Brighton - Where's good at the moment?

[malcolmwilliamson]

brighton could definalty surport a starred resturant, it does not need to be expensive to be starred just look at arbutus its an amazing resturant and has held its star for 2 years.

for a recommendation i would say try the "seafood experiance" in shoreham its a bit of a drive but well worth it. the chef thewre has worked at some really good joints before this.

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Didn't it close in November?

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A visit to its website http://www.seafoodexperience.com/ suggests it is indeed closed. The web address is currently being used by a blogger.

[chefaj82]

brighton could definalty surport a starred resturant, it does not need to be expensive to be starred just look at arbutus its an amazing resturant and has held its star for 2 years.

for a recommendation i would say try the "seafood experiance" in shoreham its a bit of a drive but well worth it. the chef thewre has worked at some really good joints before this.

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Didn't it close in November?

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A visit to its website http://www.seafoodexperience.com/ suggests it is indeed closed. The web address is currently being used by a blogger.

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no its was closed but has reopened, the website is under constuction

[CheGuevara]

another wonderful time at riddle & finn yesterday. went there for lunch at around 3pm after hesitating at Oki Nami,; the much talked about sushi place around the corner. thank god the hostess was so utterly annoying we didn't even sit down and headed for riddle & finn which was truly phenomenal.

we ordered steamed langoustines, razor clams, a mixed green salad and two glasses of muscadet. both langoustines and clams came in a shallot, lemon-thyme white wine and butter sauce which was superb. especially the one with the clams which was better seasoned - logicallyfinished with the soup spoon and bread!

i must say that the food in brighton is fairly sub-standard yet the riddle & finn is up there with the best restaurants in the country in my opinion. the simple reason is simplicity expertly executed - no other restaurant i have been to in the UK is so good at meeting and exceeding expectations. you get exactly what you pay for in the right environment (in this regard it is just like st. john's.) - once again i can't reccomend it enough.

[offcentre]

yes, I haven't had a bad meal there in, say, 6 or 7 visits. My only gripe would be the menu rarely changes, but they do have a couple of specials every day and their two courses for a tenner changes daily. Still, I fancy virtually everything on what is quite a large menu so I'm not going to complain.

I still haven't been to Meadow...must go there.

I'm not that interested in top end dining. With Riddle and Finns, the Real Eating Company, the Gingerman 'chain' and a couple of others I'm happy with the quality in Brighton.

There are some great pubs on the Downs too. Returned to the Griffin in Fletching again at the weekend - a lovely old pub with really good food, a lovely garden for the kids to run around in. If you can go in summer when they are bbq'ing you won;t regret it.

[PhilD]

We have just had a good Saturday dinner at Blanch House.

The menu was interesting with some great touches - the celery sorbet with the cheese course is an example. Food is well cooked, modern British, and the menu is well priced for the standard of food. Service was very good, friendly and knowledgeable. The room is almost pure white and very Brighton.

The bar is reputedly one of the towns best cocktail bars - I am far from an expert but my Negroni was great.

Well worth a visit - good for a smart dinner on Saturday before a Sunday lunch at Due South.

[Harters]

SEVENDIALS

I quickly warmed to Sevendials once I’d arrived, although I’d started out feeling a little peeved. Being a stranger to the area, I’d emailed them (through their own online system) asking about parking in the area but received no reply. However, that was the one fault in service and the actual delivery of food was first rate. The young woman who served me was one of the best I’ve seen at this level of restaurant – constantly watching her tables as she walked by, she was completely on the ball. And, whenever we needed to talk, she made eye contact and, wonder of wonders, smiled.

My table was already set for one, something I always think indicates a place has thought about the customers. I hate when you’ve booked and are sat at a table for two – and the crockery is then whipped away suggesting to everyone that your date has stood you up.

Bread came almost instantly and was replenished without needing to ask for more. An amuse of beetroot soup was pleasant enough but was lacking the sweet earthiness that you might hope for.

Starter was an oriental style salad. Thin slices of just warm pork belly, dressed in sesame oil. Cold, crisp shreds of mooli and cucumber, dressed with rice wine vinegar – bitingly sharp. Great contrast of flavour and texture.

The main was a “bouillabaisse” of local fish. Difficult to identify the fish as they were a bit samey. Perhaps three different ones , certainly including sea bass. And a lone, but lovely, scallop. Served separately, a dish of new potatoes and some braised fennel. The fennel was picked up as a predominant flavour in the light fish broth. It came with an unadvertised rouille, which most folk would have found fine – but I could have stood more garlic. Quite a bit more garlic

Dessert was the least successful course. Described as a warm banana pudding with peanut icecream and toffee sauce. Certainly it was sweet and, as such, made a good ending after two fairly light courses. But there was no discernable flavour of banana and the texture of the sponge was just a bit claggy.

But, hey, the meal and a bottle of water cost just over £26. Any complaints from me are just nit-picking.

[Harters]

THE MEADOW

Sometimes you walk into a place and you know you’re going to love it, even before you’ve put a fork in your mouth. The Meadow is one of those places. It pressed several buttons for me. A carafe of water was delivered with the bread (which was good), so clearly no pressure to buy bottled. And, when I did order bottled, a bowl of ice and lime slices was also brought. They are proud to name their several local suppliers and, indeed, local “terroir” is an important feature of the menu. As is seasonality. Around half a dozen choices at each course.

Starter was a rabbit terrine, studded with pistachios and slivers of prune. This was well made and the flavours melded together nicely. Sat alongside was a small handful of micro-salad and some chutney. Perhaps I’m just old-fashioned but I like something a bit sharp with my terrines – a cornichon or two, perhaps. And here, it would definitely have been better. The chutney, pleasant as it was and packed with fruitiness, overwhelmed the prune.

The main was bang on my sort of food (particularly when I’m on my own and have no-one to Ooh and Ahh with). Slow-roasted shoulder of Romney Marsh lamb fell apart almost before the fork touched it. Underneath, a small pile of wilted wild garlic. There was a pearl barley and leek risotto. Into this had been melted Wieldway goats cheese, adding a richness as Parmesan would to a standard risotto. More micro-salad acted as a garnish

Dessert was a yoghurt pannacotta, with poached rhubarb and blood orange. The yoghurt came from another local supplier, Northian Dairy, and it gave a nice sharpness to the pannacotta, which was silky smooth. The sweet/sharp was picked up in the rhubarb and orange which decorated the plate. I inwardly moaned when I saw micro-salad decorating the plate, reminiscent of the sprig of parsley whatever you’re eating. But then I realised it was micro-mint. Nice touch.

I liked the room, which had lots of space and was decorated in a fairly minimalist style. Service was good and well worth the 10% added to the bill. Mains are priced at around £15; starters and desserts in the £5 - £6 bracket. My meal, including service and coffee, came to £35.

[Harters]

I'd been in the area to meet up with an e-friend. He'd booked lunch at the Sylvan Oak in Findon. Nice village; undistinguished food that was OK but not somewhere I'd rush back to.

And I'd planned to have a third dinner at the fish & chips restaurant on Brighton Pier, but it was shut. So I got my meal from one of the caffs along the front. It was disgustingly vile - even for the poor offerings that we northerners come to expect from southern fish & chips. Unfortunately, I've lost the slip of paper with the name so I cannot even properly warn you off it (other than to say it is on the front just round the corner from the Churchill 2 multi storey carpark).

[Andrew]

I'd be interested in any current suggestions of decent places to eat. Not the Gingerman or Drakes (I like both of them) but am looking for somewhere different to go to for a change.

Andrew