Harrison's in Balham, London

Fluid Eating's Review of Harrison's

Balham in south west London has transformed itself in recent years into an area full of shops and restaurants you want to get to know. Leading the charge in this second category is Harrison’s. It is a genuine neighbourhood restaurant offering a full range of appetising dishes at reasonable prices and is helping to place this part of town as a genuine contender on London’s foodie map.

As soon as you enter you feel relaxed thanks to the tasteful and funky décor combined with a friendly welcome from the staff. The dining area is uncluttered and comfortable and a great deal of thought has clearly gone into it, even down to the funky orange and black light fittings.

All this is before the arrival of some sumptuous food. It’s difficult to narrow the selections down but there are two starters which are well worth considering. Firstly, the Maldon rock oysters are so fresh they are a genuine taste of the sea in a shell, even to the point that the tangy accompanying shallot vinegar is hardly necessary. Also excellent are the half pint of prawns with lemon mayonnaise, which certainly ticked the meatiness and plumpness boxes.

The mains continued to underline this establishment’s quality. The rib-eye steak, served attractively on a wooden board, was genuinely succulent and cooked the way a medium rare portion of red meat should be. It even had a deliciously thick and creamy béarnaise sauce served in a mini copper saucepan. Fish is an equally worthwhile option: look out for a generous portion of sea bass that goes very well with a side of broccoli hollandaise.

If you’re struggling to choose a drink, Harrison’s has a cocktail of the day suggestion for you. On this particular day it was a sunshine mojito packed with muddled pineapple chunks. Don’t fret about the wine not been taken care of either: to take just one example, the 2006 Chablis premier cru was a delight on the palate.

Round your meal off with a slice of warm bakewall tart and some homemade chocolate truffles. The result? Feeling satisfyingly full of high-quality food all the way home.

Reviewed by Arthur Browne


Description:
Harrison relaunched the site in early October 2007, and called it Harrison’s. Following the same successful formula at Sam’s Brasserie, which opened in August 2005, Harrison’s focuses on modern British brasserie food with an all-day offering from breakfast through late evening dining and drink.

The 90-seat restaurant site also features a bar for up to 40, a private bar on the lower level for up to 40, and pavement access for up to a dozen. (Updated 14/06/2009)

Harrison's Food & Drink Menus

Listed below are few sample food and drinks items available at Harrison's. These lists are not enhaustive, but are instead designed to give you an overview of the venue's offerings and assciated prices.

Harrison's Food menu

Harrison’s focuses on modern British brasserie food with an all-day offering from breakfast through late evening dining and drink.

Item	Price

Harrison's Drink menu

Harrison's has a selection of drinks including wines, beers and cocktails.

Item	Description	Price
Bottled Beer	Proof, Budvar, Corona, Stella, Scrumpy Jack, Kaliber.	£2.90
Red Wine (glass)	Tempranillo, Candidato Plato, Spain.	£3.75
White Wine (glass)	French House Wine, Vin de Pays, France.	£3.50
Champagne Cocktails	Classic Angostura bitters coated sugar cube and Courvoisier cognac topped up with Perrier Jouet.	£7.00

Harrison's Map

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“Being able to buy a selection of wines by the carafe is the thing I liked most about Harrison's in Balham. The food was exceptionally good, especially the meat dishes, and the design of the layout is quite funky. Doubles up well and a loungey type of bar too.” Rating: — Leigh, Tooting (26 Oct 2009)

“A beautiful setting for an intimate evening and a wonderful cure for a hangover. The service here is second to none and the food's great to boot!” Rating: — Samantha, [ Unknown ] (02 Dec 2004)

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