Aster
Nordic and French
150 Victoria St, Westminster, SW1E 5LB
££
Aster is a café, bar and deli serving breakfast through to dinner, with a selective weekend brunch menu. Inventive and original pairings dominate the menu, and with the chilled out vibe it really is a pleasant place to grab a bite or two, particularly with a hangover. If it's energy you're after, Aster also has live music from 7pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, as well their famous lively Saturday brunch.
I went to Aster on a Sunday afternoon for a friends birthday brunch. Two courses are £21, whilst three are £26 - reasonable, especially given the quality. You can add bottomless bubbles to the mix for a mere £17 per person - definitely worth it if you're planning on staying a while and getting a bit merry. Despite being sat downstairs in the 'Café and Deli', the decor and overall feel of the restaurant still felt pretty upscale: casual but sophisticated.
To start, I ordered a nontraditional take on Eggs Benedict - crispy duck, poached egg, sweet rye and hollandaise. Following this I got the Venison burger, complete with juniper brioche bun, lingonberry sauce and smoked cheddar. Both courses were different and delicious. There were healthier options such as salmon, linguine and chicken palliard if wanting, as well as sweeter options for the starter (cinnamon bun, maple syrup).
As brunch goes, at least for me, this was a tad on the fancy side. However, considering the quality of the food and the surroundings, it is really decently priced. There were 12 of us and we ended up paying around £45 each (considering there was a hefty service charge). Aster won't be my usual morning-after option, but if you're wanting to steer away from the fried, or needing a place for a special occasion, Aster's bottomless brunch is definitely a winner and I will most probably return.
OVERALL RATING: ****
http://www.aster-restaurant.com/
