[Food] Eating out. Is it all that?

[The Clamp]

The NSC restaurant thread has numerous recommendations which are far from mediocre. If folk live in Brighton area maybe they could use this?

I was thinking this.

Brighton is choc full of fantastic, independent restaurants and pubs run by passionate chefs and waiting staff.

In fact we are spoiled throughout Sussex for amazing places to eat. From country pubs to street food pop ups, there genuinely is something to love in most Sussex towns.

I even had a superb Kofta Kebab in Crawley. As good for its taste as its alliteration.

I look forward to eating out, planned or spontaneous. I try to plan a few meals out a month. Whether that’s a couple of us for cannolis and coffee at G-Lite or a full table for 8 at Wild Lemon.

Love it!

 

[Gabbafella]

 

[BLOCK F]

The NSC restaurant thread has numerous recommendations which are far from mediocre. If folk live in Brighton area maybe they could use this?

Hi HT, You are correct and I am sure that many of the good folk on NSC who live in Brighton have benefitted from these recommendations.

 

[BLOCK F]

The food itself or the service?

Can be either or, but usually the food.
Anyway, maybe I was being over grumpy whilst making my comments yesterday and I am sure there are many fine establishments all over the place. Perhaps I have been a tad unlucky, but it happens. As I said, if we find a place we like, we tend to stick with it.
Just a mention for a chain here. My wife and I have had to visit Hemel Hempstead twice lately and have had two decent meals in the Miller and Carter steak chain. Efficient pleasant waiting staff and the food was good. Some bar staff, not quite so good and in need of training. Have to say, my steaks were far superior to ones my wife and I were served in a well regarded hotel in Cornwall last autumn, but at least they knocked them off the bill. Perhaps we should have sat by the harbour and had pasties!

The food itself or the service?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Doesn’t it depend where you go?
We have a favourite independent Italian restaurant in Dorset (Wareham) to which we will be taking our granddaughter and daughter on Saturday for a special occasion. It’s not just the food, it’s the atmosphere.

If we go out locally, it is normally to places we know or have been recommended. Sometimes they end up being disappointing. We will always check out reviews as well, while realising these can be dubious.

We have some friends who used to live locally but who moved to the very north of Scotland a couple of years ago to take over a hotel. We stayed with them on the way to and from Orkney in June. The return trip was on a Saturday and they put their restaurant over on occasion to a local chef who used to own his own restaurant but gave it up - he is also a part-time GP, but a MasterChef contestant in the past. So we booked for the 8 course taster menu for £80, and our daughters (bless them) contacted the hotel to book and pay for the £45 “wine flight” to go with it. We were sceptical about it, but it was unbelievable - the tastes, the combinations of flavours, the explanation by the chef of everything, the presentation, the quality of the food!

 

[Weststander]

Can be either or, but usually the food.
Anyway, maybe I was being over grumpy whilst making my comments yesterday and I am sure there are many fine establishments all over the place. Perhaps I have been a tad unlucky, but it happens. As I said, if we find a place we like, we tend to stick with it.
Just a mention for a chain here. My wife and I have had to visit Hemel Hempstead twice lately and have had two decent meals in the Miller and Carter steak chain. Efficient pleasant waiting staff and the food was good. Some bar staff, not quite so good and in need of training. Have to say, my steaks were far superior to ones my wife and I were served in a well regarded hotel in Cornwall last autumn, but at least they knocked them off the bill. Perhaps we should have sat by the harbour and had pasties!

With staff and therefore service, the hospitality industry not just in the UK post 2020 has suffered from experienced staff leaving the industry. Citing I want my evenings back or I want to see my kids grow up.

We’ve had a couple of Miller & Carter meals, very nice. One of brothers enjoys their Xmas Day lunches.

 

[BLOCK F]

With staff and therefore service, the hospitality industry not just in the UK post 2020 has suffered from experienced staff leaving the industry. Citing I want my evenings back or I want to see my kids grow up.

We’ve had a couple of Miller & Carter meals, very nice. One of brothers enjoys their Xmas Day lunches.

Yes, staffing is a big problem now.
I spent my entire career in the corporate side of the brewing and pub business, climbing the greasy pole, and first got interested in the business when, like many of us, I had a part-time bar job. It was almost a rite of passage for young people to work in a bar, not so much now! Can’t say I blame them, much better hours working as a barista in the multitude of coffee shops!

 

[Guinness Boy]

The NSC restaurant thread has numerous recommendations which are far from mediocre. If folk live in Brighton area maybe they could use this?

Indeed.

Mediocrity can easily be avoided in Brighton and Hove. That thread really helps. Good places that I've eaten out at in the last year that were an absolute pleasure with excellent food and service:

High End / Expensive
Etch

Mid Range
Urchin (seafood)
Manju's (vegetarian Indian)
Bincho Yakitori (Japanese, meat, veggie and vegan)
Wabi Sabi (Japanese, focus on sushi)

Cheap and Cheerful
Fanoos (Persian, BYO)
Madrasi (South Indian, BYO)
Blue Anchor (Thai)
Colleseo (Italian)

Those nine form my 'core' eating out destinations now and suit a range of budget, taste and dietary needs.

EDIT - oh and of course the food at The Caxton is excellent so there's a pub option.

 

[Machiavelli]

Indeed.

Mediocrity can easily be avoided in Brighton and Hove. That thread really helps. Good places that I've eaten out at in the last year that were an absolute pleasure with excellent food and service:

High End / Expensive
Etch

Mid Range
Urchin (seafood)
Manju's (vegetarian Indian)
Bincho Yakitori (Japanese, meat, veggie and vegan)
Wabi Sabi (Japanese, focus on sushi)

Cheap and Cheerful
Fanoos (Persian, BYO)
Madrasi (South Indian, BYO)
Blue Anchor (Thai)
Colleseo (Italian)

Those nine form my 'core' eating out destinations now and suit a range of budget, taste and dietary needs.

EDIT - oh and of course the food at The Caxton is excellent so there's a pub option.

Think I'm going to have to give Wabi Sabi a go. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[BLOCK F]

Indeed.

Mediocrity can easily be avoided in Brighton and Hove. That thread really helps. Good places that I've eaten out at in the last year that were an absolute pleasure with excellent food and service:

High End / Expensive
Etch

Mid Range
Urchin (seafood)
Manju's (vegetarian Indian)
Bincho Yakitori (Japanese, meat, veggie and vegan)
Wabi Sabi (Japanese, focus on sushi)

Cheap and Cheerful
Fanoos (Persian, BYO)
Madrasi (South Indian, BYO)
Blue Anchor (Thai)
Colleseo (Italian)

Those nine form my 'core' eating out destinations now and suit a range of budget, taste and dietary needs.

EDIT - oh and of course the food at The Caxton is excellent so there's a pub option.

Thanks, I’ll have to pass this on to my sister who lives in Brighton.