insideKENT Magazine Issue 76 - July 2018 | Page 109
FOOD+DRINK
Branded Steaks
IN A WORLD WHERE OUR HIGH STREETS HAVE BECOME THE DOMAIN OF CHAINS, CHURNING
OUT RECOGNISABLE BUT UNINSPIRING DISHES, OFTEN WITH A LACKLUSTRE APPROACH
TO SERVICE AND DISHES, IT IS REFRESHING TO SEE A NEW INDEPENDENT BRINGING TOP
QUALITY PRODUCE, SLICK SERVICE AND SOME MIGHTY FINE MENU OPTIONS TO OUR
LOCAL KENT DINERS AND IT’S TAKING THE NORTH OF THE COUNTY BY STORM… LUNCH
AT BRANDED STEAKS SEVENOAKS. BY SAMANTHA READY
Following on from its
highly successful first
restaurant offering in
Beckenham 18 months
ago, Branded Steaks’
latest venture is based in
food connoisseur
heaven, Sevenoaks.
Waltzing through the
entrance, the
insideKENT team was
immediately struck by
the welcoming yet
refined feel of the
restaurant.
The bar area with its
high stools and sofa area offers the perfect place for some pre-dinner
tipples or indeed just to work your way through the cocktail menu with
some tasty bar snacks, while the main dining room is all about wood
panelling, warm tones, industrial lighting and dark wood furniture, the
secluded private dining table a nice touch for those wanting a little
privacy, but who still want to feel part of the restaurant’s vibrant
atmosphere.
And of course as the name suggests this restaurant is all about its beef,
and not just any beef, but happy beef.
Realising that the quality of the restaurant depends so critically on
the quality of the produce, Branded director, Reis Remzi has sourced
and developed relationships with his suppliers and all Branded beef,
which is traditionally aged, is selected and hand cut by expert butcher,
Donald Russell from prime, ethically reared cattle.
And, it isn’t just the beef that is happy. The staff, lef by restaurant
manager, Dawid, are welcoming and efficient, while characterful head
chef, Jean-Luc is a masterclass in not only how to know your
ingredients, but in how to inspire diners across Branded’s menu
offerings… of which there are many to choose.
Starters offer the opportunity to
venture away from the classic
meat main courses and we
happily devoured the pan-fried
king prawns in a classic garlic
beurre blanc sauce with chilli and
lemon; the salt and pepper squid,
in a crisp batter with chilli, lime
and spring onion; fresh warm
bread and olives and crispy roast
duck – a perfectly seared breast
with fresh pomegranate,
tomatoes and hints of oriental
flavours; each dish chosen from
the well conceived and
reasonably priced set lunch
menu. All in aid of our readers, and not
just because the iK team are
notoriously greedy, we finished
with pudding; a classic creme
brulee, the not-too-sweet but
totally moreish sticky toffee
pudding, a decadent chocolate
fondant and the team favourite,
a white chocolate and raspberry
cheesecake. Although the
number one pudding choice is
in fact the apple and blackcurrant
flapjack crumble, a cheeky twist
on a favourite classic which
promises spiced fruit, and an oaty
crumble with a smooth vanilla
custard.
There are a range of main course
options, salads and fish dishes as
well as a tempting array of fine
cuts of beef and burgers. The
Branded burger was declared a
team hit, made with handcrafted
diced steak, smoked bacon and
glorious melted Monterey Jack
cheese; the onion rings were the
largest we’d seen; the surf and
turf offered perfectly cooked fillet
piled with soft butter-seared
prawns and paired with sweet
potato fries, broccoli and a classic
bernaise; the sirloin offered a
marbled, flavorsome cut with fries
and peppercorn sauce; and the
delicate fillet steak with chunky
chips came with a red wine and
shallot jus, which was declared
sauce winner. With no menu choice to be
faulted and a whole host of
tempting options still to be tried,
Branded Steaks has become a
firm iK favourite.
Branded Steaks
63-35 High Street
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 1JY
01732 453626
www.brandedsteaks.co.uk
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