Brasserie Blanc: Winchester restaurant reopens after refurbishment

Brasserie Blanc, an upmarket chain serving a classically French menu devised by owner Raymond Blanc, has reopened its doors.

It comes as the restaurant in Jewry Street looked to revamp the decor to give it a modern feel, after a four week closure from Sunday, July 17 until Thursday, August 4.

A spokeswoman from Brasserie Blanc said: "The brasserie was due for a refresh and guests can expect to see the return of Parisian styling – a little more ‘ooh la la’.

"There will be new floral and velvet banquettes, beautiful colour schemes, biophilic details and an enhanced central courtyard space that flows from the bar providing a perfect outdoor oasis in the centre of Winchester."

The restaurant has a light and airy feel to it, with new tables and chairs in the bar area, fresh paint and flower arrangements hanging from the ceilings of both up and downstairs of the restaurant.

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Restaurant manager, Praveen Sharma, who has worked at the branch for three-and-a-half years said: "It feels great. All the guests feel invited and you can see a natural smile on their faces. Before it was quite dark and customer were more reluctant to sit in those areas, but now they feel welcome, so I think the whole thing has turned around.

"It's a big support because we've always worked hard but with the right decor, it makes it a lot easier to please people. It comes with the service and it's nice to be able to please our customers."

The refurb was the first in six years.

It comes as the vacant restaurant next door, formerly occupied by Loch Fyne that closed in 2020, has been taken over by Turkish restaurant chain Turquaz.

READ MORE: Turquaz restaurant chain to take over Loch Fyne premises on Jewry Street in Winchester

Review by reporter Harvey Lindsay

It's not every day you get offered a table at Brasserie Blanc, but when the opportunity was offered, I immediately jumped at the chance to experience something I'd always had high hopes for. It all began in 2016 when the parents of a former girlfriend would dine at the French restaurant every Christmas Eve. I never got invited, and needless to say, that was the end of that relationship.

On a hot and sunny Tuesday afternoon, I took a slow stroll to Jewry Street, where my eye instantly attached itself to the olive green paint and the giant luminous pink window sign, which read 'Ooh la la'.

I stepped inside and instantly became hit with a sense of calmness. The light pastel tones on the walls, bright furniture and cool temperature lead to a sense of relaxation, as though I was escaping the hustle and bustle and was now in good hands.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by restaurant manager, Praveen Sharma, who kindly introduced himself and gave me a tour of the restaurant. We started in the main restaurant and gradually climbed to the second floor, where plants hung from the ceiling and pastel paint made an easy feel to the restaurant.

The second floor had a similar layout, except the kitchen was open, enabling customers to see their meal being prepared and cooked.

I was kindly offered a seat downstairs near the window, where a waiter brought over a basket of sliced baguette and three pots of dips consisting of: spiced aubergine and mushroom, spicy citrus and saffron mayonnaise. The bread was served warm and the dips were packed with flavour, but beware, these are filling and easy to get carried away with the whole lot.

For mains, I stepped out of my comfort zone with a steak or a burger, and I opted for something a little different, so I went for the pan-fried chicken with morels. This came as a bed of braised leeks, morel mushrooms, peas and new potatoes with a butterfly of chicken breast served on top. Warm sherry cream sauce came drizzled over the dish, giving it an extra burst of flavour.

It came wonderfully presented and I didn't know where to start, so I went for a leek, and just like the chicken, it was soft, juicy and cooked well.

I was conscious that I'd get extra treatment due to the reasons I was there, but upon scanning the room several times during my visit, I could see a genuine interaction between the staff and their customers. Waiters and waitresses were polite, friendly, attentive and quick to help their customers in any way possible, while plates were scraped clean and the restaurant was kept tidy.

In my opinion, the restaurant had character but the staff gave it personality.