[Food] Restaurant 2018

[Goldstone1976]

Smoke & Salt, Pop Brixton

A 30-cover place operating out the same container that until last year housed the brilliant Kricket (now with permanent premises in Soho). Two young guys focusing on local ingredients, some of which they either brine, pickle or smoke.

It’s an interesting concept, well executed. A six course tasting menu is £25 (!).

They are being touted as the next big thing. I’m unconvinced on two grounds: will the concept really have the demand for 200 covers a night?; will the somewhat foo-foo plating withstand the jump in volume? We’ll see.

In the meantime, it’s worth checking out.

 

[Beach Hut]

Crabshack Worthing (finally)

At last and pretty good as well.

Starters me Cockle & Prawn Popcorn, the better half crispy squid and chillis. Advised chillis mild and good, mine was very refreshing. Mains Mrs had prawn and chorizo and I had crab, salad and fries. Both cooked superbly and prepared and seasoned very well. Nice bottle of Pinot Grigio, very crisp but could have been colder in my view.

Will definitely go again so 8 out of 10

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Buenos Aires Steakhose, (Horsham branch unfortunately, l wouldn't have minded a quick trip to A\rgentina).

As my belated birthday treat, Mrs.Cowfold, myself, and a couple of friends dined here last night. Started with the aubergine escaloppe with goats cheese, well presented, the aubergine was nice and 'meaty' and with a good serving of goats cheese on top.. For the main course we all ordered steaks, and for me the 8oz 'lomo' (fillet) steak, beautifully tender and succulent, almost melt in the mouth, accompanied by a good serving of chunky chips, and 'humita' (creamed corn). Dessert was Dulce de leche cheesecake, which was wonderfully silky and creamy.

We washed our meal down with a couple of bottles of a rather good malbec, a great offer, as on Monday evenings they only charge half price for all bottles of wine. Then it was coffees all round, and home.

The bill came to just over £200 for the four of us, which was pretty good value l think for the food and the service that we received. Not the sort of establishment that l will frequent very regularly, (I can't afford to), but l'll certainly return for a special occasion.

 

[dazzer6666]

Anyone tried Miller and Carter in Haywards Heath yet ? I know it’s a chain and should be consistent but this particular lot seem to be patchy - had very good and not so good experiences in different branches (Patcham being patchy).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Managed to squeeze in another trip to St John tonight. A nice summers evening kicked off with a half of pale ale in the bar area, obviously had the bone marrow, had a cold ox liver with pickled walnut starter as well. Main was blood cake with fried eggs followed by sharing ginger cake with butterscotch sauce and a chocolate terrine with prune and creme fraiche. This set me up for a short tour of craft areas in the area. Had a real heavy headbanger red wine with the blood cake as well

Love this place. Alles gut.

 

[Nitram]

Went to the Ivy in Brighton a couple of days ago. Quite a change to the old Post Office! Very OTT decoration, which I thought was great but some would hate. Large central cocktails/drinks area. Not been to the London one but have been to the one in Bristol which is excellent. We were there on opening night so I am going to reserve judgement on the food until a second visit, plenty of choice. Nice waiting staff. Pretty pricey but very different to anything else Brighton has to offer not terms of food but the general experience.

 

[Beach Hut]

Went to the Ivy in Brighton a couple of days ago. Quite a change to the old Post Office! Very OTT decoration, which I thought was great but some would hate. Large central cocktails/drinks area. Not been to the London one but have been to the one in Bristol which is excellent. We were there on opening night so I am going to reserve judgement on the food until a second visit, plenty of choice. Nice waiting staff. Pretty pricey but very different to anything else Brighton has to offer not terms of food but the general experience.

Got a table booked there next month so will report back, looking forward to going

 

[Half Time Pies]

Anyone recommend a good restaurant for a birthday celebration around 11 people mid priced with good vegetarian options? We were thinking food for friends but they don't have room for a group of that size. Want to be close-ish to centre of town as we are going on somewhere near Bartholomew square afterwards.

 

[Machiavelli]

Anyone recommend a good restaurant for a birthday celebration around 11 people mid priced with good vegetarian options? We were thinking food for friends but they don't have room for a group of that size. Want to be close-ish to centre of town as we are going on somewhere near Bartholomew square afterwards.

Chilli Pickle if you want a curry, and Curry Leaf Cafe would be another option -- curry is good for vegetarians.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Got a table booked there next month so will report back, looking forward to going

I keep forgetting to ask, but did you ever get to go to Hare and Hounds La Choza?

 

[Beach Hut]

I keep forgetting to ask, but did you ever get to go to Hare and Hounds La Choza?

Nope still on the to do list so probably next season

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Nope still on the to do list so probably next season

Too late - they moved out of the H&H a while back. I think it was around the same time they opened the Hove branch of La Choza.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Anyone recommend a good restaurant for a birthday celebration around 11 people mid priced with good vegetarian options? We were thinking food for friends but they don't have room for a group of that size. Want to be close-ish to centre of town as we are going on somewhere near Bartholomew square afterwards.

Depends on the food you want. Wahaca can be good for a group and they have a side room used for groups of that size which is nice.

 

[Machiavelli]

Core by Clare Smyth, Notting Hill.

Before booking we were a little worried about a few of the pro critics’ ratings done shortly after Core opened late last year - there are a few 3/5 reviews, as well as some higher ones.

Unless the standards have dramatically improved since (possible, but imo unlikely), I have no clue what those critics who gave it 3/5 were thinking!

This is a breath-takingly good restaurant.

The room itself is understated, with attention to detail.

The menus are inventive and well-balanced.

The food itself was exquisitely executed, with appropriate balance given to flavour, texture, appearance, and presentation.

Gareth, the sommelier, has put together a wine pairing flight that is, simply, the best I’ve ever had - really interesting wines that complemented the food perfectly. His table manner was spot on too.

If I had to pick fault (and I’m having to try hard to do so), I’d say the skate dish was a touch over-salted, and the pasta had 45 seconds too long in the saucepan.

I doubt that Michelin ever go from zero to 3* in one hit, so I’d predict 2* immediately, with the third following one or two years later.

Bravo chef, bravo brigade, bravo front of house team, bravo Gareth. They’ve created something truly stunning!

We went for lunch yesterday, and pretty much agree with your assessment, although I'd enthuse ever so slightly less than you would (didn't notice the skate's saltiness). My partner doesn't eat meat (from the land or sky), and she did comment that the veg (there was a potato, carrot and celeriac course in there) were all soft, in line with French cooking technique, and the dishes would have been rewarded with some (Asian-style?) crunch to balance out, or provide variety to, the textures. From that, you'll probably notice that we went for the (larger) tasting menu, along with the wine pairings.
I'd really agree on the wine, there were some really appropriate wines off the beaten track where necessary (a Greek Assyrtiko, a Pinot Noir from Vallee d'Aosta, an old-style white Rioja), and they were all great in their own right but were enhanced when shared with the food.
Of the nine(?) courses, all were of a particularly high standard. The ones that stood out were the amuses-bouches, the potato and dulse, and all three desserts; I was a little underwhelmed by the lamb carrot dish.
Service was excellent, and we had a great wine waiter from France, although there are so many in the room, which is the kind of thing Michelin likes, but I don't. It also inflates the price, and this was comfortably the most I've spent on a meal: just shy of £460 for two. I'm a glad I went? Yes. Would I go back? Probably not. Unfortunately, I'm always comparing to The Sportsman, where we ate more (13 courses), drank more, spent longer there (5+ hours), it's in a far more interesting if less accessible location, has a clearer identity, also has great service but of a different, more relaxed, less intrusive style, and is much cheaper and I'd claim great value (£270 for two; tasting menus were/are £65 a head).

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Bankers Fish & Chip Restaurant - Brighton

Been on the to do list for a while, annoying as should have gone sooner as a really fantastic old school, no nonsense quality eating place.

Starters, both had garlic prawns and mains, me cod and chips the Mrs salmon steak and salad.

Starter was immense, lovely garlic runny sauce and bread to dip in as well, quality. Mains were perfectly cooked and very tasty with a decent reasonably priced fruity red wine.

Well worth a visit, sensibly priced and tipped well for good service so 9/10.

Pay a visit you will not be disappointed.

Bankers are tops in Brighton and Hove for Fish & Chips, and the Steak House at Patcham for steaks,so the recently opened Ivy restaurant in Ship Street should drop them from their high priced menu

 

[Randsta]

Bankers are tops in Brighton and Hove for Fish & Chips, and the Steak House at Patcham for steaks,so the recently opened Ivy restaurant in Ship Street should drop them from their high priced menu

What's he bankers in Hangelton like?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[BensGrandad]

Bankers are tops in Brighton and Hove for Fish & Chips, and the Steak House at Patcham for steaks,so the recently opened Ivy restaurant in Ship Street should drop them from their high priced menu

You do not mean Miller Carter the upmarket more expensive Harvester that is owned and managed by M & B PUBS do you?

 

[Machiavelli]

You do not mean Miller Carter the upmarket more expensive Harvester that is owned and managed by M & B PUBS do you?

I always took you as a Harvester man, BG, and Aberdeen Angus Steak House. Or have I got those wrong?

 

[BensGrandad]

I have eaten in both but have decided against Harvester as they do not cook the steak as required more as they think or can fit it in to the ir schedule. I do believe Miller Carter are an upgrade on their sister company Harvester but would not rave over them. I have the same view of most chain restaurants like Beefeater. My favourite local place for a steak is The Old Barn in Burgess Hill. (Golf Club)

 

[dazzer6666]

I have eaten in both but have decided against Harvester as they do not cook the steak as required more as they think or can fit it in to the ir schedule. I do believe Miller Carter are an upgrade on their sister company Harvester but would not rave over them. I have the same view of most chain restaurants like Beefeater. My favourite local place for a steak is The Old Barn in Burgess Hill. (Golf Club)

If any steak house doesn’t cook a steak as requested, send it back. Simple. Miller and Carter can be hit and miss in y experience - have had superb steaks there (Edinburgh particularly good) but also some not so great (Patcham) but agree they are usually much better than any Harvester. Not tried HH yet.

Do you mean the Oak Barn ? It’s alright, but nothing special.