Failing to transcend the Brutalist ziggurat that it’s housed in, Searcys is still worth a visit if you’re at the Barbican thanks to some great British fare.

The Venue
You’ve got to admire the effort that’s been put into Searcys to ensure it doesn’t feel quite as depressing as much of the Barbican Centre, but the relatively sleek decor fails to hide the ugly fact that it’s housed in a 1970s monstrosity. Dark woods and soft lighting help to make it feel relatively atmospheric, whilst soft seating, immaculate presentation and well-kept fixtures ensure that it remains somewhere comfortable to dine. However, despite having a well thought out and stylish design the restaurant can’t escape its location.

The modern decor clashes with the aligned curved rectangles that make up the very ‘70s ceiling, and even the pleasant enough window tables look through thin, poorly constructed double-glazing and out toward just one of the many complex walkways into the centre itself. If you look the other way you can enjoy views of the impressive St Giles Cripplegate Church, but the panorama also brings the unsightly City of London Girls School depressingly into view. If you keep your head down, however, and straight, the restaurant feels relatively contemporary.

The Atmosphere
Searcys doesn’t appear to be somewhere that sets itself out as a destination venue, and it doesn’t have to. One of only three restaurants in the Barbican Centre it shouldn’t struggle to attract custom from the plethora of visitors attending shows, exhibitions and events. Consequently you can expect your dining companions to be those who might be deemed a little more high brow, and perhaps a little older, with the odd young couple popping in when there’s impressing to do. Despite the smattering of unattractive and often anachronistic accompaniments to the venue it’s a pleasant and relaxed place to eat. The soft babble of the fountains outside acts as a nice backdrop to conversation (although it is annoying when they turn them off), and the courteous, helpful staff ensure there’s a nicely informal atmosphere that enables you to fully appreciate some of the great dishes on offer.

The Food
In keeping with the Barbican’s status as a much-maligned yet important part of British culture, it’s good to see a menu full of hearty British fare. Most of the dishes look enticing and benefit from seasonal ingredients that ensure everything is fresh and well suited to the time of year. Siegfried Sassoon’s October Trees introduces the menu and sets a nice tone, yet why they considered such a prolific war poet as an appropriate spokesperson remains a mystery.

Starters are good, especially the well-prepared razor clams in a vibrant yet delicate chive butter. The real highlight, however, is a fantastic warm wood pigeon with pear and cobnuts served on a decent leaf salad. The pigeon is plump and cooked to absolute perfection, perfumed nicely with a sprig of rosemary and benefiting deliciously from soft, cooked pear and roasted cobnuts.

The mains are also pretty good, with a shin of beef with kidneys being rich, well cooked and fabulously warming, even if the side of potato is slightly under seasoned. A shellfish stew with mussels, cuttlefish and the market fish of the day boasts well cooked fish and a well-balanced broth, although it does feel a little light on taste and size.

Desserts are a real treat, and every bit as good as you’d expect from somewhere boasting such an impressive looking menu of British classics. The bread and butter pudding is stodgy heaven with ample raisins, a nice touch of cinnamon and finished off well by a healthy dollop of vanilla ice cream. All it needs to be perfect is the all-important crispy edges that remain disappointingly absent. The crumble is sublime with bold flavours from apple, pear and blackberry being nicely softened by a sweet butterscotch ice cream, everything mixing together with a crunchy crumble that would make even the most pedantic of mothers proud.

The Drink
There’s a solid wine list that’s not the cheapest but does boast some quality items and will give diners plenty of scope for those looking to spend a little more. The house red - a tasty merlot that doesn’t break the bank - is ripe, fruity and nicely quaffable, but if you want to dig a little deeper there’s a great Shiraz that will keep even the most knowledgeable wine fan happy.

There are a number of bottled beers available including Becks and San Miguel, it’s just a real shame the London Pride doesn’t come in draught – it never tastes anywhere near as good from the bottle. If you fancy treating yourself there are a number of well made classic cocktails available, too, benefiting from staff who seem to know what they’re doing.

The Last Word
If you can ignore the almost insipid brutality of the Barbican’s design then the food at Searcys makes it worth a try. Just try not to get too confused when you take your eyes off the ceiling and realise you’re not sharing fondue.

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