A dynamic duo
Young chefs Andrew Brondon and Christopher Law are going all out with their first restaurant venture, John Maurice, in Swansea. Hannah Giles reports on their progress.
John Maurice may seem an unusual choice of name for a restaurant, but to Andrew Brondon and Christopher Law, it makes perfect sense. The Swansea restaurant - formerly Caterer Adopted Business Dermott's - has been under the control of Brondon and Law since October 2001, and the business's moniker is an amalgam of the names of Law's late father (John) and Brondon's late grand-father (Maurice).
The restaurant is the duo's first business venture (Law, 31, and Brondon, 21, met at the Glyn Clydach hotel, Neath, when Law headed the brigade there) and they are keen to make their mark. "We have designed our own menu. We have kept hardly anything from Dermott's," says Brondon.
The two chefs, who run the kitchen on their own, change the à la carte menu monthly. It offers a choice of five starters at each course level, with an extra cheeseboard option (£3.95), and customers are spending an average £30 to £35 including wine.
On the January menu, which was introduced a week ago, the most popular main dish is proving to be pan-fried fillet of sea bass with chorizo sausage, served with basil couscous, braised baby fennel and a black olive tapenade dressing (£14.50). Among the starters, a smoked salmon and cucumber parcel filled with trout and horseradish cream mousse, served with toasted warm brioche (£5.95) stands out. Black Forest fruits served with a shortbread millefeuille and clotted cream (£2.50) tops the choice of desserts.
The duo set great store by the fact that everything at John Maurice is prepared on the premises, including all ice-creams. "We find that our customers appreciate the effort that goes into the dishes, as well as the service that comes with it," explains Brondon.
The restaurant's location, in a still-developing area of Swansea, presents a challenge, but it is one Brondon and Law are overcoming. "Swansea is quite out of the way, and when we started we found that a lot of the ideas we wanted to try were not possible. We are also not in the best part of Swansea for people to come for a nice meal, but people are coming," adds Brondon.
Among guests have been tourists from the USA, as well as former regulars from Dermott's. Brondon says of their success: "It has been fantastic. The worst comment we have had is that we are as good as Dermott's was."
John Maurice, 219 High Street, Swansea. Tel: 01792 477117
A selection from the menu at John Maurice
Queen scallops wrapped in pan-fried Parma ham, pea purée, balsamic dressing, £5.50
Potted game rillette and soused gherkins, wholemeal garlic croûte, fig compote, £5.50
Pavé of salmon served on à la grecque baby vegetables, warm lime and nut butter sauce, £10.95
Redcurrant-glazed best end of lamb, grain mustard mash, roast garlic and rosemary jus, £14.95
Rib-eye of beef, wild mushroom polenta, confit shallots, red wine jus, £12.95
Millefeuille of roasted vegetables on parsley and asparagus risotto, duo of roasted red pepper and rocket and pine nut dressings, £9.95
Dark chocolate torte, rum and raisin ice-cream, £2.95
Mocha crème brûlée, milk and white chocolate cookies, £2.95
Raspberry and marshmallow pudding, peach and basil compote, £3.25
