[Food] Restaurant 2019 Thread

Machiavelli · May 9, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
Not been but it looks great on “paper”. We’ve spoken about how Brighton dining has improved; Hove is also changing for the good.

I tend to refer to both when I speak about Brighton, although now you mention it, it might just be that the better places are actually in Hove. Fourth & Church, Little Fish Market, Cin Cin (Hove branch, actually), Gingerman, Etch, the encouraging on paper Wild Flor, ...

Blue3 · May 9, 2019

Not a resturant in the old fashion sence of resturant owns or rents the building as such but one of the every increasing pop up resturants that appear in pubs serving really good quality food for a few months before moving on, one such Pub in Brighton is the Prince George in Trafalgar Street its vegetarian food is really good and well worth a try

Herr Tubthumper · May 9, 2019

Machiavelli said:
I tend to refer to both when I speak about Brighton, although now you mention it, it might just be that the better places are actually in Hove. Fourth & Church, Little Fish Market, Cin Cin (Hove branch, actually), Gingerman, Etch, the encouraging on paper Wild Flor, ...

The Urchin can be added to this list. I’ve not properly dined there myself but I’ve had some drinks and bar snacks recently and it was great....Mr Rayner approves as well.

Machiavelli · May 9, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
The Urchin can be added to this list. I’ve not properly dined there myself but I’ve had some drinks and bar snacks recently and it was great....Mr Rayner approves as well.

Good call. I haven't been there to eat either, and have been meaning to for some time.

Guinness Boy · May 9, 2019

Machiavelli said:
Wild Flor, Hove. Looks promising. Anyone been?

http://www.wildflor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/WildFlor-AlaCarte-Menu.pdf

Not yet but just googled it to find out it’s an ex Gingerman Group enterprise. Am I really that far out of touch with “traditional bistro style” joints to opine that the menu listed there looks a touch expensive?

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Guinness Boy · May 9, 2019

Meanwhile Mrs GB and I must now be regulars at Little Fish Market as she managed to get us “squeezed in” on Friday last. It was - and I don’t say this easily - bloody divine. It officially overtakes 64 Degrees in my affections. If you can’t love this menu I don’t want to know you.

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Machiavelli · May 9, 2019

Guinness Boy said:
Meanwhile Mrs GB and I must now be regulars at Little Fish Market as she managed to get us “squeezed in” on Friday last. It was - and I don’t say this easily - bloody divine. It officially overtakes 64 Degrees in my affections. If you can’t love this menu I don’t want to know you.

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I'm going, also on a Friday night, in about a month. If the menu's remotely similar when we're there, I'll be happy.

Bakero · May 9, 2019

Guinness Boy said:
Meanwhile Mrs GB and I must now be regulars at Little Fish Market as she managed to get us “squeezed in” on Friday last. It was - and I don’t say this easily - bloody divine. It officially overtakes 64 Degrees in my affections. If you can’t love this menu I don’t want to know you.

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I'm booked in for a Friday in July. Looking forward to it.

Goldstone1976 · May 9, 2019

Gymkhana W1S - 1 star

Now then. This is a serious contender for haute cuisine Indian. Definitely the “best” Indian I have had, but possibly not my favourite. Indian cuisine is essentially home-cooking based and perhaps I have been misguided in my pursuit of haute cuisine as something to try - that said, this delivers.

Each of six savoury courses of the tasting menu was excellent - perfectly cooked with very good spicing, including reasonable amounts of heat. Compared with the savoury courses, the puddings were almost laughably poor, but who goes to an Indian for the pudding?

Three types of poppadum with two chutneys, duck and rice with chutney, salmon tikka with chutney, chicken 65, kid mince with kid brain, raita and buns, venison biryani, king prawn curry, pulao rice, dahl makhani, 2 types of naan, an aloo dish... blimey there was a lot of food - doggie bag requested and gladly proffered (again a first in a Michelin starred place)

We had the prestige wine pairing which, much to our surprise, was excellently chosen and well balanced.

Our primary servers were prompt, efficient and very good natured.

If you’re in the smoke and fancy an expensive up-market Indian, this delivers.

Now to find a very good home-cooking Indian...

Bakero · May 9, 2019

Goldstone1976 said:
Gymkhana W1S - 1 star

Now then. This is a serious contender for haute cuisine Indian. Definitely the “best” Indian I have had, but possibly not my favourite. Indian cuisine is essentially home-cooking based and perhaps I have been misguided in my pursuit of haute cuisine as something to try - that said, this delivers.

Each of six savoury courses of the tasting menu was excellent - perfectly cooked with very good spicing, including reasonable amounts of heat. Compared with the savoury courses, the puddings were almost laughably poor, but who goes to an Indian for the pudding?

Three types of poppadum with two chutneys, duck and rice with chutney, salmon tikka with chutney, chicken 65, kid mince with kid brain, raita and buns, venison biryani, king prawn curry, pulao rice, dahl makhani, 2 types of naan, an aloo dish... blimey there was a lot of food - doggie bag requested and gladly proffered (again a first in a Michelin starred place)

We had the prestige wine pairing which, much to our surprise, was excellently chosen and well balanced.

Our primary servers were prompt, efficient and very good natured.

If you’re in the smoke and fancy an expensive up-market Indian, this delivers.

Now to find a very good home-cooking Indian...

Sounds good but why is Indian food any more home-cooking based than Spanish, Italian or British?

Goldstone1976 · May 9, 2019

Bakero said:
Sounds good but why is Indian food any more home-cooking based than Spanish, Italian or British?

I believe (but am prepared to be proven wrong) that there’s just much less of a restaurant culture in India than any of the countries you mention.

dazzer6666 · May 9, 2019

Goldstone1976 said:
I believe (but am prepared to be proven wrong) that there’s just much less of a restaurant culture in India than any of the countries you mention.

Historically true I think but the restaurant industry/eating out culture is growing like mad there, up to and including fine dining. Been on many trips (major cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore) and a large % of the (middle class at least) locals seem to dine out a lot. It’s cheap and the quality is outstanding in my experience.

Herr Tubthumper · May 10, 2019

Guinness Boy said:
Meanwhile Mrs GB and I must now be regulars at Little Fish Market as she managed to get us “squeezed in” on Friday last. It was - and I don’t say this easily - bloody divine. It officially overtakes 64 Degrees in my affections. If you can’t love this menu I don’t want to know you.

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Lobster!

Guinness Boy · May 10, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
Historically true I think but the restaurant industry/eating out culture is growing like mad there, up to and including fine dining. Been on many trips (major cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore) and a large % of the (middle class at least) locals seem to dine out a lot. It’s cheap and the quality is outstanding in my experience.

Absolutely this. Spent 3 months working in Chennai in 2001 and the only restaurants were either high end hotels or street food places. Went to Banglalore last year and there were restaurants and bars all over the shop. Had an excellent Vietnamese, found a craft style beer place and the team we were training took us to an Indian style tapas place that was as good in quality as Chilli Pickle. It's changing as the country becomes more wealthy. I also believe there are a lot of Indian chefs now plying their trade in other cusiines.

Goldstone1976 · May 10, 2019

Guinness Boy said:
Meanwhile Mrs GB and I must now be regulars at Little Fish Market as she managed to get us “squeezed in” on Friday last. It was - and I don’t say this easily - bloody divine. It officially overtakes 64 Degrees in my affections. If you can’t love this menu I don’t want to know you.

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That looks brilliant. Ridiculously good value too, considering the ingredient list.

Guinness Boy · May 10, 2019

Goldstone1976 said:
That looks brilliant. Ridiculously good value too, considering the ingredient list.

Absolutely brilliant value. They're all slightly small portions but you get Doug's incredible sourdough and some other little snacks, including an egg shell filled with runny yolk and smoked haddock that was one of the best little snacky things I've ever had. With wine pairing we were there for over three hours and the total bill was way under £300.

CHAPPERS · May 10, 2019

Up to 69 quid a head is it! It was 55 only a couple of years ago. Mind you, as pointed out above, the ingrediants have stepped up.

There's also a few extras chucked in usually, including an astonishing mackerel pate to kick things off.

Goldstone1976 · May 10, 2019

Pique Nique SE1 (Bermondsey/Southwark borders)

If I said this is a French bistro, I’d be underselling it so badly, so, this is a FRENCH bistro.

It’s the second restaurant of Herve Durochat, the owner of the much praised Casse Croute, located just around the corner, which I found meh.

This is located in what can best be described as a pavilion in the corner of the local park, just behind the municipal tennis courts (which were this evening being used by 20-something city girls with pony tails - not that I noticed).

My dinner companion was an Italian friend (the host of the “you touch?” location [MENTION=31]El Presidente[/MENTION] [MENTION=249]edna krabappel[/MENTION], which made for interesting conversation).

Anyway, this place could not be more French if it were Knockaert mated with de Gaulle.

Half a dozen starters - we had the cuttlefish “linguine” (which meant “cuttlefish cut into long strips. What, did you expect pasta? F*ck off, this is a FRENCH place”) and a chicken and wild mushroom vol au vent - both were in a cream and butter sauce of the type your heart surgeon would cry at. Served with a baguette between us to soak up the sauce.

Mains are 3 a la carte dishes, plus 4 specials, each for 2 people - chateaubriand, whole sea bass wellington, veal chop, poulet de Bresse. We went for the chateaubriand - 8 inches of whole fillet cooked somewhere just North of bleu, rested for ages and carved into 8 roundels (£60. £60?? That much fillet costs more than that from my butcher, FFS), served on (basically raw - did I tell you this is a FRENCH place?) - spinach, with a red wine reduction, and sublime pomme dauphinois. To which we added a side of (just perfect) French fries ( as you would too if you’d seen them). Followed by a green salad with a punchy, oily, salty dressing.

Drinks wise - lillet rose, 1/2 bottle of Condrieu, plus a bottle of red. The red was a cause celebre:

Me: anything off list?
Waiter: two - A and B
Me: Hmm. And... C??
Waiter: Hmm. I av une bouteiile of an exceptionel Morgon. You may av zis if you can tell me the grape variety (you f*cking rosboeuf)

It really was an exceptional Morgon.

If you want a FRENCH meal in the UK, I av eaten nowhere better. £200 for two, including all alcohol, tip and fine for clipping the arrogant waiter round the ear.

Just brilliant.

Stealing shamelessly from the FT: as Rick almost says to Ilsa, we’ll always have Bermondsey.

Machiavelli · May 11, 2019

Goldstone1976 said:
Pique Nique SE1 (Bermondsey/Southwark borders)

If I said this is a French bistro, I’d be underselling it so badly, so, this is a FRENCH bistro.

It’s the second restaurant of Herve Durochat, the owner of the much praised Casse Croute, located just around the corner, which I found meh.

This is located in what can best be described as a pavilion in the corner of the local park, just behind the municipal tennis courts (which were this evening being used by 20-something city girls with pony tails - not that I noticed).

My dinner companion was an Italian friend (the host of the “you touch?” location [MENTION=31]El Presidente[/MENTION] [MENTION=249]edna krabappel[/MENTION], which made for interesting conversation).

Anyway, this place could not be more French if it were Knockaert mated with de Gaulle.

Half a dozen starters - we had the cuttlefish “linguine” (which meant “cuttlefish cut into long strips. What, did you expect pasta? F*ck off, this is a FRENCH place”) and a chicken and wild mushroom vol au vent - both were in a cream and butter sauce of the type your heart surgeon would cry at. Served with a baguette between us to soak up the sauce.

Mains are 3 a la carte dishes, plus 4 specials, each for 2 people - chateaubriand, whole sea bass wellington, veal chop, poulet de Bresse. We went for the chateaubriand - 8 inches of whole fillet cooked somewhere just North of bleu, rested for ages and carved into 8 roundels (£60. £60?? That much fillet costs more than that from my butcher, FFS), served on (basically raw - did I tell you this is a FRENCH place?) - spinach, with a red wine reduction, and sublime pomme dauphinois. To which we added a side of (just perfect) French fries ( as you would too if you’d seen them). Followed by a green salad with a punchy, oily, salty dressing.

Drinks wise - lillet rose, 1/2 bottle of Condrieu, plus a bottle of red. The red was a cause celebre:

Me: anything off list?
Waiter: two - A and B
Me: Hmm. And... C??
Waiter: Hmm. I av une bouteiile of an exceptionel Morgon. You may av zis if you can tell me the grape variety (you f*cking rosboeuf)

It really was an exceptional Morgon.

If you want a FRENCH meal in the UK, I av eaten nowhere better. £200 for two, including all alcohol, tip and fine for clipping the arrogant waiter round the ear.

Just brilliant.

Stealing shamelessly from the FT: as Rick almost says to Ilsa, we’ll always have Bermondsey.

Sounds great. Producer for the Morgon?

Goldstone1976 · May 11, 2019

Machiavelli said:
Sounds great. Producer for the Morgon?

Des Jacques 2013.

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