Brighton - Where's good at the moment?

[offcentre]

yes - breakfast, lunch or dinner, I am yet to be dissatisfied with the Real Eating Company.

[Pweaver1984]

Has anyone been to the newly opened Ruby Tates down in Brighton?

Chef seems to have worked with the big 3. Review would be grateful as could be coming down in the next few weeks and was thinking of Riddle and Finns but can be easily swung.

Cheers

Paul

[Andy Lynes]

Has anyone been to the newly opened Ruby Tates down in Brighton?

Chef seems to have worked with the big 3. Review would be grateful as could be coming down in the next few weeks and was thinking of Riddle and Finns but can be easily swung.

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Not been to either although my wife went to Riddle just after it had opened and didn't enjoy her experience at all.

Chef at Ruby Tates appears to be a sometime eGullet member, although I won't say who as I don't know if he wishes to be identified, so that may influence your decision.

[offcentre]

Tracey MacLeod liked it though

[Andy Lynes]

Tracey MacLeod liked it though

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""Are they going to order, or do I have time for a cigarette?" booms Chef, his voice ricocheting round the unforgiving tiled walls of Brighton's newest fish restaurant."

That is so Brighton.

[Pizza Napoletana]

What about One Paston Place

???

[Andy Lynes]

What about One Paston Place

???

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Haven't been since the regime changed from French to Italian so can't say. Considering that you can pay up to £50 a head just for the food, its expensive for the very price conscious Brighton market who are used to two course lunches for £5.95.

[Lindsay F]

What about One Paston Place

???

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Haven't been since the regime changed from French to Italian so can't say. Considering that you can pay up to £50 a head just for the food, its expensive for the very price conscious Brighton market who are used to two course lunches for £5.95.

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Coincidentally I sometimes end up parking outside One Paston Place as I'm working a couple of streets from there at present. Kambis is a favourite of mine and having tried the real Lebanese food in Beirut earlier this year, it does compare very well.

I was treated to a birthday meal at Terre a Terre a couple of years, fantastic and for good fun, try Genghis Khan, the Mongolian BBQ place.

BTW Andy Lynes, the same as used to post on the Beeb website?

[Andy Lynes]

BTW Andy Lynes, the same as used to post on the Beeb website?

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One and the same.

[offcentre]

Went to Food for Friends on Saturday night - vegetarian restaurant in the Laines. Its been going for 25 years - used to be good - canteen style but has, in the last few years - as has much of Brighton - gone upmarket, and is now a nice-looking restaurant with 3/4 interconnected dining rooms.

Average platter of middle-east bits and bobs was shared to start.

I had a truffled parmesan and spinach beignet with roast butternut squash. Good flavour to beignet but it was soggy and cloying and looked like dog poo. It also came plated with two sauces and melted emmenthal cheese. Was far too rich.

We ordered a bottle of organic 'cloudy bay' sussex white wine. I was a little dismayed, when it came, to find that it was made by the final year students at Plumpton College's wine making course, although it was pretty good if a little sharp.

An alarm kept going off every 5 minutes for the first 40 minutes we were there which had the staff running around looking confused - was it a fire alarm, smoke alarm, intruder alarm? No. It was a diners bloody mobile phone beeping. I could have slapped her.

Partners sweet potato fritter thing was pretty good but I won't be going back if I can help it. If you want decent vegetarian fare in Brighton go to Terre a Terre. Or better still to Kambi's.

[Robinjw13]

For an idyllic and quiet country setting just outside Brighton you can't beat Bruce Wass & head chef Richard Willis at The Jolly Sportsman, East Chiltington. Excellent range of local beers too.... a miniature Gravetye Manor in the making, methinks.

[offcentre]

Well another fantastic meal at the Real Eating Company in Hove. I really can't recommend this place highly enough. This time for brunch - big breakfasts, eggs benedict, pata negra with fried eggs, lovely teas and coffees and extra toast for the kids all despatched with much pleasure.

They are(/have?) opened a 70-cover restaurant in Lewes and are also starting to run the cafe's in Steamer Trading shops throughout Sussex, so Helena is busy building an empire.

Also new head chef for Hove and Lewes...

"REC has also announced the appointment of executive chef Darren Velvick, previously head chef at the Michelinstarred Petrus hotel in London's Knightsbridge...."

A great place.

[dallardice]

An all-too brief weekend in Brighton led me to try some of the places mentioned here. Was running in the 10k on Sunday morning so I could eat whatever I wanted without feeling guilty...

One Paston Place had excellent food - really knew what they were doing - but the room was deathly. Might have been nice if it was animated by lots of chatty guests, but at 9pm on a Friday night with only 4 tables taken it was a bit precious. Starter of beautifully cooked duck with a chestnut veloute was lovely, main of veal done very nicely. Chocolate orange souffle at the end a bit eggy. Well-chosen short wine list. £167 for two including a £41 bottle of Gigondas. Service dreadfully forma until the end of the meal when we'd a great chat with the maitre d' who has previously worked at the Waterside Inn and Le Manoir.

Saturday night (pre-race) was recommendation of our hotel, Sawadee in St James St in Kemptown. Good British Thai - nothing out of the ordinary, flavours very mild, perfectly adequate but not inspiring.

Sunday night was Ruby Tate's. First worry was that we were only the second table occupied 9at 8.15pm) but we liked the look of the menu so we stayed. A lot of stuff was off the menu "due to a busy Saturday night" which I suppose was fair enough. Starter of tempura prawns came with mango, passion fruit, chilli and caramel (thankfully undetectable - shades of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares here). OK. Main of cod with mash, petits pois and carrots was simple, and simply wonderful - good-quality fish, perfectly cooked, nicely offset with the vegetables - a very very satisfying main course. For dessert, four of the six were off (that busy Saturday night again) and one of them we'd heard being sent back by two people at the other table described as "inedible" and "the worst dessert I've ever tasted" (that was the treacle tower with butterscotch caramel). We decided to pass on dessert and have a glass of Black Muscat instead - guess what, only the dregs were left and we got a quarter-glass each which we weren't charged for. It strikes me there's a very good chef here, but a very poor restauranteur (I don't know if they're the same person).

[estufarian]

Can anyone add anything that's open (and good) on a Monday evening?

Both Michelin Bibs are closed, and our arrival time is "depending on airline schedule" - we arrive in London Mon morning (supposedly) and fly out again (to India) on Tues evening - allowing a full day to avoid potential delays.

We'll be in Brighton because a great-aunt (aged 92, but young-at-heart) lives there and we hope to find something relatively exciting for us and acceptable to her.

A quick run through of possible places has already thrown up "Due South" - anybody been there (or can suggest alternatives open on Monday)?

PS We'll be cabbing it.

Edited February 26, 2007 by estufarian (log)

[Matthew Tomkinson]

Can anyone add anything that's open (and good) on a Monday evening?

Both Michelin Bibs are closed, and our arrival time is "depending on airline schedule" - we arrive in London Mon morning (supposedly) and fly out again (to India) on Tues evening - allowing a full day to avoid potential delays.

We'll be in Brighton because a great-aunt (aged 92, but young-at-heart) lives there and we hope to find something relatively exciting for us and acceptable to her.

A quick run through of possible places has already thrown up "Due South" - anybody been there (or can suggest alternatives open on Monday)?

PS We'll be cabbing it.

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Ockenden Manor is a slightly longer cab ride away.

Ockenden Manor

[fisherman]

No idea if they're open on a Monday but I'd return to Sevendials like a shot next time I'm in Brighton.

[estufarian]

No idea if they're open on a Monday but I'd return to Sevendials like a shot next time I'm in Brighton.

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Just checked - they close Sunday, open Monday - so that's a great suggestion.

Anybody else?

[estufarian]

Ockenden Manor is a slightly longer cab ride away.

Ockenden Manor

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Just a little too far - not sure my aunt will stay awake until we make it back! Thanks though.

[offcentre]

a few alternatives to look at altho sevendials is a good bet.....la fourchette is pretty good, pintxo people is supposed to be doing some good things, the strand is okay, hotel du vin looks good and food should be decent, gingerman (and gingerman at drakes) is reliably good. Ockenden Manor is worth the extra distance and your grannie would probably like it

[estufarian]

Thanks all. We're hoping the Toronto airport is clear on Sunday - closed last night (snow & ice). But, after all, that 24 hr between flights is what is enabling the trip to Brighton anyway.

[beaker]

Any further thoughts/updates on Brighton food scene - am down there this coming weekend on a last minute trip?

[hornet]

I would second Pintxo People and The Gingerman who have now added a gastropub, The Ginger Pig, in Hove (I haven't tried it yet). Also Riddle and Finns is good, but they don't take bookings and you may have to share a table. Due South does good seafood on the beachfront.

Whatever you do, it gets very busy at the weekend so you should book ahead.

Edited July 18, 2007 by hornet (log)

[beaker]

I would second Pintxo People and The Gingerman who have now added a gastropub, The Ginger Pig, in Hove (I haven't tried it yet). Also Riddle and Finns is good, but they don't take bookings and you may have to share a table. Due South does good seafood on the beachfront.

A belated thanks hornet - we had a great weekend - tried Pintxo People - food mixed, the simpler dishes tended to be best but a great atmosphere and service and Drakes on the Saturday which was again a pretty good meal - not spectacular (I actually can't remeber the details now) but certainly a high standard of cooking and well worth the money. Also had some very good potted shrimps and cheese at the Real Eating Company

[offcentre]

Quick update on the Ginger Pig, mentioned above.

Large pub that is now 1/3 bar and 2/3 dining room minimally decorated with glam gold and red touches. No booking policy. Good big decked back yard with little playground for the kids. Seats maybe 35 inside and 25 out back. Can't comment on wine list but about 10 available in 350ml (I think) caraffe.

Lunch on saturday was pretty good - steak tartare for me was tasty, came in a round on the plate with mustard-dressed red endive, croutons and quite fantastic chunky chips. Minced rather than chopped steak gave it a slightly mushy texture, but taste was good. Nicely balanced.

Others had good bangers and mash and red onion gravy, line-caught (that morning according to waiter) sea bass fillet with black olives and french beans. Good childrens menu of 4 choices including fishcakes, pasta and bangers and mash, with a smoothie and dessert for a fiver. My daughter loved the vanilla ice-cream with space dust - her first taste of such a thing. In fact we all dug in, it being so long since I've had that.

Very efficient service. Overall above-average (certainly for Brighton) pub-dining food at a good price.

[dallardice]

Sunday night was Ruby Tate's.  First worry was that we were only the second table occupied 9at 8.15pm) but we liked the look of the menu so we stayed.  A lot of stuff was off the menu "due to a busy Saturday night" which I suppose was fair enough.  Starter of tempura prawns came with mango, passion fruit, chilli and caramel (thankfully undetectable - shades of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares here).  OK.  Main of cod with mash, petits pois and carrots was simple, and simply wonderful - good-quality fish, perfectly cooked, nicely offset with the vegetables - a very very satisfying main course.  For dessert, four of the six were off (that busy Saturday night again) and one of them we'd heard being sent back by two people at the other table described as "inedible" and "the worst dessert I've ever tasted" (that was the treacle tower with butterscotch caramel).  We decided to pass on dessert and have a glass of Black Muscat instead - guess what, only the dregs were left and we got a quarter-glass each which we weren't charged for.  It strikes me there's a very good chef here, but a very poor restauranteur (I don't know if they're the same person).

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Well I'm saying nothing... it was I reckon about 6 months before filming on tonight's programme...