Brandywine Brasserie — Restaurant in Wilmington

Posting again because Google Review does not allow responses to replies, and because you asked in your reply whether I worked for Bardea. Also, I’m putting five stars here because I don’t want to denigrate your statistics on Google Review, which it appears you value highly. But in all actuality, the experience that my spouse and I had was not creme de la creme, which is what we were expecting given the pricing of the menu.

I don’t work for Bardea. My spouse and I have no problem paying a lot of money for quality dining experiences and we do it often in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, to include Wilmington. We’ve been to a lot of Wilmington restaurants and Bardea is the only true five-star that we have experienced, in my opinion. That’s not to say your restaurant isn’t good.

The reason we were disappointed was because, in our opinion, the fish didn’t have much flavor, the vegetables were undercooked, and the spacing was cramped. We didn’t tell any of this to the waitstaff because we didn’t want to make a scene, especially given how busy you guys appeared and given that our dining neighbors would have heard every word. Also the service we got was good and we didn’t want to make our waiter feel bad. We tipped around 25% FYI — would never undertip when the service is good. It’s just that, when you pay top dollar, you expect more than good service. That’s all. I understand that, under other circumstances, it is probably a little different. Maybe it was an off night.

Anyway, we wish you all the best and hope your restaurant continues to be a success. It is clear that you truly care about your restaurant’s reputation, and I have no doubt that you have the ability to adapt and become a powerhouse (but maybe go a little easier on some of the reviewers, lol). Perhaps a larger venue would help you guys out. Or maybe don’t let in as many people. That would give a little more of a private ambiance given the restaurant’s smaller size and I’m sure the chef would...

Kay and I were pleased to snag reservations for opening night at The Brandywine restaurant (yesterday evening). The Brandywine harkens back to classic hotel and department store fine dining. In Wilmington, think back to the Brandywine Room at the Hotel DuPont (without the dark paneling and Wyeth paintings!).

Kay started with the grilled avocado (with orange marmalade) accompanied by a citrus salad. I had the Oysters Rockefeller. Both were delicious and the oysters had a few twists that made them an improvement over the old school recipe; the Thai Chile gave them a little welcome fire and was an exceptional touch. Both exceeded our expectations.

For an entree, we shared the Steak Diane. The traditional sauce of mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cream and cognac was perfect. It came with French fries with a truffle dipping sauce but we also enjoyed dredging the fries through the sauce from the steak. The filet was carmelized on the outside and rare to medium-rare inside. Delicious.

The wines by the glass were well selected. Kay began with the Luc Poillan Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine), while I had Passy Le Clou Petit Chablis (Burgundy). With the steak, Kay had Sierra de Toloño Rioja Tinto (Rioja Alta, Spain) and I had Anne Collard Le Abe Rouge (Côtes du Rhône). After dinner, in lieu of dessert, we shared a glass of Château Lauduc Le Babbler Rouge (Bordeaux). The Rioja and Rhône were particularly enjoyable. The Brandywine is fortunate to have snagged a certified Sommelier and I look forward to working my way through the wine list.

The Brandywine is a welcome addition to our dining scene and we look forward to returning.

The Brandywine is owned by Bill Irvin, a partner in another favorite fine dining restaurant, Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar (where we had lunch today!), with Chef...

This was our first dining experience at the restaurant. We were greeted warmly by several staff members. Our server was excellent from the start. We commented after that he was on top of everything. We never had to ask. A few in our party had oysters, and they all indicated that they were some of the best they have had in some time. They were well presented and very fresh. The lobster bisque was exceptional. It had just a touch of heat and very traditional otherwise in taste and presentation. Also recommend the Parker House Rolls! We were informed that it was Lobster Night (Wednesdays/Seasonal). We had no idea, but a few in our party got the lobster. They were described as 1.5 lbs but appeared closer to 2 lbs. They come split on the tail, but otherwise whole. The price was very reasonable. I had the swordfish special (as did others who really enjoyed the flavor and presentation) and would definitely order again if offered. There were a number of specials that really complemented the overall menu. The wine selection is quite large. Everyone in our party thoroughly enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. There is easy parking below in the underground garage. To get to the restaurant follow the signs on the PA Ave side of the garage. The restaurant can be a bit loud, but I wouldn't consider that a criticism. But, if that is an issue for you it is worth noting. We all agreed that it was one of the nicest restaurants in Wilmington, if not our new favorite, and we would all return...