[Food] Restaurant 2025

[Guinness Boy]

Anyone been to The Salt Room recently?

We went this week for an anniversary dinner and it seems to have changed, not hugely but just enough to be noticeable.

It was a good night out but not a great night. There were still lots of tables free to reserve on the night and the dining room was about half full. The menu seems a little smaller and there are lots of Asian influences that I don't remember. The wine list also felt smaller and more conservative.

My starter of torched mackerel was ok-ish but with an overbearing amount of salad and no real texture on the fish. The bream was excellent though and the seaweed salt chips as good as ever. Had the Salt Room Sweets pudding which was nicely done but no longer has the candy floss.

All in all it seems to have moved from 9-10 range to 7-8 range, not a massive downgrade but just noticeable. I guess they changed head chef and are maybe targetting hotel guests more and locals less?

Anyway, perfectly pleasant but didn't knock my socks off.

 

[Albion my Albion]

perfectly pleasant but didn't knock my socks off.

Congrats on keeping your socks on your feet.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Red Roaster at the Dome update. Menu has changed and is a bit less interesting and food took a while to come out. I'm assuming the previous chef, formerly of Semolina, has moved on. Coffee is still excellent though and it's a nice spot innit.

I don't think it was the chef from Semolina, it was Linda, his Mrs working out front. She told us he was doing lunches at the Village cafe (aka Horse and Groom, Doom & Gloom or Severed Head) on Coleman Street. Admittedly, this was over a year ago.

 

[Machiavelli]

Kouzina
The Open Market
Been there once and went back on my way home today. This time I had the £8 mezze. It's delicious and outrageous value. Can't really say too much more than that. About eight different dishes, all interesting, all very tasty.
I'll be going back.

 

[Nitram]

Kouzina
The Open Market
Been there once and went back on my way home today. This time I had the £8 mezze. It's delicious and outrageous value. Can't really say too much more than that. About eight different dishes, all interesting, all very tasty.
I'll be going back.

It’s a jem

 

[Machiavelli]

It’s a jem

Would you recommend Casazul (haven't been yet but looks worth a try)?

 

[Nitram]

Would you recommend Casazul (haven't been yet but looks worth a try)?

Yes well worth a try, not been recently but when we went - I think they have moved premises since within the market - it was very good. Very chatty owner who was very proud of his business and the quality of his food.

 

[Machiavelli]

Wabi Sabi, Hove
Went there tonight off the back of a recommendation from ex-Tokyo resident @Guinness Boy.
We can also recommend this. For what it is, it's good value. All three of us really enjoyed it. We ordered 'The Boat' which was advertised as a 40-piece mix of sushi. It transpired to being 40 pieces but was heavier on the sashimi than the sushi. Which was nice. I love sashimi but ended up pining for a little more of the sushi especially having ordered mackerel sashimi to go with the edamame starters.
All of the above is a bit of a digression. It's really really good.

 

[MattBackHome]

Kouzina
The Open Market
Been there once and went back on my way home today. This time I had the £8 mezze. It's delicious and outrageous value. Can't really say too much more than that. About eight different dishes, all interesting, all very tasty.
I'll be going back.

Yeah it's really underrated I reckon

 

[Guinness Boy]

Wabi Sabi, Hove
Went there tonight off the back of a recommendation from ex-Tokyo resident @Guinness Boy.
We can also recommend this. For what it is, it's good value. All three of us really enjoyed it. We ordered 'The Boat' which was advertised as a 40-piece mix of sushi. It transpired to being 40 pieces but was heavier on the sashimi than the sushi. Which was nice. I love sashimi but ended up pining for a little more of the sushi especially having ordered mackerel sashimi to go with the edamame starters.
All of the above is a bit of a digression. It's really really good.

Excellent. Their sushi is well prepared and sourced and utterly beautifully presented. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

We’ve been a lot but it’s definitely been a quick experience each time. Hopefully you got enough time to enjoy it.

I had a work trip to Tokyo recently. This was lunch. Obviously I sent the picture straight to @Goldstone1976

And I brought some Junmai Daigingo home from Haneda.

 

[Machiavelli]

Excellent. Their sushi is well prepared and sourced and utterly beautifully presented. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

We’ve been a lot but it’s definitely been a quick experience each time. Hopefully you got enough time to enjoy it.

I had a work trip to Tokyo recently. This was lunch. Obviously I sent the picture straight to @Goldstone1976

View attachment 201850

And I brought some Junmai Daigingo home from Haneda.

Looks delicious. And you're right to highlight the presentation and the sourcing at Wabi Sabi

 

[CHAPPERS]

Would you recommend Casazul (haven't been yet but looks worth a try)?

Is what it is. Very pleasant.

 

[MattBackHome]

Local Asian Subcontinent Special:

Roti King - Ship Street 8/10

New and welcome addition to Ship Street, though it is slightly dispiriting that so many of these new ventures are the 5-10th iteration of a chain from London (see also Permit Room, Burger & Lobster etc). Not a huge portion for your money, but if you are a fan of roti then you won't be disappointed, plus the sambal is very good.

Dosa Kingdom - Boundary Road 10/10

Now we're talking. Huge, truly authentic dosas, a massive selection of bewildering fillings - just brilliant, and brilliant value. Also doesn't taste like anything you;d get anywhere else. Boundary Road is f***ing great.


Next week trying out Spice Circuit on Portland Road.

 

[Simgull]

Next week trying out Spice Circuit on Portland Road.

Shhh! I was hoping we could keep that one quiet for a bit longer

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Went to Plaza Uno in Burgess Hill last night with friends.

Nice tapas place, when we asked about portion sizes the owner (friendly and funny bloke) said they were generous and not too small.

We had 11 dishes between four of us, all very nice and the portions were on the larger size for tapas. With three puddings, a peppermint team and four drinks the bill came in at £115 which was pretty reasonable.

Definitely one of the better eating options in BH (Yaprak and Buon Appetito being the other two worth visiting).