Restaurant 2017

[Normski1989]

If anyone is ever looking for a decent pizza/pasta in Hove, I'd highly recommend Amici on Blatchington Road (a couple of doors away from Co-op). I work in the area and go there once every couple of weeks for lunch with colleagues. Never had a bad meal. I've tried a few different pizzas and they have all been incredible. The Diavola is a personal favourite. The downside is that they only offer pizza or pasta, so the menu can be quite limiting. But I recently went to Otello on Church Road for a friends birthday, and their pizza was very poor in comparison.

It always seems really quiet in Amici though. I was speaking to the owner recently and they've been struggling to build an awareness of the restaurant since it opened last year. The premises have changed hands several times over the last few years, and it's struggling to shake the reputation of the previous occupants. The owner is really friendly and open to any suggestions on how to improve the food, service or menu. Strongly recommend giving it a try for dinner or lunch if you're in the area.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Going to this place tonight

https://www.nobelhartundschmutzig.com

It's taking locally sourced to the next level apparently and it's been termed brutal dining. He only uses items found locally but extremely so no spices, pepper etc. He also uses as much as possible from what he finds ... a kind of nose to tail including vegetables. He refuses to serve bottled water and refuses to have an expresso machine. The former due to the local tap water being fine to drink. The latter as you need to keep an expresso machine running to have optimal coffee; something he cannot do with only 24 covers.

Obviously the coffee is an exception to his local rule. And thankfully the wine list is as well. Apparently (the opinionated) Billy Wagner is one of Germany's leading sommeliers so I look forward to meeting him. He has strong views on craft beer as well; things it's a daft name as Germany has been hand crafting beer for centuries. He sounds as tiresome as me This meal is a gift from the Frau but I think there will be a lot of face palm and rolled eyes from her tonight.

For all of this it was awarded a Michelin star after just 7 months. It also closes periodically so Billy can go to the Burning Man festival, Berghain etc.

 

[Machiavelli]

Going to this place tonight

https://www.nobelhartundschmutzig.com

It's taking locally sourced to the next level apparently and it's been termed brutal dining. He only uses items found locally but extremely so no spices, pepper etc. He also uses as much as possible from what he finds ... a kind of nose to tail including vegetables. He refuses to serve bottled water and refuses to have an expresso machine. The former due to the local tap water being fine to drink. The latter as you need to keep an expresso machine running to have optimal coffee; something he cannot do with only 24 covers.

Obviously the coffee is an exception to his local rule. And thankfully the wine list is as well. Apparently (the opinionated) Billy Wagner is one of Germany's leading sommeliers so I look forward to meeting him. He has strong views on craft beer as well; things it's a daft name as Germany has been hand crafting beer for centuries. He sounds as tiresome as me This meal is a gift from the Frau but I think there will be a lot of face palm and rolled eyes from her tonight.

For all of this it was awarded a Michelin star after just 7 months. It also closes periodically so Billy can go to the Burning Man festival, Berghain etc.

Sounds great. Drink wine instead of beer is my advice. And while I'm on twopenneth duty, next time you're in London, try The Anchor & Hope/Great Queen St/The Canton Arms, which are all offshoots of St John.

 

[Bakero]

Going to this place tonight

https://www.nobelhartundschmutzig.com

It's taking locally sourced to the next level apparently and it's been termed brutal dining. He only uses items found locally but extremely so no spices, pepper etc. He also uses as much as possible from what he finds ... a kind of nose to tail including vegetables. He refuses to serve bottled water and refuses to have an expresso machine. The former due to the local tap water being fine to drink. The latter as you need to keep an expresso machine running to have optimal coffee; something he cannot do with only 24 covers.

Obviously the coffee is an exception to his local rule. And thankfully the wine list is as well. Apparently (the opinionated) Billy Wagner is one of Germany's leading sommeliers so I look forward to meeting him. He has strong views on craft beer as well; things it's a daft name as Germany has been hand crafting beer for centuries. He sounds as tiresome as me This meal is a gift from the Frau but I think there will be a lot of face palm and rolled eyes from her tonight.

For all of this it was awarded a Michelin star after just 7 months. It also closes periodically so Billy can go to the Burning Man festival, Berghain etc.

RickStein went there during his weekend in Berlin show. Looks interesting.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sounds great. Drink wine instead of beer is my advice. And while I'm on twopenneth duty, next time you're in London, try The Anchor & Hope/Great Queen St/The Canton Arms, which are all offshoots of St John.

I'm really looking forward to it and Billy is front of house and a real character by all accounts. I'll report back.

Im a novice with wine and always go for the flight/pairing option with tasting menus i.e. I use these opportunities to try different stuff and learn something. I'll save the beer for post Burton

Thanks for the St John tips. Looking back St John was one of my favourite food experiences for a long long time. I'll probably need to visit the original place a few more times to get it out of my mind before I can visit Fergus' other places. But they are noted.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

RickStein went their during his weekend in Berlin show. Looks interesting.

Really. Thanks. When was this on? I'll need to watch this.

 

[Bakero]

Really. Thanks. When was this on? I'll need to watch this.

You might be able to catch it on iPlayer if you can access from Germany. If not, you'll be able to find it online.

(Damn it. You quoted me before I noticed and corrected my typo- it was an auto-correct, honest!)

 

[Machiavelli]

I'm really looking forward to it and Billy is front of house and a real character by all accounts. I'll report back.

Im a novice with wine and always go for the flight/pairing option with tasting menus i.e. I use these opportunities to try different stuff and learn something. I'll save the beer for post Burton

Thanks for the St John tips. Looking back St John was one of my favourite food experiences for a long long time. I'll probably need to visit the original place a few more times to get it out of my mind before I can visit Fergus' other places. But they are noted.

Oh, go with the wine flights. Sommeliers have expertise. Trust the experts, you have nothing to lose but your Trumpish/alt-right/Brexit chains!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Oh, go with the wine flights. Sommeliers have expertise. Trust the experts, you have nothing to lose but your Trumpish/alt-right/Brexit chains!

Ha ha. Yeah. I'll demand to choose my own wIne and turn to Twitter when my ill-informed decisions don't go my way/work out.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Oh, go with the wine flights. Sommeliers have expertise. Trust the experts, you have nothing to lose but your Trumpish/alt-right/Brexit chains!

Sommeliers also know which wines they have most stock of, which are easiest to replace, and, critically, which carry the highest margin, and, in the worst case, which wines are nearing the end (or have exceeded) their drinking window. Just saying. There is an alternative solution...

Ha ha. Yeah. I'll demand to choose my own wIne and turn to Twitter when my ill-informed decisions don't go my way/work out.

...which is to learn about wine yourself. Or take a wine geek. An Albion-supporting one would be a bonus.

Mind you, it does mean that you end up drinking more wine as you have to have a half bottle of fizz, a bottle of white, a bottle of red, and a half bottle of sticky. Still, there are other compensations... not least the fact that by the time you reach pudding, all food you eat tastes bloody amazing.

 

[keitho54]

If anyone is ever looking for a decent pizza/pasta in Hove, I'd highly recommend Amici on Blatchington Road (a couple of doors away from Co-op). I work in the area and go there once every couple of weeks for lunch with colleagues. Never had a bad meal. I've tried a few different pizzas and they have all been incredible. The Diavola is a personal favourite. The downside is that they only offer pizza or pasta, so the menu can be quite limiting. But I recently went to Otello on Church Road for a friends birthday, and their pizza was very poor in comparison.

It always seems really quiet in Amici though. I was speaking to the owner recently and they've been struggling to build an awareness of the restaurant since it opened last year. The premises have changed hands several times over the last few years, and it's struggling to shake the reputation of the previous occupants. The owner is really friendly and open to any suggestions on how to improve the food, service or menu. Strongly recommend giving it a try for dinner or lunch if you're in the area.

I couldn't agree more. Amici is a super little restaurant. Just the place for a weekday evening when you can't be bothered to cook and don't fancy a take away, although they also deliver. Excellent pizzas and they use good quality ingredients.

 

[Machiavelli]

Sommeliers also know which wines they have most stock of, which are easiest to replace, and, critically, which carry the highest margin, and, in the worst case, which wines are nearing the end (or have exceeded) their drinking window. Just saying. There is an alternative solution...



...which is to learn about wine yourself. Or take a wine geek. An Albion-supporting one would be a bonus.

Mind you, it does mean that you end up drinking more wine as you have to have a half bottle of fizz, a bottle of white, a bottle of red, and a half bottle of sticky. Still, there are other compensations... not least the fact that by the time you reach pudding, all food you eat tastes bloody amazing.

Listen here smartarse, you're merely endorsing what I'm saying but taking it even further, which is even more problematic for that lot I was referring to: you trust experts so much, that you're advocating becoming one.
I agree with all you say about the chicaneries of expert sommeliers, but would add that they have an interest in repeat trade, and that might just override all your concerns.

 

[MattBackHome]

Don't want to sound like a broken record. but did Planet India (Hove) again last night. Utterly utterly fantastic.

The Dhai Bel Puri starter is my favourite single dish in the whole of Brighton.

 

[Goldstone1976]

As if a 4-1 victory, with three different strikers scoring, wasn't enough, my long wait for 2 seats at Sushi Tetsu has been sorted out. I'll be dining there this week. Eat your heart out [MENTION=28490]Machiavelli[/MENTION]

 

[Beach Hut]

La Galleria - Home turf, Shoreham

Excellent meal with Mrs Hut, starters of Mozzarella in bread crumbs and fried white bait.

Mains - baked aubergines and I had veal escallop with spaghetti

Top notch and nice way to celebrate a fine 4-1 win with an italian red wine to boot.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't want to sound like a broken record.

This hasn't stopped most NSCers. Please carry on.

 

[Machiavelli]

As if a 4-1 victory, with three different strikers scoring, wasn't enough, my long wait for 2 seats at Sushi Tetsu has been sorted out. I'll be dining there this week. Eat your heart out [MENTION=28490]Machiavelli[/MENTION]

I could say that I'm jealous or envious, but admiration might be an apter term. Admiration of your commitment to expertise, perhaps even elitism in all things food and drink. That said, next time you get a booking there, get one for me.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The Salt Rooms, Brighton, gets a very favourable Jay Rayner review

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/12/the-salt-room-brighton-restaurant-review

 

[Goldstone1976]

I could say that I'm jealous or envious, but admiration might be an apter term. Admiration of your commitment to expertise, perhaps even elitism in all things food and drink. That said, next time you get a booking there, get one for me.

Commitment to expertise is about as good a description to my attitude to food and wine as I've ever heard - can I pinch the phrase, please? Elitism? I absolutely recognise why you postulate that thought, but I would counter with saying that often true expertise in a chef or wine-maker attracts many punters who seek that, and that creates elitism. So, rather than me seeking elite places to eat, I seek very high quality, and those places that offer it become elite simply because so many people want to go.

Take Sushi Tetsu as an example. I must have read 20 reviews, all of which, without exception, say it's in the top 3 places in London, many saying it is the best. This makes it very popular, yet it has two sittings of only 7 on each of 5 nights a week. 70 dinner covers a week. That's it. Ergo, it becomes elite.

All that said, I only seek these places on an occasional (once a fortnight?) basis, and only when the meal itself is the entire point of the evening. If we're going out to a gig, theatre, opera, concert or ballet, we eat quickly and at somewhere where the food is decent enough, but not stunning. I think it's rude to the chef to rush a stunning meal because you have to make curtain up somewhere.

Finally, simplicity is often the best. Cant beat perfect poached eggs on warm toast for a light lunch, for example. But I do get irritated if the eggs aren't perfect!

 

[Machiavelli]

Commitment to expertise is about as good a description to my attitude to food and wine as I've ever heard - can I pinch the phrase, please? Elitism? I absolutely recognise why you postulate that thought, but I would counter with saying that often true expertise in a chef or wine-maker attracts many punters who seek that, and that creates elitism. So, rather than me seeking elite places to eat, I seek very high quality, and those places that offer it become elite simply because so many people want to go.

Take Sushi Tetsu as an example. I must have read 20 reviews, all of which, without exception, say it's in the top 3 places in London, many saying it is the best. This makes it very popular, yet it has two sittings of only 7 on each of 5 nights a week. 70 dinner covers a week. That's it. Ergo, it becomes elite.

All that said, I only seek these places on an occasional (once a fortnight?) basis, and only when the meal itself is the entire point of the evening. If we're going out to a gig, theatre, opera, concert or ballet, we eat quickly and at somewhere where the food is decent enough, but not stunning. I think it's rude to the chef to rush a stunning meal because you have to make curtain up somewhere.

Finally, simplicity is often the best. Cant beat perfect poached eggs on warm toast for a light lunch, for example. But I do get irritated if the eggs aren't perfect!

I wasn't trying to elide 'commitment to expertise' with elitism. Honest. One of those has been overused of late, and the other one hasn't. I am similarly magnetised to one of those, whereas the other is mobilised by the unscrupulous and dangerous and, unfortunately, has been uncritically accepted by too many. One of those is deeply problematic to relativism, i.e. the view that might makes right, whereas the use of the other enables it to flourish.

PS a poached egg is the simplest way to get an egg right -- a runny yoke, but without too much bogey/jism -- and has to be adorned with a sprinkling of sea salt, and a grind or two of pepper. I think an omelette can do what your poached egg can (see the film Big Night if you haven't already, which is well worth mentioning in this particular thread -- Moonlight, by contrast, has far less relevance to this thread, but go see).