Nostalgia At 1911 Brasserie Pays Homage To Classic Western Cuisine

Lobster, crepes, soups and lots of flames and smoke- Nostalgia at 1911 Brasserie is re-introducing us to classic western cuisine in the most spectacular way possible.

Lobster Bisque, Steak, Crepe Suzette

Serpent Coffee

 Flambés, old-word charm, and the sweetest staff

Walking in, you’re transported. Soft jazz, vaulted ceilings, a grand piano, and old Hollywood posters lining the walls set the scene. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to imagine ball gowns and hands on shoulders leading each other in a gentle waltz on the marble floors.

But that doesn’t mean you should feel out of place if you’ve landed up in your most comfy hippie pants; this place, no matter how rich in character, is all about the food.

1911 is all about the Gueridon service. What this means is that food is prepared and presented to the guest at the table, from a moveable trolley. This is drama at its best: Flames, frenzied arm movements to get that glaze just right, gentlemanly servers showing not an ounce of hesitation as the fire almost licks their eyebrows. It’s theatre.

We started off with a vegetarian amuse bouche of figs in a reduced balsamic preparation—dark candy flavours and smokey goodness all in one perfect bite. Moving onwards, the classic French Onion was a little on the sweeter side, but the cheesy croutons made up for the depth of sweetness in the broth. The Lobster Bisque, however, was unparalleled. Smooth, creamy, and with buttery lobster chunks, we didn’t want this to end.

For our mains we had the steak {medium-rare of course} as well as the Lobster Thermidor {we told you this menu is all about the classics}. The lobster was sweet and soft, the potato puree creamy and a great vehicle for the sauce. The steak was perfect. A little pink on the inside, the jus creating brilliant bite after brilliant bite. But what made this experience the most magical, was the show we watched when our mains were being prepared.

The treat however, was yet to come: Serpent coffee and Crepe Suzette. The crepes were thin, layered, and laced with the sweet bitterness of Cointreau and orange peel, the smokiness a faint memory of the dramatic flames the crepes encountered just before they were served; a dollop of vanilla ice cream made its way to balance things out. The Serpent Coffee involved an orange, peeled in one single motion, bubbling Cointreau and lots of flames.

Smokey coffee, bitter orange, and a blanket of cream—it’s the best way to finish a classic meal.