Senior food producer Spencer Lengsfield visited this modern, Eastern-med restaurant with locations across London.

Where is it?
We visited the Soho branch, since a new bar, Kamara, by the same team has just opened right upstairs. There are locations all over London, however. The Soho location is not far from Carnaby Street, just a short walk from Oxford Circus station.

What’s the place like?
With a sleek and elegant but warm interior, Brother Marcus invites you in with open arms. We visited mid-week and it was still abuzz with atmosphere, despite not being packed. With a varied menu, extensive cocktail list, and attentive staff, it’s easy to spend a few hours here.

What did we eat and drink?
We chose the ‘Rip & Dip’ platter to start, with fluffy pita, marinated olives and a selection of dips (we went for fennel tzatziki, baba ganoush and taramasalata with sumac onions). There was also a very delicious-looking beetroot houmous on the menu, which I’ll have to try next time. All three dips were rich, moreish, and easily dunkable, my favourite being the taramasalata.

Next, we moved on to mezze, with staff recommending two to three plates per person – although I will say, this felt like a lot. We opted for the charred celeriac with aioli and confit garlic, smoked Greek feta sausage, roasted chicken with sundried tomato harissa and labneh, the calamari with zhoug aioli, and a Greek salad (for balance).

Everything was very well cooked and worked well together, which is always a bonus after ordering so many dishes. The standout for me, and my partner, was the Greek sausage. Studded with little chunks of feta, perfectly seasoned and juicy with a good snap, it reminded me just how important texture is when it comes to sausage. It was served with a smoky aubergine bayildi, essentially stewed aubergine with tomatoes, garlic and onions, which was a lovely accompaniment.

We shared the baklava ice cream sandwich for dessert, featuring a pistachio ice cream and honey cream on top. This was tasty, albeit a little difficult to eat, and maybe not entirely necessary after all of the savoury dishes we just ate!

We also loved the cocktails, particularly the Greek paloma with pink peppercorn syrup and an earthy Greek liqueur called Roots Mastiha. This was light, really fresh, and a lovely take on the classic cocktail.

After our meal, we visited Kamara for a post-dinner drink. The name 'Kamara' references ancient Greek pottery, particularly the pots behind the bar, used for the fermentations in the bar’s own cocktails. It was very dark, moody and cool, with backgammon sets scattered throughout the bar – which felt like a random but nice touch. The cocktail menu here is very interesting, with entirely new concoctions as well as a few riffs on classics. I opted for the Yosmo, which smelled (and tasted) like fruity Greek yogurt, but was a clear pink colour. Next time, I’ll be back to try the Kitron margarita and the Ibrik espresso martini.

The verdict?
I would (and will) absolutely be revisiting Brother Marcus. It’s crowd pleasing while still being interesting, perfect for Eastern-med foodie fans and novices alike. I could happily stop by for a paloma and a 'Rip & Dip' platter, or for another full mezze spread – although I might go a little less OTT next time!