Brother Marcus is an all day small-plates Mediterranean restaurant in Spitalfields. We are big fans of Mediterranean cuisine and absolutely loved our dinner at Barboun last week, so we were quick to reserve a table at another celebrated Mediterranean restaurant. Plus, I love small-plates (tapas style) restaurants. Needless to say, we were very excited about Brother Marcus Spitalfields.
Brother Marcus is gorgeous with a healthy mix of modern decor, greenery, exposed bricks, and open space. The environment is very relaxing and the service is friendly too, although a tad forgetful. Now, the food.
Nibbles
This was decent. The beetroot and chickpea flavours combined well, and so did the pesto. It had all the elements to be yummy, but it just missed the mark.
This was really good. Fresh, soft, warm, and covered in za’tar. Delicious on its own, but even more with the hummus.
Flatbreads and Pides
We didn’t enjoy this. I don’t know if it was the satsouki, kasar cheese, egg yolk, or all of it, but we didn’t like it and it left a weird taste in our mouths that honestly affected everything we ate from then on.
This was okay. The chicken was soft but could’ve been juicier and it was seasoned but didn’t have a distinct flavour. It had all the elements of a shawarma but the taste wasn’t reminiscent of any shawarma we recognise.
Earth
No. Maybe it was the yolk that give us the weird aftertaste, but this was all weird.
We really enjoyed this. The halloumi was rich and crisp, and sweetness of the sauce was perfect.
Sea
This was slightly chewy and more than slightly bland. I had just two pieces and left it.
I thought this was delicious, but Shiima less so. It wasn’t overly battered and it was fried to proper crunch. I really enjoyed the seasoned almond flakes and halloumi at the bottom too.
Land
This was odd. The crispy skin was had a very good flavour from the date glaze, but the pork belly itself, although succulent, lacked flavour.
Dessert
It wasn’t good. Well, we didn’t enjoy it. It was too sweet and really didn’t taste of cheese, and we we didn’t like the kataifi.
Verdict
Brother Marcus Spitalfields was okay. It’s gorgeous and relaxing, but we expected much more from the food. We recommend for very casual dates and a catch up with friends or colleagues. Ideal for a less formal business meal too. Also, we hear the brunch is fantastic. We’ll be checking that out soon. Brother Marcus is moderately priced.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Dress Code: Casual
Shiima’s Star Dish: Halloumi
Amen’s Star Dish: Pita Bread
Price: £30-40pp
Rating: 2.8 out of 5
Brother Marcus Spitalfields
2 Crispin Place,
Spitalfields E1 6DW
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