We check out the brand’s latest opening at YY London in Reuters Plaza and find a genuine hospitality gem with an excellent all-in deal
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There’s a lot of bullshit in the world right now isn’t there?
Much of social media is trying to sell you stuff – everything is perfect, ideal, a must, not flawed, cracked reality.
It’s always been there, but perhaps AI is heightening the desperation as it regurgitates the dross we’ve already created, sometimes nonsensically with extra adjectives.
The word imitation is, after all, only a letter away from limitation.
It’s why historical replicas, no matter how good, are always disappointing stand-ins, even on museum shelves.
Fakes are no substitute for the genuine article.
That’s why one chap promoting an art fair didn’t turn my head with a pitch that rested on the event being a “great alternative for those who didn’t get tickets to Glastonbury” because it happened to fall on the same dates.
Seriously? We’re supposed to believe buying prints is qualitatively similar to passionately dancing around a muddy field in the mass shared worship of The 1975?
Who thought that would actually fly?
Fortunately, the mental drag of all this nonsense means, when one does encounter a real gem, it shines ever so much more brightly.
Undoubtedly, Brother Marcus gleams.
I had high expectations.
Mentioning the restaurant in conversation, people who’d been to other branches expressed excitement that one was to open at the YY London building in Canary Wharf’s Reuters Plaza.
Its co-founders, in interview, had a sense of irrepressible fun about them – the kind of attitude where the important things are taken seriously but without pretension.
Frankly, it’s delightful to attend as a diner and see the meat on those bones.
lots to like
The first thing I like is the staff.
They’re welcoming, down-to-earth and laid back in exactly the right kind of way.
Our waiter gives off the impression that he’s only just tried the dishes on offer and has experienced multiple revelations.
It isn’t a studied performance, but genuine enthusiasm and it’s charming.
This brings me to the second thing I like.
For £42 per head, Brother Marcus will take away the chore of actually making decisions on ordering and just bring a selection of dishes, tailored to preference and dietary requirements.
My usual aversion to small plates – which are too often skewed to the restaurant’s benefit, with over-ordering the desired outcome rather than dining pleasure – never extends to mezze.
The East Mediterranean great gift to the world has been sadly distorted by many venues trying to up their spend per head.
Not so at Brother Marcus.
Our waiter takes over and swiftly delivers tap water and a platter of soft pitta breads coated with the zingy herbs and spices of za’atar.
Along with these come dishes of vibrant dips, all dusted with bright and colourful things, plus a little bowl of chilli-laced olives.
The smoked aubergine baba ghanoush is destined at some point to become a controlled substance, given its dangerously addictive properties.
letting Brother Marcus drive…
One of the pleasures of opting for Marcus’ Choice, is not really knowing what’s going to happen.
To help cope with the uncertainty, I order signature cocktail the Marvo Daiquiri (£12.50), a blend of rum, blackberries, ginger juice and lime.
It’s a bouncy character, a little like a Moscow Mule that’s had a dose of spice and burst through a hedgerow on its way to freedom, a potent libation that makes the ensuing cascade of dishes even more amusing.
And come they do.
There’s a Greek salad, pan fried halloumi, a whole grilled bream, lamb saddle souvla and a sliced onglet steak, with baklava to finish.
To help us through, we order wine on tap at a mere £29 for 75cl.
It comes in a plain bottle from Attiki in Greece and lends weight to the fantasy that we’ve stumbled into a popular taverna.
In fact the terracottas, textured walls and open kitchen all contribute to this feeling.
Yes, we’re in Canary Wharf, but it’s not too hard to dream that beyond the warmly lit walls, just outside, azure waters are lapping at rocky island shores.
I’m further transported by the food itself.
The cooking here is skilled. The Greek salad is sharp and salted with a dollop of whipped Feta.
The halloumi comes piled with sweet watermelon and seeds, dressed with a minty sauce.
The onglet is hot, sexy pink in the middle and doused with chives, while the bream swims in a lime green sea of almond and dill gremolata.
Then there’s the rich and gamey lamb, bounding over its spinach dressing and coated with ouzo and anchovy.
It’s a lot, but everything feels special – a treat to share rather than a problem to divide.
One bite is enough to turn me into an evangelist for each dish, a building crescendo of enthusiasm my poor dining partner has to endure.
But really, it is that good…
mission accomplished
Brother Marcus’ mission was to bring a genuine sense of Mediterranean hospitality to London – relaxation, carefree dining and, most importantly, bold, moreish dishes.
It does this in fine style.
With its weatherproof terrace now open, this should be the hit opening of the summer.
The flavours are excellent, the service faultless and the interior a gentle pleasure on the senses, but is Brother Marcus good value?
Well, at £84 for two, Marcus’ Choice yielded an impressive £145 worth of a la carte choices – basically a discount of 40%.
I was promised a groaning table and, while the furniture was complaining loudly, I certainly wasn’t.
This discount may not be replicated exactly on all occasions – dishes and house decisions vary with Marcus’ Choice – but the quality and variety here makes a compelling case for any Wharfer who cares for their stomach to visit and to do so urgently.
***** (5/5)
a note on dessert at Brother Marcus
At £8.50, the baklava sandwich, filled with rich pistachio ice cream was less a way to round things off and more the climax to the whole meal.
Despite the abundance of syrup and honey cream, this was a showcase of the power contained within these little green kernels and pulled off the difficult trick of using the sweetness as a backdrop to the main event rather than letting it dominate proceedings. Superb.
key details: Brother Marcus
Brother Marcus is located at the base of the YY London building in Reuters Plaza, Canary Wharf.
The venue is open from 7am-11pm on weekdays, from 9am-11pm on Saturdays and from 9am-9pm on Sundays.
Find out more about the restaurant and bar here
Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here
Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here
