Our MC art editor dines at Eyre Brothers, exploring Shoreditch's culinary scene...
When time isn’t of the essence, when good things come to those who wait and when it’s time to take a break from the busy world then Eyre Brothers is the perfect location for a wonderful evening. This exquisite restaurant which styles its food on Spanish and Portuguese influences is complimented even further with its extensive selection of delicious wines.
We arrived shortly after 7:30pm on a sunny Wednesday evening. The tranquil and relaxing setting made for the perfect night to simply relax and unwind after a busy day.
Eyre Brothers first moved to Leonard Street back in 2001 and is the wonderful creation of Head Chef David Eyre. David originated from a former Portuguese colony in Mozambique so his inspirations run further afield than the Spanish tapas you’d expect from this style of restaurant.
The staff were polite, attentive and clearly extremely proud of their menu. As we were being led to our table I knew we’re in for memorable evening.
The wine for the evening was a bottle of Viňa Santurnia Gran Reserva, 2004, Rioja (£55). Produced from some of the vineyard's oldest vines the excellent Rioja lives up to its impeccable reputation and it came as no surprise to see it on the menu.
For our first course, or should I say 'Primeiros' we had Pulpo a la Gallega (£10) and Pressed Madeira and Porto-marinated duck foie gras (£12) – both absolutely delicious dishes prepared to an exceptional standard. Next up for our main meal we had Solomillo Ibérico (£24), a beautifully tender loin seasoned perfectly served with patatas pobres - oven potatoes with onions, green peppers, garlic and white wine and Caldeirada de Peixe é Mariscos (£20) - Portuguese seafood stew - clams, prawns, mussels, monkfish, hake and tuna. All our mains were palatable sensations and signature dishes of the extremely talented and experienced chef.
To finish our evening, we had Cream Caramel (£5) and Chocolate, prune and brandy terrine served with clotted cream (£6) both were superb, truly the perfect ending to a perfect evening.
This intimate and desirable restaurant found in the back streets of Shoreditch is a really special place. Try it, experience it and see for yourself because quite simply there’s something special in the Eyre.
Eyre brothers 70 Leonard St, London EC2A 4QX 020 7613 5346