Brasserie Blanc aims to satisfy customer’s appetites with a traditional menu of French classics, taken from the expertise of famous chef Raymond Blanc. Blanc says that he learnt his love of food around his ‘Maman’s’ table as a child and that it’s with some of these same hearty, wholesomely delicious recipes he hopes to delight diners in the UK.
The French restaurant chain has locations scattered across England, but for those on the south coast, the Portsmouth branch may well be the closest.
Brasserie Blanc Portsmouth is open every day from 12noon until 11pm, except Sundays when it closes at 10pm. The front of the restaurant features floor to ceiling glass panels, allowing lots of opportunities for natural light to stream into the space. This is balanced with a rich, moody colour palette of navy blue panelled walls and dark wooden flooring. Rustic touches have been added to the décor to hint towards the venue’s provincial roots such as old-fashioned measuring scales, earthenware jugs and pillar candles.
Diners at Portsmouth have an extensive a la carte menu to choose from which boasts 11 starters including cheese soufflé alongside grilled squid salad with chilli and ginger. For mains, highlights include pan-fried stone bass with butterbeans and chorizo, smoked pork belly with apple and crackling and confit Barbary duck leg.
Those with a sweet tooth can pick between the likes of golden chocolate feuilletine and pistachio soufflé, as well as a French and English cheese selection. The drinks list is impressively long with a large selection of gins, spritzs’ and cocktails – including classics like a Pornstar Martini and Paloma.