THE BRASSERIE, EAST PIER RAMSGATE. The Paella of legends from a restaurant with a sun terrace and panoramic sea views. Get it while its hot!

If you have not seen The Brasseries social medial campaign to flog their Paella then you are missing a treat. It is the reason I have made the pilgrimage along Ramsgates east pier to what is one of Ramsgates most loved restaurants.

This isn't my first visit by any means and I have written a couple of reviews already, but it wouldn't be fair to not talk about it in specific detail before I start shaking my maracas.

The Brasserie is the brain child of Adrian Mowl who is a supremely talented chef having travelled the world as far as far flung Floyd himself experiencing and working in kitchens honing his craft to recreate cutting edge plates of food for your lip smacking culinary pleasure.

The Brasserie is located at the end of Ramgates east pier in that white building with the lights on top and if you have never been then it is well worth the effort. 

Today the sky is as blue as the ocean, the sun warms the skin and radiating the soul, barely a breath of wind in the air. On a day like today it is no effort at all. I pass the anglers who are set for the day hoping to catch their supper, the conditions are ideal. There is so much to appreciate living here and should never be taken for granted and this is why The Brasserie is such an asset as it enables you to appreciate the beauty of seaside living in a way that has no equal.

Up the steps to the gates of heaven then, and enter into a world of pure imagination. The Brasserie never fails to give me that wow factor because you are met with a orgy of opulent interior design. The entrance hall is staged with curiosities and historical artefacts, but it is once you emerge through the stage curtains and from there the theatre of dreams is revealed. Set and setting is outrageously creative, and this is one trip you want to fly with. 

Panoramic views, you are spoilt for choice, but on a day like today the balcony terrace is an absolute must.

The daily menu is written upon a blackboard which is Ala Carte, but today there is only one thing that I am having.

I spot a familiar face at a table and we get chatting and the enthused conversation is focused on one thing, the Paella. It warms my soul as I want this Paella to be everything I wanted it to be and freely given unbiased reports like this are exactly what I wanted to hear. I take my seat and a young family are clearly recovering after finishing their meal, and again conversation ensued. They had recently moved to Ramsgate and so this conversation was a gushing out-pour of love and appreciation for not just Ramsgate, but for this amazing place called The Brasserie.  

Comrades at arms we marvelled at the vista spread out in front of us, the views spectacular and we both said exactly the same thing in as many words. This is something so special that you would travel the world in search of it and never find it, yet here we are living this moment here in Ramsgate. You've got to have the Paella he said as he kind of gripped my shoulder in reassurance. 

If I was unsure before, my mind was now thoroughly made.

We make the waitresses life easy with the order and sipped our gorgeous pints of Northdown brewery's deliciously chilled ale.

I survey this glorious terrace, and surprised I was really for we were one of only a few tables remaining. 

Granted this a bit later in the day and the Sunday rush had been and gone, the waitress said they had been insanely busy but when the weather is this good I would have imagined this to be full for as long as the sun shined down which tells me one thing, not enough people realise this is here or if they do then they cant realise how magnificent it is. And that is a shame.

Paella, it is the signature of Spain. The world wide recognised dish that shouts summer on a plate. A dish of humble origins and regional variances. A generationally protected, often staunchly secret family recipe. It is impossible to get a definitive answer to the question of what goes in it and what should never see the Paellera but for me this Paella hit every single element and it just kept giving.

If like me you have watched the videos of Aidy (as he prefers to be called) making the Paella, then you will know that he makes a big deal about creating the stock. Aidy is a true believer in genuine quality without compromise, he certainly isn't a snake oil salesman. The soul of the dish is the stock which he makes over days to incorporate and develop the complex flavours which lift this plate into a stratospheric league as its base. Layered and intertwined upon that is a countless number of prawns, and a liberal amount of mussels all plump and proud. Then I had three, maybe even 4 huge King prawns (way bigger than the ones advertised) to play with and as I kept digging I found chunks of chicken thigh deliciously tinged ochre. This isn't a plate of food for dining sake, this is a gastronomic adventure of the highest order. 

I could have said it was delicious, but that wouldn't do it justice.

It is fair to say that Adrian is a supreme chef worthy of more credit than he receives, so on that note I should point out that his skills in the kitchen are married with his fundamental mantra which is giving back. He gives himself, heart and soul into his cooking for the people and for that he is humble and happy. The point is that as supreme this plate of food is, as indeed all of his dishes are, the financial cost to you should be inconsequential but Aidy wants people to leave not only content after a great meal but happy and he does this by pricing to please. 

The price for this plate of awesomeness is only £15.

 

It is quite incredible when you put that into context and compare to a lunch I had at another locally respected seafront restaurant by the major local pub operator for a burger and chips (burger patty was bought in, you can tell) at £18, well there is nothing more to say....

I would have left a tip.  I wanted to leave a tip. They do not add service charge (Aidys karma again) I tried to leave a tip, but they couldn't take it on a card, only cash tips accepted which I didn't have. Shame, for once I was happy to pay it. So this is now my tip to you:

DO NOT MISS OUT! Follow The Brasserie on social media and get yourself down for the last of the summer sun and this amazing Paella before we slip back into roast dinner season.. which Aidy is also pretty famous for, either way make a visit to The Brasserie an absolute must!

The Brasserie, East Pier, Ramsgate.