[Food] Restaurant 2019 Thread

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Yeah it doesn’t always promote itself as an obvious place but the breakfasts and roasts are very good so we gave it a go, glad we did.

To be honest not been to Macmillan’s for about 10 years so unsure. I did hear the owner had passed away and their son(?) is opening it now, although fairly infrequently. When did you last go there?

Never been there - one of those that I always meant to go to but didn't book. Went to go there on spec a couple of years ago and it wasn't open.

 

[BensGrandad]

We went to Dragon Chinese in Sea Lane Rustington, All you can eat on Thursday, not a top Michelin star restaurant but excellent value for money with a great choice of excellent dishes. at £19.95 Mon to Thursday it takes some beating and the added bonus is that as it was wife's birthday with 5 others dining and her proof of it being her birthday, driving licence, hers was free.

 

[Bozza]

Kenny Tutt Presents Pitch

Finally managed to get to Pitch in Worthing last night (or Kenny Tutt presents Pitch as it is written on the menu). Mrs DCH booked up around six weeks ago to get a Friday night reservation and even then, it was a little later than we would prefer.

Warmly greeted on arrival with someone taking our coats. While waiting to be taken to our table, the barman had a little chat to us which was all very nice. As soon as we were seated we were offered water (tap or sparkling) and a bottle of tap water appeared on our table within a few seconds while we looked over the menus. As well as the usual a la carte they had their Christmas menu as well. The Christmas menu is a set price (£30 for two courses, £35 for three courses) and while most of the dishes are taken from the main menu there is a roast turkey ballotine and Christmas pudding on there.

I chose the Wild Boar and Spiced Apple donuts to start which were very good. Mrs DCH had the Smoked duck croquettes with umboshi plum mayonnaise - again quite rich but very nice. For main, Mrs DCH had the Turkey which she said was excellent - a posh xmas dinner with loads of duck fat roasties. I had the Spiced duck breast with duck leg pastilla, pumpkin, lavender and sour cherry. The duck was perfectly cooked and rested and the spicing was mice and subtle. I had some triple cooked garlic and rosemary chips on the side.

Neither or us were drinking alcohol so I had a pomegranate lemonade and Mrs DCH had a spiced apple drink, both of which were good.

We were planning to have a dessert as they sounded great - especially the caramelised rice pudding. However, to our surprise, the portions in this restaurant are good and with the food being so good, neither of us had room so we settled for hot drinks before heading out on a cold night - the wife had a latte and for me, the friendly barman made an off menu chai tea latte which was excellent.

Bill came in at around £70 before service charge which we thought was good value for great food. The service was excellent throughout and our waiter was friendly and attentive but not in your face. The room did get a little loud but that was Friday night diners enjoying themselves rather than having to shout over music like some places.

Will definitely be returning to this fine addition to the Worthing dining scene.

We went in the first week and enjoyed it, although there were a few teething problems. Nothing drastic, and not entirely unexpected from a new place.

I'd made a mental note to check out the menu again after a few months to see what the veggie option(s) are, and I'd forgotten, so I'm off to do that now, with a view to a second visit.

Glad you enjoyed it!

 

[AmexRuislip]

Went to the Royal Oak, Pett on Saturday.
You get VFM home cooked food, can recommend it, especially the Steak n Ale pie.

 

[Machiavelli]

Kenny Tutt Presents Pitch

Finally managed to get to Pitch in Worthing last night (or Kenny Tutt presents Pitch as it is written on the menu). Mrs DCH booked up around six weeks ago to get a Friday night reservation and even then, it was a little later than we would prefer.

Warmly greeted on arrival with someone taking our coats. While waiting to be taken to our table, the barman had a little chat to us which was all very nice. As soon as we were seated we were offered water (tap or sparkling) and a bottle of tap water appeared on our table within a few seconds while we looked over the menus. As well as the usual a la carte they had their Christmas menu as well. The Christmas menu is a set price (£30 for two courses, £35 for three courses) and while most of the dishes are taken from the main menu there is a roast turkey ballotine and Christmas pudding on there.

I chose the Wild Boar and Spiced Apple donuts to start which were very good. Mrs DCH had the Smoked duck croquettes with umboshi plum mayonnaise - again quite rich but very nice. For main, Mrs DCH had the Turkey which she said was excellent - a posh xmas dinner with loads of duck fat roasties. I had the Spiced duck breast with duck leg pastilla, pumpkin, lavender and sour cherry. The duck was perfectly cooked and rested and the spicing was mice and subtle. I had some triple cooked garlic and rosemary chips on the side.

Neither or us were drinking alcohol so I had a pomegranate lemonade and Mrs DCH had a spiced apple drink, both of which were good.

We were planning to have a dessert as they sounded great - especially the caramelised rice pudding. However, to our surprise, the portions in this restaurant are good and with the food being so good, neither of us had room so we settled for hot drinks before heading out on a cold night - the wife had a latte and for me, the friendly barman made an off menu chai tea latte which was excellent.

Bill came in at around £70 before service charge which we thought was good value for great food. The service was excellent throughout and our waiter was friendly and attentive but not in your face. The room did get a little loud but that was Friday night diners enjoying themselves rather than having to shout over music like some places.

Will definitely be returning to this fine addition to the Worthing dining scene.

Just to prove that I did read it.

 

[CheeseRolls]

The Urchin - Sunday Lunchtime

I had a couple of suggestions on here that this might be somewhere I would enjoy, so we booked a table for three for Sunday lunch and as it was a birthday treat, we didn't hold back.

Firstly a quick pint in the nearby Forager, which I believe has recently reopened. Friendly bunch and were setting up for Sunday Roast. Not cheap but a tempting selection.

The Urchin if you haven't come across it, is a seafood and craft beer specialist. Sunday lunch includes a sharing paella (not sampled), a standard menu and specials board. From the starters clam chowder was a stand out, but salt and chilli squid, Korean prawn toast and octopus with potatoes were all good. Mains were Malaysian King Prawn, whole crab and Scallops with Chorizo and Chick peas. We pushed the bill up by working our way through a selection of sour beers, which were excellent, but the meal would have stood out without these. The place was busy but not packed, the staff were attentive and the service was good (pub restaurants don't always get this right particularly on a Sunday). More than happy to visit again, thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Nitram]

Flint House. Brighton.
7 of us went last week. Nice drinks area upstairs with very good cocktails.
Food on the whole excellent and interesting mainly small plates with a few specials. We ordered black pudding, mash with bone marrow, potatoes (poor) but swopped for more mash, mains of plaice, skate, vegetable dishes.
No booking so arrive early if you want table. Good choice of wine at reasonable prices.
Think we ended up paying around £60 a head. Did include a lot of wine and cocktails!
Definitely going back again, lively young vibe and good service.

 

[MattBackHome]

Ginger Pig (again)

Duck / Beef Cheek / Limoncello trifle
Ham Hock / Cod / Coconut Pannacotta
A decent Brouilly

The duck was a shade over perfect, the beef was bang on. The trifle was enormous. The coconut lacked acidity - some lime missing?

Decent value at £120

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

We went to Dragon Chinese in Sea Lane Rustington, All you can eat on Thursday, not a top Michelin star restaurant but excellent value for money with a great choice of excellent dishes. at £19.95 Mon to Thursday it takes some beating and the added bonus is that as it was wife's birthday with 5 others dining and her proof of it being her birthday, driving licence, hers was free.

Sounds like great value for money in this day and age. Does anyone remember the eat as much as you like Sunday lunch menu at the Chequers,a Chinese restaurant, just above the A23 at Hickstead?

I loved that place, closed some years ago now alas.

 

[BensGrandad]

Sounds like great value for money in this day and age. Does anyone remember the eat as much as you like Sunday lunch menu at the Chequers,a Chinese restaurant, just above the A23 at Hickstead?

I loved that place, closed some years ago now alas.

Was that what is now The Castle or near what was Stroods? OT your local has a new barmaid as Carys has walked out.

 

[swd40]

Didn't know this place did proper food - thought it was a café bar. Might give this a go as I used to buy my beef from Garlic Wood Farms when they had their shop in Steyning. How does it compare to Macmillans which is supposed to be the best steak in town (and another I have still to visit)?

Macmillans is utter shite, avoid like the plague. Dog food on a plate.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Was that what is now The Castle or near what was Stroods? OT your local has a new barmaid as Carys has walked out.

My apologies, it was the Castle . . . why on earth did l call it the Chequers? A senior moment!

Carys has walked out? I saw her only yesterday lunchtime, she seemed her usual bubby self then. Oh well we will have to wait longer for a drink at Quiz Night tonight!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I have some time in London today. Primarily vinyl shopping but plan to take in a few places for lunch, dinner and in between.

Planning on Barrafina (Dean Street), The Oystermen (just for oysters which I love and miss), The French House (old haunt of mine from many many years ago) and Black Axe Mangel.

Plus a few beers no doubt.

 

[Machiavelli]

Went to Westerns Laundry pre-match on Thursday. Just my sort of restaurant.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I have some time in London today. Primarily vinyl shopping but plan to take in a few places for lunch, dinner and in between.

Planning on Barrafina (Dean Street), The Oystermen (just for oysters which I love and miss), The French House (old haunt of mine from many many years ago) and Black Axe Mangel.

Plus a few beers no doubt.

That was enjoyable. I really liked Barrafina, I had ham croquettes, baked black tomatoes (that’s what they were called but the were red like normal toms) wish anchovies, pig cheek and a Herr and Frau Tubthumper favourite fried baby squids; I love the salty garlicy crunch of this dish.

Whilst it was all excellently executed I struggled with the surroundings. I visit Barcelona regularly and am no stranger to this type of food, and typically I will eat this food in more rustic and homespun surroundings with the food also of a more rustic and homespun nature. Whilst the Barrafina food is clearly more precisely cooked, the quality in Barca isn’t discernibly different imho. Not where I go anyway. I recommend Barrafina, but personally I struggled to reconcile the environment and surroundings with the food.

Oh. They have a Michelin star apparently.

More to follow.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Thai Chai Yo in Worthing

Been open a few months and I believe changed hands already - located just south of Worthing crossing. Cash only , BYO Thai place. 1 girl running front of house, 1 chef about 24 covers.

Fairly simple menu handful of starters, wraps and mains of curries and noodles. Choice of Vegan, Prawn Chicken or Pork.

Food was absolutely spot on, Worthing has a lot of shit Thai places but my squid was clearly fresh and hand cut with a light batter and nice dark chilli / fish sauce over it.

For main I had Pork in Chilli Garlic & Basil, rated 2 chilli out of 5. Decent portion, nice pork fillet and super tasty. Coconut rice was just the right size portion.

Prices are a bit higher than you’d expect for the setting - £5 starter, £10 main, £3 rice generally - however this can offset the BYO policy (£1 corkage) - so ended up about £20 per head to be well fed.

By far the best Thai place in Worthing

Gave it a try this evening. Nice food, decent value, when we took our own beer along. The glasses could have been cleaner, but otherwise a big thumbs up.

 

[dazzer6666]

Sounds like great value for money in this day and age. Does anyone remember the eat as much as you like Sunday lunch menu at the Chequers,a Chinese restaurant, just above the A23 at Hickstead?

I loved that place, closed some years ago now alas.

Still going (as a Chinese) isn’t it ?? Haven’t eaten there for a while but reviews still being posted online.......

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Mr's Freakout took me to Tinto two doors down to the Theatre Royal recently before a show and the food, wine and service was bloody lovely.....


https://tintotaperia.co.uk/

 

[CHAPPERS]

Little Fish Market becomes Little Meat Market for a week in January, from Tuesday 7th for 5 nights. Just managed to get a table for the Thursday so you would probably need to get in quick. 69 quid set menu.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So, I went to The Little Fish Market on Friday night with my good friend [MENTION=12187]Uter[/MENTION] and one other. In most aspects it’s a very simple, but elegant, restaurant which means all the focus is on the food. So the food has to be spot on. And spot on it was. Precision, care, thought, wit and skill with the ingredients, cooking and presentation are all there. It’s one tasting menu only, and obvs it’s fish. My personal pics were the first course proper, which was delicately smoked fragranced trout shashimi dish which was served from the wooden box in which it had been prepared. The meal was bookended by a small mackerel eclairs covered in grated Parmesan at the start and then what looked like the same dish at the end....only this time it was a sweet version with desiccated coconut replacing the Parmesan. Clever. Something else which came to mind is that I have been to most of the other Brighton fine-dining places and a number of them feel like they’re trying a bit too hard. LFM doesn’t, but it easily trumps the others.

Earlier in the day I had a up of tea, a corned beef sandwich and a bag of Frazzles at my father’s. My world was perfect on Friday. Everything was about to change.......