British pub food. For £14, a huge brawn bon bon comes with a tangy lift of gherkin ketchup, while an updated twist on cullen skink features pearlescent hake in a smoky, rich sauce, with big chunks of root veg and parsnip crisps. Sides have plenty of main character energy too, including chunky hash brown batons – so soft yet so crisp – with a punchy truffle foam. Delicious as everything is, the real power behind each dish is the unwavering ability to bring a smile to your face.
We end with a twist on baked Alaska, its sweet, marshmallow-like topping hiding candy-pink rhubarb sorbet, soft chunks of lemon cake and tangy lemon curd within. Wines are playfully divided into ‘crisp’ and ‘full-bodied’ whites, and ‘ruby’ and ‘garnet’ reds, while cocktails come with names like Tequila Espresso, which you’re free to order at your peril.
Atmos wise, The Brave feels like it’s still warming up (there are a lot of tables to fill), but we have no doubt that once the word gets out about those hash browns, they’ll have a steady stream of diners on its doorstep.