OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe that I have been living in Brighton for two years and have only just discovered this restaurant. I one foul swoop it has leapfrogged its way in to my all-time top three. Yes, its a little on the expensive side, but this is certainly a case of getting what you pay for. I booked for my birthday and it was a treat in deed...
On arrival, I started with a strawberry balsamic cocktail before moving onto the wine. While browsing the internet prior to making my booking I had already decided on the five course tasting menu but having perused the full menu there were dishes that just couldn't be turned down so we all decided to order from the dinner menu. We were given an amuse bouche of duck terrine, a really nice taster and a change from the usual small soup! For starter I went for the crab raviolli in crab and corriander broth - a combination of really delicate flavours.
However, it was the main course that was the true champion of this meal. Trio of pork featuring pancetta wrapped loin on creamed potato - cooked very rare so that it was completely pink in the middle - I have never eaten pork like this before but it was so tender and delicious it was a delight. Pork cheek that just melted in the mouth, and pork belly, again superbly cooked. It was truely one of those dishes that has kept me smiling for days.
I was a true piggy (pardon the pun) having a dessert and a cheese board - well, it was my birthday! However, I was finally beaten by the complimentary petite fours that were presented on a plate with "Happy Birthday" written across it in chocolate sauce -the waitress was kind enough to wrap these up for me to take home as I just couldn't manage another mouthful by this point!
Overall, a truely exceptional fine dining experience, one I certainly hope to repeat in the not too distant future... read more