There's a point out there where the very unfashionable City gives way to the uber fashionable Shoreditch and Eyre Brothers has for the past decade operated on what must be the border. In an uncharacteristic club night for one half of the CC, the DSLR left at home given its bulk but the compact slipped in to my back pocket, my pre club filler was what the website describes as 'London's finest, authentic Iberian food'. Clubbing aside, there's clearly a need to investigate.
The menu is rich in Portuguese offerings, but in addition to this, if you know in advance that you're coming, you can with a day's notice order Andalusian rabbit and rice, or Portuguese style whole roast sucking pig. As a last minute booking, we could opt for neither, but the menu still offered a wide range of treats.
Initially, we both opted for the same: a starter of spatchcocked quail, cooked and then marinated in sherry vinegar, olive oil, raisins and pine-nuts, new potatoes and mint (£8) followed by a main of Grilled fillet of acorn fed Iberico pig, marinated with smoked paprika, thyme and garlic, oven potatoes with green peppers, onions, garlic and white wine (£21). The restaurant recommends the pork served medium rare.
As it turned out, this was a fine choice. The quail was delicately cooked while the plate bristled with variety given the spread of ingredients in the pot. Quantity is partly an issue here however, too much in fact (well, possibly), for a whole quail served with six potatoes plus veg as a starter is a lot of food to begin with. The main course, medium rare pork (asked for and received more on the rare side) is a testament for the quality of pork now available and really was fantastic. The picture tells the full story.
If there is one 'fault' with the food here today, found in the above dishes and the other ordered meal, it's that they seem to try to put too much flavour in everything. There's an element of over-seasoning here and an excessive pinch of garlic there. Throughout, these are quality ingredients and the cooking is good also, the kitchen should have more confidence to let things be.
A desire to be different and a glance at the table next to me convinced me however to embrace Jamon Iberico bellota, grilled bread with garlic, tomato, marjoram and olive oil (£18) to start, and order a main course of Grilled Mozambique tiger prawns piri-piri, pilaf rice, cucumber, coriander and sherry vinegar. Here, the Jamon was delightful (as it should be at this price) but the grilled bread overplaying it a little, especially on the garlic (noted above). The tiger prawns were mighty impressive and cooked with skill leaving few complaints on the dish itself but some naval gazing at the equally impressive £12 per prawn price tag.
The menu is rich in Portuguese offerings, but in addition to this, if you know in advance that you're coming, you can with a day's notice order Andalusian rabbit and rice, or Portuguese style whole roast sucking pig. As a last minute booking, we could opt for neither, but the menu still offered a wide range of treats.
Initially, we both opted for the same: a starter of spatchcocked quail, cooked and then marinated in sherry vinegar, olive oil, raisins and pine-nuts, new potatoes and mint (£8) followed by a main of Grilled fillet of acorn fed Iberico pig, marinated with smoked paprika, thyme and garlic, oven potatoes with green peppers, onions, garlic and white wine (£21). The restaurant recommends the pork served medium rare.
As it turned out, this was a fine choice. The quail was delicately cooked while the plate bristled with variety given the spread of ingredients in the pot. Quantity is partly an issue here however, too much in fact (well, possibly), for a whole quail served with six potatoes plus veg as a starter is a lot of food to begin with. The main course, medium rare pork (asked for and received more on the rare side) is a testament for the quality of pork now available and really was fantastic. The picture tells the full story.
If there is one 'fault' with the food here today, found in the above dishes and the other ordered meal, it's that they seem to try to put too much flavour in everything. There's an element of over-seasoning here and an excessive pinch of garlic there. Throughout, these are quality ingredients and the cooking is good also, the kitchen should have more confidence to let things be.
A desire to be different and a glance at the table next to me convinced me however to embrace Jamon Iberico bellota, grilled bread with garlic, tomato, marjoram and olive oil (£18) to start, and order a main course of Grilled Mozambique tiger prawns piri-piri, pilaf rice, cucumber, coriander and sherry vinegar. Here, the Jamon was delightful (as it should be at this price) but the grilled bread overplaying it a little, especially on the garlic (noted above). The tiger prawns were mighty impressive and cooked with skill leaving few complaints on the dish itself but some naval gazing at the equally impressive £12 per prawn price tag.
Jamon Iberico bellota, grilled bread with garlic, tomato, marjoram and olive oil
spatchcocked quail, cooked and then marinated in sherry vinegar, olive oil, raisins and pinenuts; new potatoes and mint
Grilled fillet of acorn fed Iberico pig, marinated with smoked paprika, thyme and garlic, oven potatoes with green peppers, onions, garlic and white wine
Grilled Mozambique tiger prawns piri-piri, pilaf rice, cucumber, coriander and sherry vinegar
We suspect all sorts dine at Eyre Brothers, from entertaining City types to fashion conscious Shoreditch clubbers and residents; and why not. In an area somewhat short of good eating, Eyre Brothers restaurant offered an enticingly different menu and delivers the plates well. The web site claims 'full on gutsy flavours' and in that respect it delivers. They should be careful however not to over do it to the point where the prime ingredients are overwhelmed, but this was a meal very much enjoyed, especially ahead of a hard night's clubbing.
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