prosecco

I’ve been lucky to go out for lunch in Brighton twice this week, and to two of my favourite restaurants.

Lots of new restaurants and eateries are opening up in Brighton, with some really fab looking places. When I first moved to Brighton about 6 years ago there was a lot less choice. There were a few good restaurants and loads of touristy rubbish, but the foodie revolution appears to have finally made it’s way down from London and we’re starting to get spoilt for choice. Brighton even has it’s own food festival.

So last week, for Madge’s Birthday we decided on a family lunch at The Bistro at the Hotel du Vin. There are much newer and funkier places popping up, but the Hotel du Vin can always be relied on for classic French bistro favourites and the bar does (arguably) the best grown-up cocktails in town.

I ordered the chicken liver parfait, followed by the Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with mousseline potatoes. Both were lovely and very filling. The boys ordered burgers and Madge enjoyed the French onion soup and the cassoulet. All washed down with some lovely bubbly prosecco. I was too full for desert, but the cheese and the enormous profiterole enjoyed by the boys looked great.

All the food was lovely, everyone enjoyed what they had ordered and the service was good too. Always a good, solid choice for a nice lunch or family occasion.

Yesterday we went to English’s, Brighton’s oldest (and best) seafood restaurant. Tucked away in The Laines, there has been an English’s there for 150 years, so it’s quite a Brighton institution.

The small restaurant downstairs was full when we arrived, so we happily opted to eat at the small bar. The upstairs restaurant doesn’t have the same cosy feel, and we don’t mind sitting at a bar watching what’s going on. The menu looked amazing – it was a hard choice, as there were plenty of things I could have ordered. Madge doesn’t like oysters, and they always feel like something to share to me, so we agreed on the mixed starter platter, which had lobster croquettes, sole goujons, wrapped prawns, potted shrimps – and the star of the show, home smoked salmon with dill and goat cheese panacotta. Absolutely scrumptious.

I followed up with salmon en croute, and himself had a whole dressed crab. They serve prosecco on tap, so we made sure our carafe was filled regularly! I have to make a special mention for the staff, who were absolutely superb. Fully attentive, interesting and they seem to know all the regulars’ names and details. Properly special.

It’s been ages since I’ve been to English’s – it’s easy to forget about the more established restaurants with all the new kids on the block, but I definitely won’t be leaving it so long until the next time.

We were having such a good time that I forgot to take any pictures, so the images of the Hotel du Vin are taken from their website and the image of English’s is of the home page of their site.

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