Brittens Restaurant in Guildford, Surrey

Daniel Britten reached the quarter-final of BBC Masterchef in 2008 and now operates Brittens restaurant in the Tunsgate area of Guildford, Surrey.  Offering Modern British cuisine Daniel aims to bring 'foodie' dishes with an emphasis on locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. Since opening last November it is attracting a lot of attention and very positive reviews.

I had lunch there last Thursday and found the food to be high quality, the service friendly and the pricing good value.  Surprisingly there were only a few customers on this particular Thursday lunchtime but maybe that is a sign of the times.

Pan Fried Scallops with Morcilla

The lunch menu comprised Small Plates (£7 each), Large Plates (£13 each ) and Sweet Shop (£5 each) all with plenty of choice and thankfully no supplements on any of the dishes. So diners can mix and match depending on mood and appetite.  I opted for one small and one large plate which essentially amounts to a two-course lunch for £20.  Perfectly reasonable considering the careful preparation and quality of the food.

My Small Plate starter was Pan-fried Scallops with Morcilla and Apple.  The king scallops were cooked to perfection with pieces of morcilla (Spanish black pudding) and pureed apple.  A classic dish expertly prepared. My Large Plate main course was Pan-fried Sea Bream, Crushed New Potatoes, Brown Shrimp Butter and Parsley Sauce. Beautifully presented and a great combination of flavours this dish worked perfectly.  The brown shrimp butter melted over the top of the crispy skin ( how did he do that ?)  bream fillet was flavoursome and enhanced by the fresh green parsley sauce.  Accompanied by the freshest steamed curly kale this was a delightful meal.  

All-in-all I enjoyed this two course meal with a carafe of Sauvignon Blanc and an espresso afterwards for around £30 per person which for the quality was incredibly good value.  The simple surroundings were elegant and relaxing and the service was good.  This is a 'London quality' restaurant in Guildford - long may it continue.

Brittens Restaurant, 1c Sydenham Road, Guildford GU1 3RT, 01483 302888