[Food] Restaurant 2018

[Herr Tubthumper]

Pretty much the same experience as me.

Should have gone for a kebab and chips instead....although it would have cost more than your tenner in Copenhagen

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They do the best starter I've ever tasted .... anywhere :

Pear – with goat’s cheese, rocket, dates, walnuts and balsamic honey glaze

View attachment 95314

Nice. Best starters. Mine, at the moment, is the simple but incredibly effective and big hitting bone marrow and parsley salad from St Johns. Roasted bone marrow, toasted sour dough bread, parsley salad with a slight vinegar and French sea salt.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Going back to your original post you make a good point about using it, or losing it. Jay Rayner has written some good pieces recently about this topic, and challenging common arguments about pricing in restaurants. I’ll see if I can dig them out.

Edit: here’s one

If you want to be able to eat out, you should fork out
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...ner-eat-out-fork-out-cost-of-restaurant-meals

I love Jay Rayner. I once attended a writing seminar he did with Midfield General (inevitably talk turned to The Sportsman) and he was incredibly entertaining and, while opinionated, generally spot on. I'd read that article already and agreed with every word. I think a similar thing goes on in the airline industry. Whenever Ryanair set up a new route or another, previously normal, airline goes budget you can't move in cyberspace for people bragging about how they had got them and their kids to Tenerife for a tenner. The same people then massively kick off when they have to pay for their luggage and get seated apart from each other. If there are two professionals I would not want underpaid, one would be the guy who cooks my dinner and the other would be the guy in charge of a flying bomb with seats at 35,000 feet.

I'm not sure there is an answer to that.

I've paid in excess of £200 for a meal of two at Ockenden Manor and thought it great value. I've paid £70 for a meal for two at The Witchez and thought it great value. I've paid £90 for a meal for five at Phoo and thought it was very poor value. I paid in excess of £100 for a meal at The Urchin and thought is poor value. Least mentioned about 64 Degrees the better !

So difficult to say - I expect attentive service ( but not the fake stuff you often get in chains ), a decent choice on the menu and, absolutely most important of all, an establishment that can correct mistakes without drama.

See, I've eaten three times at 64 Degrees and would consider it some of the best VFM in Brighton. We're booked to go again shortly. I guess it's all down to personal taste and, perhaps, one bad experience or even one bad dish.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Thats my local but the last couple of times I've had it the fish has been a bit odd and 'grey' which put me off. But yes always remember the chips and curry sauce was bang on

As a family we don't eat fish so not an issue for us. Might try the Trawlerman on Saturday night as I need something heavy before going to a 50th Birthday party.

You'll be upsetting the main contributors you do know that, I was waiting for [MENTION=292]thedonkeycentrehalf[/MENTION] to reiterate the sheer quality of their sausage in batter that he kindly shared some time ago

Good memory I'd forgotten that but I think that was talking about the chippy near Brighton station. You can't beat a good sausage

 

[BigGully]

As a family we don't eat fish so not an issue for us. Might try the Trawlerman on Saturday night as I need something heavy before going to a 50th Birthday party.



Good memory I'd forgotten that but I think that was talking about the chippy near Brighton station. You can't beat a good sausage

I wasn't meaning to be snide it just made me chuckle as did the 'curry and chip' mention when a couple of other posters were discussing their £200.00 a head restaurant meals at the same time, personally your contribution was far more helpful to me

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I love Jay Rayner. I once attended a writing seminar he did with Midfield General (inevitably talk turned to The Sportsman) and he was incredibly entertaining and, while opinionated, generally spot on. I'd read that article already and agreed with every word. I think a similar thing goes on in the airline industry. Whenever Ryanair set up a new route or another, previously normal, airline goes budget you can't move in cyberspace for people bragging about how they had got them and their kids to Tenerife for a tenner. The same people then massively kick off when they have to pay for their luggage and get seated apart from each other. If there are two professionals I would not want underpaid, one would be the guy who cooks my dinner and the other would be the guy in charge of a flying bomb with seats at 35,000 feet.



See, I've eaten three times at 64 Degrees and would consider it some of the best VFM in Brighton. We're booked to go again shortly. I guess it's all down to personal taste and, perhaps, one bad experience or even one bad dish.

I’m quite envious of you going to a talk with those two, from memory Damian Harris’ brother owns The Sportsman right?

In my wildest dreams I go for dinner with Jay Raynor.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Nice. Best starters. Mine, at the moment, is the simple but incredibly effective and big hitting bone marrow and parsley salad from St Johns. Roasted bone marrow, toasted sour dough bread, parsley salad with a slight vinegar and French sea salt.

French Sea Salt, FRENCH SEA SALT ! What were they thinking

Always Swedish sea salt with bone marrow

 

[Machiavelli]

I’m quite envious of you going to a talk with those two, from memory Damian Harris’ brother owns The Sportsman right?

In my wildest dreams I go for dinner with Jay Raynor.

Stephen Harris runs The Sportsman, and he was extremely friendly to us last time I went. Even sold us a wine from his private cellar, which was delicious and (to follow on on a recent theme on this thread) great value.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Stephen Harris runs The Sportsman, and he was extremely friendly to us last time I went. Even sold us a wine from his private cellar, which was delicious and (to follow on on a recent theme on this thread) great value.

Never been to the Sportsman - definitely on the list.

 

[CHAPPERS]

The Sportsman is SUCH a good gaff. Go go go.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I wasn't meaning to be snide it just made me chuckle as did the 'curry and chip' mention when a couple of other posters were discussing their £200.00 a head restaurant meals at the same time, personally your contribution was far more helpful to me

Don't worry - I got where you were coming from. Sadly my budget these days is much closer to sausage and chips as my status here as the burger reviewer probably show! I do enjoy the variety of this thread and always enjoy reading about [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] and his meals (he also sends me pictures of food and beer when he is out). I have also witnessed first hand HT having two different meals from Street Diner within 10 minutes so I know he is also a man of the people when he wants to be.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't worry - I got where you were coming from. Sadly my budget these days is much closer to sausage and chips as my status here as the burger reviewer probably show! I do enjoy the variety of this thread and always enjoy reading about [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] and his meals (he also sends me pictures of food and beer when he is out). I have also witnessed first hand HT having two different meals from Street Diner within 10 minutes so I know he is also a man of the people when he wants to be.

Pleased to be of service Sir I do remember that lunch time at the brilliant Street Diner and being somewhat overwhelmed by the quality on offer. And the obvious resolution if you can decide between different options is to have it all! I used to use it a fair bit when I was using that coworking space down the road. Is it still going?

Hopefully catch you before the seasons out as I’ve still got those cans of Stone (Berlin) White Ghost/Geist Berliner Weisse for you.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Stephen Harris runs The Sportsman, and he was extremely friendly to us last time I went. Even sold us a wine from his private cellar, which was delicious and (to follow on on a recent theme on this thread) great value.

Never been to the Sportsman - definitely on the list.

The Sportsman is SUCH a good gaff. Go go go.

I know a friend who has been and he speaks fondly of it. He also spoke about how the table next to him were turning back dishes from the tasting menu as they didn’t eat whatever was in them. Someone clearly hadn’t done their homework. Staff handled the awkward situation very well by all accounts.

It’s now on my list but equally are so are numerous new and new-ish Brighton places. My dining buddies [MENTION=12187]Uter[/MENTION] and Chids are going to have a busy year with me

 

[Guinness Boy]

I’m quite envious of you going to a talk with those two, from memory Damian Harris’ brother owns The Sportsman right?

In my wildest dreams I go for dinner with Jay Raynor.

Correct! Yes, it was highly entertaining. Organised by the Guardian and it wasn't cheap but luckily it was a present,

 

[CHAPPERS]

I know a friend who has been and he speaks fondly of it. He also spoke about how the table next to him were turning back dishes from the tasting menu as they didn’t eat whatever was in them. Someone clearly hadn’t done their homework. Staff handled the awkward situation very well by all accounts.

It’s now on my list but equally are so are numerous new and new-ish Brighton places. My dining buddies [MENTION=12187]Uter[/MENTION] and Chids are going to have a busy year with me

Suggested double bill if you are in Whitstable for two nights is Wheelers Oyster Bar. Book both about 3/4 months in advance.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Suggested double bill if you are in Whitstable for two nights is Wheelers Oyster Bar. Book both about 3/4 months in advance.

Just booked the Sportsman for early June (earliest available booking - and that’s a Tuesday...). Would love to book Wheelers too as I bloody love oysters, but my partner throws up every time she eats them. Says they remind her of... never mind.

 

[dazzer6666]

Not local but thought worth a mention and certainly worth a visit if you're up that way.......

Have been trying to get to The Kitchin in Edinburgh for a while and finally managed it this week with my daughter. We had the set 3 course menu. Food was absolutely outstanding. Canape of handmade crackers with a cream cheese and caraway seeds, starters of a fried pigs ear crisp on 15-hour braised pigs head with a langoustine and venison 3 ways, additional course of an onion veloute with lardons (served in a hollow onion), we both had monkfish for main (with squid, squid ink pasta in a saffron sauce) a pre-dessert of rice pudding with salted caramel sauce and blood oranges and then a couple of fantastic desserts. Table next to us has the cheeseboard, after seeing and smelling that I was tempted to add that as well but was truly sated at that point so decided not to....not cheap (£75 per person for the set menu plus drinks) but very memorable. Excellent service throughout.

 

[227 BHA]

Not local but thought worth a mention and certainly worth a visit if you're up that way.......

Have been trying to get to The Kitchin in Edinburgh for a while and finally managed it this week with my daughter. We had the set 3 course menu. Food was absolutely outstanding. Canape of handmade crackers with a cream cheese and caraway seeds, starters of a fried pigs ear crisp on 15-hour braised pigs head with a langoustine and venison 3 ways, additional course of an onion veloute with lardons (served in a hollow onion), we both had monkfish for main (with squid, squid ink pasta in a saffron sauce) a pre-dessert of rice pudding with salted caramel sauce and blood oranges and then a couple of fantastic desserts. Table next to us has the cheeseboard, after seeing and smelling that I was tempted to add that as well but was truly sated at that point so decided not to....not cheap (£75 per person for the set menu plus drinks) but very memorable. Excellent service throughout.

We went to The Kitchin whilst in Ediburgh last July - had the tasting menu with accompanying wine flight.
Food was sublime and every wine paired superbly.
The bill (with pre dinner drinks and cheese) was eye watering though and felt more like a mortgage payment than a food bill

 

[dazzer6666]

We went to The Kitchin whilst in Ediburgh last July - had the tasting menu with accompanying wine flight.
Food was sublime and every wine paired superbly.
The bill (with pre dinner drinks and cheese) was eye watering though and felt more like a mortgage payment than a food bill

Indeed. Drinks very expensive..........huge markup on wine.

 

[227 BHA]

Had a cracking Thai meal tonight in Thai Spice Kitchen in South Farm Road Worthing - highly recommended!
(Ps - hope you enjoyed your takeaway Bozza?)