London is a busy town with busy people going about their business on a daily basis – even Sundays, which is when we were out for a trip up the Shard to look down at our home town of Bermondsey and have a spot of lunch in Borough Market, where we found Brood, the alfresco brainchild of Mark Stembridge serving up food of the highest order, writes Michael Holland.
We were initially attracted by an exceedingly long, but fast-moving queue snaking its way back into the market. Intrigued, we walked along the length of it thinking it must be something to do with an event in Southwark Cathedral, but it diverted down Green Dragon Court and we began to sense different aromas wafting our way, and just as the cathedral bell struck one for lunch we were witness to an amazing theatre of cooking in an open plan kitchen the width of two railway arches where stews, paella, burgers, hotdogs and a whole world of food was being prepared for the customers.
Fortunately for us the queue was for those busy people wanting something hot on the go so they could continue their sight-seeing, and we found a table where we ordered mulled wine, merlot and a Coke.
It was at the table that Mr Stembridge introduced himself and I could see straightaway that he was one of your own, so it didn’t take long to work out that we grew up at opposite ends of Jamaica Road. Mark, I soon discovered, is from a Tooley Street family of restaurateurs and cooks and has travelled the world working in the catering industry.
Mark then gave us the backstory to Brood, which he established in 1999. In 2018 he decided on called in Rotherhithe firm, Rose Design, to do major renovations, inside and out, with the tableware, menus and uniforms also getting a design makeover. Of course, Covid didn’t help but all the planned work is just about done and this new look Brood is very much up and running.
In our snug corner by the cathedral wall, and warmed by our hot toddies, we were ready to eat, and our meals arrived in no-nonsense hot boxes that we could have taken away or stayed seated. We sat and I listened to three other reviews of the food while I was forming my own: ‘I’ve never tasted squid cooked so perfectly’; ‘How can you get lamb so tender?’; ‘I’ve never seen so much seafood in one meal – are you sure this box is not for two people?’; ‘I can’t eat all that – I’m taking the rest of that home for my tea,’ said my no-nonsense Mum, while our resident teenager just made grunts that we have come to recognise as noises of appreciation.
The squid really was about the best I can recall tasting, the lamb was truly succulent, and the hot boxes are packed full of rice and salad along with the meat or seafood. Plus, I’ve not even mentioned the prawns. There were so many the teenager’s grandmother, who would lose an arm rather than give up a prawn, was handing them out willy-nilly: ‘Taste these bad boys,’ she was at it whilst fuelled by a glass of red.
Brood is buzzing, it is right in the mix of market life, with the cathedral as a backdrop and its newly refurbed railway arches the heart of the restaurant.
The dinner menu is far more extensive than lunch, which caters for those on the move, so we are already planning a return visit to once again watch these stars of the culinary theatre put on an evening show. Mark explained that he has combined his own experiences with his mum’s extensive knowledge to create a new, exciting dinner menu, and includes family favourites from the various homelands of his team.
I can’t wait to get back there and once again sample Brood’s top-notch alfresco dining.
Brood, 1-6 Green Dragon Court, Borough Market, SE1 9AW.
https://www.broodrestaurant.com – 0207 403 7500
4 people £76.80
