The Graphic Foodie - Brighton food blog and reviews

An Italian holiday and a brioche sandwich cake in a tutu

2013-06-18T22:39:00.000+01:00

I've just come back from a glorious two weeks in Abruzzo, Italy ~~being force fed by family.~~ For the first time, I didn't really seek out new foodie experiences, just craving well deserved rest and rejuvenation, visiting family and favourite old restaurants.

This however, was a new one. The brioche sandwich cake. At the Communion I was attending, they put these on each table in the evening as an edible centrepiece (flowers are so 2012) along with 10 meters of cakes and pastries and a whole porchetta pig. Can I remind you that we'd just had an 8 course meal. I think the tutu skirt is option for the event but more sandwiches should be adored by them I think. No? Just me then.

REVIEW: Julien Plumart Boutique Salon Du Thé, Brighton

2013-05-29T22:05:00.000+01:00

Brighton is full to the brim with cafes buzzing with tattooed hipsters, Macbook Pros and flat whites but one thing we have been lacking is a truly decadent, but modern spot for tea and a sweet something. Enter Julien Plumart's new(ish) boutique cafe and shop, with its shiny black surfaces, sexy lighting and elegant French staff.

Plumart's wonderful laid back Cocoa Patisserie still popular with the locals, but the more upmarket Salon Du Thé still offers his top notch mousse cakes and pastries, as well as savoury lunches, although the focus is on the row upon row of glittering macarons in jewelled colours and flavours from the classic to the creative.

I love the attention to detail here from the iridescent dusting on the raspberry on top of my favourite Delice mousse cake to the texture of the menu covers to the choice of glassware. There is a small seating area outside when the sun is shining or a few tables inside in beautifully decorated surroundings. The whole experience is a joy.

I've been craving a place like this and will save me from queueing for 45 minutes in the rain outside Pierre Herme in Paris for a €50 box of macarons. Yes I did that.

Prices are in-line with our Parisian friend, expect to pay £13 for a box of 8 macarons, £26 for 18 and £35 for 24. You can of course buy them individually to eat-in but really, are truly worth the cost as they are the best macarons in the city, possibly on this side of the Channel. Try the Mojito with its firm jelly centre, the Tart Tatin, a classic Rose or Pistachio or my absolute favourite, the Salted Caramel. Flavours are updated frequently as are the cakes so pop in to see what's new.

If you prefer pastries, I can recommend the HUGE Briochette or a proper Croissant. The gorgeously glossy cakes are so unique and beautifully worked like the Pistachio & Cherry Creme Brûlée Tart or the Black Forest Gateau, and are well priced around £3-4.

I only have one issue with Monsieur Plumart - this dude is bad news for my waistline.

Julian Plumart Boutique Salon du Thé

27 Duke Street
Brighton

Thanks to the gorgeous Style Memos for being a lovely lunch date and for the photos. Please check out her style blog at brightonstylememos.blogspot.co.uk

Street Diner, Brighton

2013-05-23T20:18:00.004+01:00

I finally managed to pop down to the new weekly street food market in Brighton last week, Street Diner. I tell you what, it's a joy to see a green area formerly frequented by the own-brand cider brigade positively transformed into a serious foodie destination. Everyone from suits to hipsters piled onto the grass noshing on fantastic pork belly steamed buns from Yum Yum Ninja, Troll's Pantry burgers, Bratwurst from Campervanatics, Paella from Crocus and gravity defying cakes from Honeycomb Cakes. The huge stir fries and crepe stand also looked pretty good too.

There were actually less stalls than normal on this day. The mind boggles because I'd probably still be there now deciding what to have.

So what did I go for? After darting from stall to stall, and back again, I opted for a pulled pork roll (brisket looked good too), slaw and the biggest pickle in the world from Little Blue Smokehouse. This was one hell of a feed for £6. Possibly a little on the dry side but tasty and good value.

My studio mates mainly went for the very popular Troll's Pantry burger. They didn't let me have a bite but just LOOK AT IT.

Those days of the supermarket meal deal are over. Go, go, go!

Latest information of regualr and guest stalls and menus from www.facebook.com/streetdinerbrighton or @streetdiner

NEW MENU REVIEW: Wagamama

2013-05-22T21:47:00.000+01:00

Brighton has now accumulated a fair cluster of chain restaurants but the ratio still remains happily in favour of our independents. But there is space for the chains and the balance is good, ensuring there is something for everyone, including diners who need the safety net dining experience, and sometimes convenience, a chain can offer.

And some of them I have a lot of time for myself; Carluccio's is one of my usuals, mainly for the actual produce (my go-to polenta and grissini) but I have enjoyed quite a few good meals there, I love a great big bowl of cure-all Pho every now and then and also Jamie's Italian have fed me well too with great pasta, meats and a half decent burger.

But Wagamama is the one I have been to the most, it's around the corner from my studio so great for speedy, slurpy lunch breaks, and in a city where space really is a premium, it's one of the few places you can guarantee to be seated if you are with a group with no reservation. They are particularly brilliant it you have kids (yeah, yeah, boo hiss), with friendly staff who turn a blind eye to the mess (sorry!). They also have those fantastic Phil and Ted clip-on high chairs which were so good I bought one for Baby Foodie after using one there.

I've always found their entry-level Japanese inspired food really fresh, filling, relatively healthy (check the menu before you go as some items are really calorific) and good value. So I was really happy to be invited along to try their new Spring/Summer menu which is hitting the restaurants any time now.

It seems as if they are trying out a few new things to pep-up their menu a bit. We sampled quite a few dishes but my highlights were definitely the Miso Salads, dramatically flecked with black hijiki seaweed. This comes with chicken or salmon (both good) and loads of fresh, sweet peashoots, crunchy carrot and goma wakame seaweed. The dressing was a fiery wasabi miso mayonaise dressing. I normally opt for a salad here so this is right up my street.

Also good and screaming healthy is the glass noodle salad with a pile of edamame and afzuki beans, roast squash, rocket and again, some goma wakame seaweed. The dressing was an interesting avocado and wasabi one, bound with a little mayo I think. The portion was rather massive and filling too, bigging up your 5-a-day quota for sure.

The boys on the table seemed to like the beef lettuce wraps. They had a nice kick of heat in a barbecue sauce and served with soft red peppers an onions. I thought the curly endive was an interesting wrap choice, making it a bit tricky to eat, trying to tuck the wayward ends in your mouth, but gave it a nice crunchy texture.

They are also introducing some summer rolls, which personally I can take or leave at the best of times. I don't go crazy for the rubbery texture of rice paper but enjoyed the chicken ones (beef also available). I would have preferred a bit more heat in my dipping sauce though but the miso marinated chicken was beautifully tender.

I normally wash a Wagamama meal down with one of their juices and they have added two new ones which I sampled. The strawberry, apple, orange and mint version was lovely, like a fresh grown up milkshake alternative - would be great with a shot of vodka! They also have an Alphonso Mango juice too but you have to love texture in your drink for that one.

So, despite some changes, there are some things that are staying the same. For the die-hard Katsu Curry lovers, you can rest assured that it is still firmly on the menu.

www.wagamama.com
30 kensington street, off north road
brighton
BN1 4AJ

I was invited by Wagamamas to try the new menu.

REVIEW: Plateau, Brighton

2013-05-14T14:17:00.000+01:00

Plateau has a very good reputation in Brighton and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get here, having eaten at their more casual sister restaurant, Mange Tout, a few times. Even before we get to the French-focussed food there is a lot to like about Plateau; its intinate feel, industrial yet welcoming interior and dark and moody colours. A very stylish dining spot that doesn't try too hard.

It's worth turning up a bit ealier and making use of the small bar (or worth popping in just for that). There is a very good cockatil menu and decent list of Sussex sparkling wines to whet your whistle with. I hadn't tried any wines from the Davenport Vineyard and the Limney Blanc de Blanc was perfect to peruse the menu with.

This is a restaurant primarily for sharing, hence its namesake, but for those of you that don't/won't food share (and I know those people exist!) then main meal specials are on the board. You'll miss out though as there is plenty you'll want to try. You can either order a few of the "bites" or go for one of the "Plateau". As there were a few of us we opted for a starter each from the "bites" and a couple of the sharing platters. (Apologies for the horrid camera phone pictures which do no justice to the food.)

Although I rarely choose pasta when dining out, there was something about the Braised Shallot and Parmesan Ravioli £6 that called to me. The sweet, rich onion filling was wrapped in perfect pasta. It made me think differently about what I put in my filled pasta as this was so different. The light Créme Fraiche and Walnut was just enough to coat the pasta.

By this point I was impressed. But then the Plateau de Viandes rocked up which was a carnivores dream. At £28 it dips its toe in the pricey area but you do get a lot and the quality does justify the price tag. Essentially a refined selection of grilled meat, you get a soft, sweet piece of bavette steak, a couple of sausages, the best pork belly you will ever try, a little burger with succulent pulled pork and a thick slice of their home-made Boudin Noir, essentially black pudding. The accompanying lentils, garnishes and chutneys were perfect as well as the side of truffled fries with shavings of Pecorino (my favourite cheese ever) £4.50.

We also ordered a Plateau de Poissons Fumés, £15, which would make a great shared lunch for two with a bottle of wine in itself. We didn't get through all this as there was a generous portion each of smoked tuna loin (new to me), halibut and salmon with a mackerel paté served with decent toasted bread, olives and capers.

Desserts all sounded good, and in the spirit of our dinner so far, chose the Plateau Gourmand, a selection of desserts for £15. Aside from my pet hate of pointless mini milkshakes anyway, this one was served with a single straw (for a table of four?!), the rest was divine. Warm, soft little Pumpkin and Cinnamon Beignets, a delicate set Rosewater Custard with poached rhubarb, a Lime and Coconut Cheesecake with pineapple cubes served in a glass. The ice creams were as good as the desserts themselves, the booze soaked rum and raisin and the maple syrup and bacon ones particularly.

Ugly people are clearly not hired here as the gorgeous staff are all as stylishly presented as the food and really friendly to boot.

Compared with the more miss than hit experiences I've had at Mange Tout, everything about Plateau is better. It is more expensive but with everything considered, is far better value for money and one of the better restaurants in the city.

I liked it so much I went back a few days later for lunch. 3 "bites" (smoked salmon, chorizo with lentils and goat's curd with beetroot) came to about £12 (shown at top of post). Sling in a basket of bread and a couple of glasses of good red wine made for a perfect meal.

Yup. J'Adore.

Plateau

1 Bartholowmews

Brighton BN1 1HG

On a side note, this is one of those small details that I can't believe I haven't seen before. The total bill, total was also shown divvied up for groups and cheap-ass dates. Genius.

My little black book of Brighton eating and drinking spots / interview with WOW247

2013-05-06T15:41:00.000+01:00

I've been meaning to do a "Best of Brighton" post for a while now, with my handful of favourite spots I go back to again and again. One of those many things on my to-do that I needed a kick up the butt to get done. Anyway, an interview with listings site WOW247 was indeed just that so have a read here: www.wow247.co.uk/blog

There is even a little map so, I dunno, do a crawl of the places which would be my idea of heaven, although I would strongly suggest wearing elasticated waistbands and actioning over a few days.

View Brighton dining in a larger map

My little black book for Brighton eating and drinking features:

The Chilli Pickle
Sam’s of Brighton
The Gingerman Group
Plateau
The Little Fish Market Restaurant
Riddle & Finns
Julien Plumart Salon du The
Iydea
Terre a Terre
Boho Gelato
Ridgeview Wines (Grosvenor Blanc De Blancs)

DESIGN: Fruit illustrations by Christopher Dina

2013-05-01T22:54:00.000+01:00

Sometimes designers like to blow off a little steam after a day's work by designing even more stuff. Yeah, I don't get us either. Anyway, lovely self-initiated fruit illustration project by Christopher Dina.

EVENT: Sam's of Brighton pop-up at the Spiegeltent Garden, 3rd May - 2nd June 2013

2013-05-01T22:50:00.003+01:00

A perfect combination for me is when food and interesting locations collide. One of Brighton's fantastic restaurants, Sam's of Brighton, will be operating a pop-up in the beautiful Spiegeltent's garden bar, throughout the entire Brighton Fringe Festival. You can sample Sam's classic style of food which champions local produce. At £30 for 4 courses, it's pretty good value too.

And to boost flagging energy for more dancing and festival fever he'll be serving up his South Downs Minted Lamb Burgers in the evening too. And I can tell you they are worth sampling.

Sam's at the Spiegeltent is open every night throughout the festival from the 3rd May - 2nd June.

You can book a table here.

For other events on visit The Brighton Festival and the Brighton Fringe.

Image of the Spiegeltent from The Brighton Festival - Note the pop-up will be in the tented bar area outside.

REVIEW: Bill's Produce Store, Brighton

2013-04-25T09:12:00.001+01:00

There once was a day where Bill's Produce Store was hot, with streams of queues, largely for their breakfasts, winding out from the door. Then it all got a bit unsexy with a big buy-out and Disneyfication of the brand across sites around the country, diluting what was so special about Bill's and here we are today.

If I'm honest, I've steered clear of the Brighton branch for a number of years now. But, and I kid you not, was enticed back by hearing how many highchairs they had available. Really. There will be those of you scoffing at this and those sighing and nodding in understanding. And highchairs aplenty they have. They were also still quite busy. People seem to be talking about Bill's again now.

Anyway, the menu remains varied and enticing with plenty of daily changing specials to keep your interest but the Bill's classics are still worth a look.

The legendary fish finger sandwich really deserves its status. There is a time and a place for the perfect rectangular fingers from the Captain, but these were home-made, soft flaky fish in a perfectly crunchy jacket. Lovely, crisp toasted bread, not too thick, not too thin. Not too much sauce, not too little. I liked the rocket in there. Yeah a darn good sarnie, and if you think a few of the pubs in the area do a frozen packet version with crisps for around the £6, then this Gucci version is bargainous at £8.50.

Burgers, both beef and the halloumi and hummus are always nicely presented and make a decent, filling lunch option.

But really, breakfasts are what made Bill's name and this is still one of the best ones in town. Aside from the contentious serving of the bread under everything, all the parts of the full breakfast were well cooked, no soggy mushrooms or tinned tomatoes here. The bacon and sausage are particularly good quality. I think bubble & squeak really belongs to a breakfast and love it, even if the extra £1.50 was bordering on a bit steep for what was essentially a bit of mashed potato. I couldn't see much cabbage in there if any.

Service can be awkward. Recently on one occasion we had to prompt our order being taken, then the order took ages and then we had to wait ages for the bill and yadda yadda. Breakfast orders tend to be smoother and speedier. Lunch and dinner are different timing beasts and it amazes me that some established restaurants still miss the mark on it. Lunch needs to be speedier, epecially with workers, families etc and dinner relaxed. Not rocket science is it? One other thing that has irked me over my last few visits (and many others judging by Twitter) is that some staff seem to be a bit iffy, particularly with kids (nose ring girl with your rolling eyes, I'm looking at you.) Luckily, on the whole, they are a friendly bunch.

The food produce for sale has become a sort of wallpaper. No prices and little information means few people will purchase it but nice to see thay still have those lovely Spanish oil cakes I love. The fresh produce has gone too.

One thing I do like about Bill's is the interior in a former bus depot. The chilly breeze coming from the front door has been sorted with a big, thick curtain and the open, industial space is very unique in the area.

And although it has lost it's initial sparkle and if some of the staff buck their ideas up, there's still a place for our old mate Bill's, certainly in Brighton anyway.

Bill's
The Depot, 100 North Rd, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1YE

DESIGN: Cake posters by Purpose

2013-04-23T22:26:00.000+01:00

Love this set of cake posters that were created by design agency Purpose for an internal 'bake-off' competition. Although they have been stripped back to simple graphic forms, they are still pretty recognisable as Battenberg, Tiramisu, Millionaire’s Shortbread, Cherry Bakewell and New York Cheesecake. Here are my faves...

Street Food in Brighton

2013-04-11T21:58:00.003+01:00

Ok, ok, so we are a little slow to the party here in Brighton. Well, maybe not slow but fashionably late let's say. The street food frenzy that has been gripping the capital has begun to filter down to us.

Realistically, we only have two places you can call "street food". Leader of the pack was The Troll's Pantry serving burgers using Sussex produce and handmade buns which operated from a trailer in a wood recycling centre. Naturally. From the Hellfire to the Troll's Stinky Breath burger, these are top-notch and had Brightonians tongues wagging (and burning). Worth reading is owner Paul's Street Food Revolution. You can now find the Troll at the Hobgoblin Pub where he'll be serving Brit-Mex food from Wednesday-Thursday and Burgers Friday-Sunday.

Taking over The Troll's Panty's former home is the cheekily named Charlie's Buns. Essentially, steamed buns with slow cooked free range belly pork, hoi sin sauce, cucumber and spring onions. Vegetarian options and sweet treats are on offer too. I'll be checking that out.

So, not much out there so far, but we're going to have a WHOLE street food market, every Friday lunchtime from 11am - 3pm from 26th April. Although you won't have the adrenaline rush of chasing down the best burritos in the world from some adapted horsebox called Nigel parked in a random back street, it's location only divulged in a Tweet, you will get to sample food from emerging street food traders from Sussex. They bring with them both global and home-grown cuisine, using local produce wherever possible. Eats include gourmet Sussex burgers, Spanish paella, Thai curry, American BBQ and hotdogs, Middle Eastern meze, artisan cakes and French crepes.

If sitting in a comfortable chair is more your style, then you could opt for street food served in a restaurant setting. Try The Chilli Pickle at lunchtime for their thalis, dosa or roti or the increasingly popular La Choza for Tacos, burritos or quesadillas.

Brighton Street Food Directory

Street Diner: Twitter@streetdiner or on facebook.com/streetdinerbrighton Brighthelm Garden, just off of Queens Road

The Trolls Pantry: @thetrollspantry thetrollspantry.wordpress.com Hobgoblin Pub, 31 York Place, Brighton

Charlies Buns: facebook.com/CharliesBuns The Woodstore, Circus Street, Brighton (Check details for opening times)

www.thechillipickle.com 17 Jubilee St, Brighton

www.lachoza.co.uk 36 Gloucester Road, Brighton

REVIEW: Casa Don Carlos, Brighton

2013-04-03T23:18:00.000+01:00

Never have Me and Mr Graphic Foodie disagreed so much on a restaurant. He really has a soft spot for this place, as do the steady stream of return customers to this busy, bustling restaurant. People LOVE it here and being one of Brighton's most successful restaurants, I have a lot of respect for that. I'm not (that) snobby about food. If people enjoy something, even that phony pizza/pasta slop that is passed off as Italian food in a few of the places around the city, then super. Food is there for pleasure, whatever that may mean to you.

I've eaten at Casa Don Carlos quite a few times now. I've enjoyed the warm welcome from the staff, the buzz, the cheek to jowl seating. It feels like you are on holiday here. The variety of diners is telling too. Big groups, teens nipping in for a stomach-lining bite on their way to the clubs, couples—young and old—after a lingering meal, every man and their dog. Well, maybe not the dog. Mr Graphic Foodie used to come here on dates when he was a spotty teen with a swagger. Maybe that's why he has a soft spot for it. I don't know. I'd rather not think about it further!

All I can comment on is the food. From all my visits it has been consistent. Consistently mediocre. I mean, by nature tapas is delicious. Little tastes here and there. The medium is great. But to feed the troop of people that come through the doors of this place efficiently, a lot of the food needs to be prepared in advance. And quite a lot feels like its reheated to order.

The briny pitted olives straight of of the jar and atrocious French stick garlic bread were the lowest points. Bad bread, particularly when it's off-culture is a sin. The paella was quite stodgy with little of the tasty morsels you'd hope for. Patatas Bravas and the tortilla were passable but unremarkable. The sizzling prawns in garlic oil were fine but seemed to be the chewy frozen variety and the calimari were tyre-like. However, the fried, battered aubergine slices covered in sticky honey were an unexpected win and the chorizo flambéed in rum at the table is always an unashamed crowd pleaser. Padron peppers are crack-addiction gorgeous everywhere and anywhere.

I think ordering from the specials may be the way to go as you can safely bet that these will be made to order rather than the bulk potato tortilla, paella, patatas bravas et al that they must stockpile for the night. Had we not been with a large group with a pre-ordered set meal then I would have gone for the oxtail casserole, egg, garlic shoots (LOVE garlic shoots) and prawn tortilla, fish in tomatoes and peppers and the rabbit in garlic oil and chilli.

Tapas should really be savoured, dish, by dish, washed down with a nice chilled Manzanilla or a bit of Cava. This however, is scatter gun tapas. Dish after dish in quick succession. And the food is more quantity than quality, to be shoved it in over animated conversation and washed down with the house red. But remembering I was with a group, I had a great night and at around £25-30 a head with plenty of wine, it's as cheap and cheerful as the tablecloths.

If you do want to try it, you'll need to book most evenings as it does get packed to the rafters. Are there better restaurants in Brighton? Absolutely. But the warm glow and lively atmosphere will no doubt entice me here yet again at some point as it will do for many others for many more years to come. Brindisa, Jose and Morito it sure as hell ain't but as a casual restaurant to meet all of your mates before a night on the tiles it hits the spot.

Casa Don Carlos

5 Union Street

The Lanes

Brighton, BN1 1HA
01273 327177.

Happy Easter

2013-03-30T16:02:00.000Z

Happy Easter to everyone! And 10 points, actually make that 100 points, for anyone who can tell me why there is a horse biscuit cake here.

REVIEW: The Little Fish Market Restaurant, Hove

2013-03-26T13:08:00.001Z

Well this doesn't happen often. I think I have found a new favourite restaurant in Brighton (certainly top three anyway). I almost don't want to tell you about it!

Open for a mere few weeks, I had been hearing great things about the Little Fish Market Restaurant, tucked in the residential streets near the Old market venue. Formerly a Fishmongers, Duncan Ray has taken it over as his new restaurant (keeping the name and the branding which may have confused people a little - it's nothing to do with the former business).

And it's good. It's REALLY good. Beautiful, fresh food, refreshingly served up simply, yet elegantly, minus any cheffy nonsense of scattering your food around the plate so one piece of potato is a 5 minute drive from the other. Ray, despite his impressive CV, wants to feed you not his ego here and God love him for that.

The interior suits the food and the location. Well considered and designed, smart yet relaxed and understated in modern beachy tones. Perfectly matched to the food.

Fish is obviously the dish of the day here and Brighton sure as hell needs more decent fish restaurants. You'll find a meat option or two but vegans and "proper" vegetarians will struggle here.

My Smoked Trout Salad was a perfect starter, light and interesting. I loved the pretty discs of beetroot, the contrast of the freshness of the salad and the smoke of the fish with spikes of horseradish. Nice slithers of trout too which were pleasant to eat as I'm not one for great hunks of raw textured fish. The paper thin shards of crisp potato were something new to me and made the dish so interesting texturally.

Mr GF's fish soup with little brown shrimps and chunky cubes of soft hake was lovely too and gobbled up with the homemade bread and hand churned butter.

Starter sizes were spot on as we were really revved up for the main courses.

I chose the Seabass with Fennel and Pink Grapefruit with a Crab Ravioli. The way the ingredients of this dish were treated realy allowed the gorgeous buttery seabass to deservedly shine. The fennel and grapefruit made it a light (and actually quite feminine) dish. The pasta of the ravioli was thin and toothsome, and held a decent portion of soft crab. I'm smilimg as I write this as it's one of those dishes that sticks in your mind, not for gimmicks or showmanship, just for beautiful, memorable tastes, executed absolutely perfectly.

Mr. GF was clearly on a hake bender with his Hake, Pea Puree, Bacon and Mint dish. Peas, bacon and fish are a winning combination and they got first place here. As with mine, the textures were great. This is the style of food presentation I really like. The duck fat chips were crisp and moorish. Essentially this was a Rolls Royce version of the classic Fish and Chips, again, elegantly presented.

I enjoyed my frozen hazelnut meringue dessert. After my light and fresh meal a heavy or overly chocolaty pudding would have been a bad choice so this was just the ticket. Delicate and satisfied my need of a sweet treat to finish. Again, textures kept things interesting; some element of crunch and crumb to contrast the smooth frozen ones. The passion fruit sorbet was excellent and all of the desserts seem to come with a serving of home-made ice cream in different flavours like gingercake or banana.

The miniscule spoonful of tarte tatin I mananged to wrestle from my husband (the bit of our marriage about sharing our possessions went out the window here) was a darn, darn good example. I thought the raw shreds of fresh apple were a nice touch and texture combination with the caramelised gooiness of the tarte tatin.

When we visited, they were still in the process of getting their booze licence so it was BYO, but this is now in place and they have a good wine selection to choose from. Worth noting is that it is still cash only payment.

Prices were good for what's on offer here. Some fish can be expensive but starters and desserts were around the £6 mark and mains £12-18. When you concider a rack of ribs in one of the generic chain restarant is hitting the £16 mark these days, i say the prices here are more than fair. If they keep the new wine list sensible then this place is incredibly good value for money.

Although not on the main streets on Brighton, I like the fact it is a bit of a hidden gem, and if a restaurant is good, people will come, so I'm sure the 20 odd covers will be filled no problem. With such great cooking, passionate people and wonderful produce, I just know that The Little Fish Market Restaurant is going to be big.

The Little Fish Market
10 Upper Market Street,
Hove, BN3 1AS

DESIGN: Anatomy of a cupcake

2013-03-22T21:53:00.000Z

Infographics are everywhere at the moment but love this one of a cupcake anatomy from www.smallbatchcreative.com

DESIGN: Gourmet papercut garden salad‏

2013-03-21T10:29:00.000Z

There is something I really love about food illustrated as papercuts. The tactile nature, colour and intricacies of food can be better represented than flat designs. These ones from Sarah Dennis are particularly gorgeous. And interestingly, her brother is the sous chef at Sussex restaurant Jeremy’s.

“I was thrilled to take on this job and worked hard to create a conceptual plate of gastronomic art inspired by the delicate garden salad. I sketched out the idea for my dish, then individually cut each element by hand from paper before arranging each piece onto a clean white paper cut plate. I particularly enjoyed curling the paper into a courgette and cutting micro cress to create texture. I loved working on this piece which has inspired me to create a whole range of food inspired artwork. I'd love to see a restaurant capture the magic of their creations in this creative way.”

www.sarah-dennis.co.uk
Check out her shop here.

REVIEW: Mange Tout, Brighton

2013-03-17T20:55:00.001Z

You may remember I posted a lunch review of Mange Tout a while back. Well since then they have gone on to open Plateau, which has been very well received. Mange Tout has also firmed up as a dinner destination as well, and, not having returned risking the European-paced service during my lunch hour again, I was more than happy to try MT again where time was not so much of an issue, as dinner I am happy to linger over.

There is something about MT that I really like, as per my first visit the interior is very appealing, striking the balance between cool and sophisticated perfectly. A very modern French bistro it is.

The chalked up plats du jour are select, yet varied enough to satisfy most tastes. Pumpkin & Saffron Velouté, Crab Cakes, Terrine en Croute or Snails to start. Steaks and Mussels for mains (bien sûr) plus other options like Hake, Guinea Foul or Crispy Gnocci (vegetarians, that token one's for you) were on offer. It all read deliciously, the meats were local and seafood Cornish.

The amuse for the night was a welcome little mushroom and truffle soup.

With the winter nip in the air, the Choucroute Alsacienne (French version of sauerkraut) with sausage and boiled potatoes seemed appealing and something a bit different, but I did crave steak. And as per my last visit, I think I chose badly again.

Now I've come round to having steak pink, even bloody, but I do not and will not ever like gnawing raw meat like a savage beast. Why would I do to a restaurant and pay for something I could eat straight out of the wrapper from the butchers? That's not cooking, it's a serving suggestion with a marked up price. Now this time, my medium steak was meduim on one half and rare on the other (quite some skill!). Had the meat been extreamly tender then it would have been palettable for me, but the rib-eye in question really took some chewing and I didn't even attempt the thick white ribbon of fat in the middle. The fries, well chips really, were heavily salted, but I like that, but most importantly crisp. The Bearnaise sauce was a decent example although a little cheeky charging an extra £1 for when the steak was £17 I thought. If I'm honest, I would have preferred to spend my money on the fillet steak at Cote down the road for the same price.

Round the table, the gnocci were gorgeously crisp althought the dish lacked a little dimension but the Ginea Foul got a thumbs up and the generous portion of Mussels smelt lovely.

Desserts were nicely presented. My Winterberry and Almond Torte was rich but not overly sweet or sickly and perfectly matched with the licorice ice cream for a grown up dessert. The shortbreads that seemed to be on most people's desserts were a little bland.

Service was perfectly paced for dinner, very French and rather charming too.

I think going on reviews I have read, Plateau may be a better option for dining. However, I wouldn't rule out a return to Mange Tout though but will lay off the steak option next time. Nice, intimate restaurants are few and far between in Brighton so I would say give it a go if you are in the area.

Mange Tout
81 Trafalgar St
North Laine
Brighton BN1 4EB

EVENT & COMPETITION(now closed): Brighton Foodies Festival, Hove Lawns, 4-6 May 2013

2013-03-09T15:00:00.000Z

This competition has now closed. Congrats M Stafford!

You can still use the 2-4-1 discount code though - see bottom of post.

Brighton kicks of the first of eight Foodies Festivals this year on Hove Lawns. There have been a few events there now and is pretty decent way to spend the day sipping bubbles by the sea.

I suppose what I quite like about these sorts of food festivals is that they are targeted at everyone, not just die-hard food geeks. And it's a good way of showing off talented local food businesses, chefs or restaurants to people that may not have come across them before.

Anyway, at the Brighton event there is quite a lot on. It's a decent sized site which will have;

Bake and Cake Theatre (G&T Steampunk hands-on baking demos - I have no idea what this is but I like it)
Chocolate Theatre (demos from Divine Chocolate and Sciolti Chocolates)
Homeware Village
Pop up restaurant from Fishy Fishy & Jamie's Italain
Local and national award-winning Producers' Market
Street Food Avenue

I've already had a cuddle with one of the Two Greedy Italians and hope to get a squeeze of the other one, Gennaro Contaldo (love him!) at some point, although I'll probably be picturing him with that octopus down his Speedos which is etched on my mind from the TV series *shudder*. As well as Gennaro, a few local chefs (including Stephen Crane of Ockenden Manor, Jake Northcote Green from Yum Yum Ninja and Matt Gillan from The Pass) will be doing a spot of live cooking too.

Booze seems to feature heavily with a Wine Village (lots of villages featuring here. It's Brighton. Wot you sayin'?), hay bale bar area with British cider and ale and a double-decker bar bus. Ding ding.

There will be plenty for the kids too with a Children's Cookery Theatre, where they will be creating panda cupcakes and bee muffins (obviously not with real pandas and bees, that will really rile the Brighton veggie massive).

Me? Well, I'll be heading over to the City Beach for ice-cream and sand castle building with the bambino. Happy days.

Competition (now closed)
I'm giving away a pair of passes for the full 3 days worth £36. All you have to do is subscribe to this blog (if you don't already) AND do ONE of the following;

leave your name and email address in the comments below
email me at thegraphicfoodie(at)hotmail.com with "Foodies Comp" in the title
tweet me @graphic_foodie

T&Cs at the end of this post.

And the winner is Malcolm Stafford. Well done!

Voucher code

If you are not successful, you can still get 2-4-1 tickets using the code "FOODIES 241". The code is valid until the day before the festival and can be redeemed when booking tickets through www.foodiesfestival.com

2013 Foodies Festivals full details and tickets are now available from www.foodiesfestival.com

Details:

Competition closes at GMT midday Friday 19th April 2013.
A winner will be selected from all valid entries using a random number generator.
The winner will be contacted, and prize sent direct from Foodies Festival.
The prize is two x 3-day passes for the Brighton Foodies Festival running 4-6 May 2013.
No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.
The judges’ decision will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Your email details will not be used for any purpose other than to contact the winner and will be disposed over after competition close.

REVIEW: The Bull, Ditchling

2013-03-05T21:57:00.000Z

The Bull in Ditchling is lovely. One of those pubs that smells of old wood but has moved with the times to satisfy modern rural pub goers. It's a good example of a historic pub that has had a sympathetic facelift, with modern touches compementing the old. Somewhere that would appeal to all ages. Comfortable with a hint of luxury about it, y'know? It's a tricky one to get right, and so many get it wrong, but the Bull storms it*.

And everyone agrees because when we arrived at midday on Sunday for a roast, it was already rather busy. Seeing as you can't book for Sunday lunch, it's really worth getting there on the early side to secure a good spot. Staff don't seem to be hell bent on turning tables (thankfully) so you may have to endure a bit of a wait. There is talk of extending the pub into an adjoining building which would help but for now I'm sure you could find something to do in the bar area!

Anyway, I'm not one for starters before roasts so we launched straight into the main event. My chicken supreme was soft, soft, soooooooft. So good I stupidly let Baby Foodie try it and he pestered me until I gave him over half of it. Critter. The 5 baby carrots, all stood up, were sweet touch, although some would argue contrived, but I think the concept here is to offer something a little different or an element of surprise as the powers that be here are clearly keen on details. Cabbage was nicely acidically spiked and the firm slice of stuffing aromatic. The only thing I would say, which was a shame, was the plate was cold so the gravy, having been made properly with the fats, congealed unappealingly on the side but thankfully didn't ruin the dish.

Around the table, as per mine, the beef (two nice thick slices) and the pork belly went down a treat. The belly could have been cooked a touch longer as that would have help render the fat down further and made the meat more tender but it was a thick ol' slab of it.

Those wanting that borderline grotesque pile up of a pub Sunday lunch may be disappointed but I think portions and vegetable variety were spot on (and as you know I'm greedy), and what you got was good quality which I'd take over the former any day. Best bit is that it left room for desserts and room they should be given.

Personally, I only got as far as the first option on the menu as it was written for me. Pistachio and Olive Oil cake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. They must have known I was coming. The vivid green line of crunchy pistachio crumbs, soft, crubly cake and sticky caramel sauce were a fantastic combination of textures and really beautiful flavours. Seriously, I could have given a Sunday sermon on it. I really don't like overly sweet desserts, certainly not after a roast, and this was one gorgeous grown up treat.

And how pretty is the Rubabrb and Apple Pie (top picture)? Tasted lovely too, great hit of just-right sharpness from the rubabrb toned town with the Calvados Creme Anglaise.

I'd think that the cheeseboard would be worth a try, although only featuring only one local on there (Sussex Charmer). But seeing as I've now tried most of our (fantastic) local cheeses, the Burwash Rose (washed in rose water), Afterburn Cheddar (exactly what you are thinking) and the Flower Rose Sheep's cheese (love, love sheep's milk cheese) would be a nice taste journey around the UK. Maybe next time.

Roasts were priced around the £12-13 mark which is pretty good value for the quality and in comparison to others in the area.

Staff were great. Friendly, professional, smart. None of that teenage weekend staff malarky. Baby Foodie was welcomed and they have those nice Stokke HandySitt booster chairs so he could sit right up to the table. There's a children's menu available with decent, proper food options for them too.

As Sunday roasts tend to be more of a laid back affair for proper "gastro-pubs" this has left me really wanting to try out more off the standard weekday menu at the Bull. If you want to get out of Brighton but don't want to travel far, the Bull is a stellar option.

The Bull Ditchling
2 High St Ditchling, West Sussex BN6 8TA
01273 843147
*Apart from the scary frosted glass loo cubicles becasue i was wearing a particularly high-contrast outfit and noone like peeing with an unesy feeling, hear me?

RECIPE: Loaded polenta

2013-02-26T22:14:00.001Z

Polenta seems to puzzle a lot of people. I serve it a lot and a few friends have mentioned that they have never heard of it or known what to do with it. Essentially it's a vehicle for a dish, no different to rice or pasta, and the more you put in, the more you get out. Served "wet", it's particularly good with slow cooked meat sauces like my mum's one here or something like an oxtail and wine stew. You can slice and grill it too, which is better if you are serving it as a side to a dish. And I just love it in cakes. A store cupboard hero for sure.

This is a speedy mid-week way of serving polenta, when hours cooking down a thick sauce is not possible. I like to call it fully loaded polenta and you can adapt it to suit what you have in the fridge - a fantastic end of week clear out recipe!

I really like "proper" polenta. The one you stir and stir until you arm drops off. The texture and toasted taste is better. But if time is tight then an instant polenta is fine, I like Valsugana (from Waitrose) or Carluccios brand. (The ready made block of polenta is never, ever, NEVER fine though.)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
200g instant polenta
Half a 400g can of canellini beans (or borlotti, pinto, haricot, black eye), drained
Half an onion, finely sliced
100g mushrooms (any kind), sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

A good length of chorizo (about 70g) or 2 cooked spicy sausages, sliced

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

Parmesan or pecorino cheese (even cubes of mozzarella)

Pesto

Method
Preheat the grill to hot.

Make the polenta as per the packet instructions. Generally it should be to add 200g it to 900ml of boiling salted water, stirring continuously for 7 minutes. Roughly before the last minute of cooking, add the drained beans and stir through.

Pour into an oven proof dish greased with a little olive oil and even out. You want it a few centimeters thick.

Fry the sliced onion, green pepper and mushrooms in olive oil until they are soft and beginning to brown, season with salt. Pour over the polenta, oil and all. Arrange the chopped tomatoes and sliced chorizo or sausage over the polenta as well. Finally, shave over plenty of parmesan.

Place under a hot grill until the tomatoes have softened and the chorizo is sizzling.

Remove from the grill and dot over a few spoonfuls of pesto.

REVIEW: Yum Yum Ninja, Brighton

2013-02-20T12:57:00.001Z

I was positively thrilled to hear about the opening of the new Pan Asian venture by the people behind two very fine Brighton restaurants, Riddle & Finns and Due South (the latter now sadly closed). Known for the high quality of their food, I expected nothing less of their latest venture and luckily it did not disappoint me. Which is great, as had I not been meeting a group of friends, I would have turned right back round again when I was met at the entrance by this enormous Teneriefe-inspired lightbox menu. Worst still, as I still had my jaw dropped, some "oi oi" type came forward with a swagger and clip board. Worringly, I thought he was going to offer me a free vodka jelly shot. Now I get why they feel the need to capture punters like this. The restaurant is in The Lanes, which are a warren to the visitor (and even locals) at the best of times, and the entrance, being set back, is very easy to miss. The restaurants previously on site have been more miss than hit and the location may somewhat be responsible, but seriously, there has got to be a better solution that this.

Led up a narrow staircase from the outside to the first floor cocktail bar, things didn't look much better. Although the lantern dripped courtyard was charming, the bar fit-out was a bit of an MDF effort, channelling Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen circa 1990s Changing Rooms, not helped by the colour copier cocktail menus and tacky laminated address cards. As the place is "themed" it is a tricky beast to get right, and it almost was, but the finish of the place just missed the mark. Cocktails themselves seemed quite enticing, especially the fusion collection. Shame we didn't get to try any as we couldn't get served in time before dinner.

The main restaurant downstairs is far better with a part open kitchen and the three private dining rooms are quite well furnished and cosy, although not that private with rice paper divides.

Anyway, the food menu (this one properly printed) is rather exciting. This is small-plate style which is great for tasting but potentially painful on the wallet. As a large group of seven though, it can work out quite well padded out with rice. Individually, most dishes are actually well priced at £3-£10 although some items like the Lobster or Black Cod are far pricier at £29 each.

Almost everything we ordered was well presented and excellent, even promoting a second order on a few items. Dishes which shone were the Bo Ssam House Special Beef with Kimichi Puree & Lettuce, which fell apart in tender pieces of tasty gorgeousness. You really needed the lettuce "wrapping" to hold the meat together long enough to pop in your mouth. And being a pickle fan, I really liked the sharp tang the kimichi gave.

The Roast Duck Leg with Pancakes and Plum Sauce is always a crowd pleaser and the Tori Kara-age Japanese-style Fried Chicken, was finger lickin' good indeed. From the sea were soft, succulent Szechuan Tiger Prawns, and proababy one of the few times I have not been disappointed with squid - this was the best I have ever eaten. The vegetable dishes didn't play second fiddle, particularly the rich parcel of Sake and Soy baked mushrooms.

We were also enticed by the Dim Sum menu and tried the Pork, Chive and Water chestnut buns, the Prawn & Minced Pork Sui Mai and some Vegetarian Gyoza. I'm not much of a Dim Sum lover, these were enjoyable, light and well made and although they didn't knock my socks off personally, I'm sure if you were a fan you wouldn't be disappointed.

The selection of desserts we tried were nothing to write home about although there is something entertaining about watching people try to eat too-big-for-one-go wontons with hot molten chocolate inside.

Large groups of 8-12 can also choose to order Slow Roast Pork or Beef at £100/£130 with a selection of sides which is pretty good value and if the meat dishes we tried are a taster of this, then this would be a real hit.

Wine prices were actually a little on the cheeky side, with very few reasonably priced reds (one of which was unavailable on the night). Better selection and price variety on the whites but still quite an enthuiastic mark up. You'd be better off sticking to Sake and beer.

On the whole though, I think Yum Yum Ninja is a must visit in the city. I could easily return a number of times to polish off the whole menu. We didn't touch the Chargrilled Bincho Sticks or Soups that I want to try and apparently the Baked Puff Dim Sum are really something. This place verges just about on the right side of cool and despite the out of the way location and questionable interior, I think it's a place that will do well if the food variety and quality bar they have set stays firmly put.

www.yumyumninja.com
15-18 Meeting House Lane, Brighton, BN1 1HB

LUNCH REVIEW: Iydea, Brighton

2013-02-12T13:25:00.002Z

Well here I am back at work after a year "off" (laughs manically) and one of the best things about being at work is the potential for a blissfully uninterrupted lunch. As there are so many lunching options in Brighton and plenty of choice for take away, I'll be posting an "al desko" series of reviews for those who lunch on the go in the city.

I'm kicking off the series with one of my favourites, Iydea (Lydia, Idea, Lydea, Ikea - stupid name though, I always fail to get it right). Anyway, name irritation aside, this is an extremely popular lunchtime spot in Brighton, winning plenty of local and national awards. Everything is vegetarian or vegan and the food is fresh, really tasty and above all, hearty. Even the regular sized meals (you can opt for a large option) is enough to make me want to crawl under my desk for a post lunch snooze. In a good way.

The concept here is simple. Choose a main meal from a daily changing selection (ie. Tofu Spanakopita, Sweet Potato, Spinach & Tofu Massaman, Vegetarian Lasagna, Enchiladas, Burgers, Flans...) add 2 vegetable sides (Carrot in Lemon & Chive, Pesto Mash Green Beans with Almond & Dill...) or salads (Middle eastern jumbo cous cous, Beet, Chilli & Ginger Slaw...) and finally, two toppings (Tzaiki, Hummous, Chutneys, Mixed Sprouts...).

People must return here again and again as there is always plenty of choice from the heaving display and beats the same old, same old from the local sandwich shop.

I suppose the only issue with so many sides is that everything is very flavoursome, seasoned and spiced that if you are a bit of a food magpie you could get one heck of a confused plate of food, mainly evident in the deep takeaway boxes as you have to dig away with your fork for the main component.

I normally choose something contained like an enchilada, pie or this time a Spinach & Sweetcorn Jambalaya filled Roti so I can "barrier" the main bit from all the sides. The roti had a great hit of fire and spice, and wasn't too heavy with the sweetcorn and spinach. The Coronation Chickpea Salad and Courgette Jumbo Pearl Cous Cous made delicious and interestingly textured sides. My favourite part was the homemade Beetroot Chutney though, sweet and perfectly sharp for a pickle head like me.

Despite it always busy at lunch, the army of staff manning the counter ensure you are seen to fast. You have got the option of eating in but I always choose to take out and eat al desko. Meals range from £4.70 to £7.70, although I've yet to spend more than £5 for a lunch so far, and for what you get, is fantastic value.

Everything feels very fresh and healthy and with so many places to choose from to lunch locally, its success is clearly deserved. It's a hard one to beat.

www.iydea.co.uk
17 Kensington Gardens
North Laine
Brighton BN1 4AL

DESIGN: Lotta Nieminen

2013-02-08T22:10:00.003Z

Wonderful brand identity illustrations for Menigo, a Swedish wholesale food supplier, from the incredibly talented Lotta Nieminen.

Image from www.lottanieminen.com.

REVIEW: Ole! Ole! Tapas Bar and Restaurant, Brighton

2013-01-28T14:38:00.000Z

I have been hearing really good things about Ole! Ole! and being housed at the Chilli Pickle's former home, I was hoping some good food vibes from the former owners was residual in the walls of the place.

The welcome looked warm from the outside and I love the slightly hidden gem quality of the location. Inside, helped by a jug or two of Sangria, you could get yourself into a serious holiday mood. Ole! Ole! is decked out in typical Spanish restaurant style, including the scarfed uniformed waitresses. Luckily it just keeps on the good side of tacky. Just.

I think the fact that all tables were of four people or more diners speaks volumes about this place and this isn't somewhere I would dine as a couple. I think people genuinely have a really good time at this restaurant, fuelled by the energetic live flamenco sessions, which get practically everyone up dancing by the end of the evening. And there's nothing wrong with that. I had a GREAT time. There should be more dancing in restaurants I say, but the fact that a good time is had can muddy the perception of how good the food itself actually is.

Sadly, although my mind had drifted off to holidays past, my tastebuds hadn't been transported anywhere. There was nothing particularly wrong with any of the dishes, but there wasn't anything remarkable either. Tortilla, slightly soggy calimari, perfectly munchable ham croquettes, spicy patatas bravas... yep ok, the chorizo in cider was tasty (if slightly burnt on one side) but who can't pan fry chorizo in cider? All of the tapas is your usual tourist fodder, nothing inventive or creative. The seafood paella was nice. Tasty, generous mix of seafood. Yeah, nice, ok but at £14 odd a portion, it needed to be.

I wanted padron peppers, marinated Manchego, octopus, scallops, sardines, and some nice twists on them too. I wanted sherry! Can you believe there was no sherry? The horror.

Desserts were the usual too, I had the Crema Catalana. It was...nice.

Service was well paced and friendly.

I guess the problem I have with Italian restaurants in the city is the same problem I had with Ole! Ole!, it's just a manilla representation of the cuisine, not really an exploration of regional dishes, nothing groundbreaking, nothing educational. But I think that's what the general public want, with the minimum of fuss, just a reminder of Spanish coast package holidaying.

I don't mean for this to be a bad review as there wasn't cause for complaint. By all means go, have fun, marvel at the slinky hips of the flamenco dancers, get up and dance yourself. You'll like it. You'll tell your friends about it. Just don't go expecting more than a tourist taste of Spain on your plate.

Ole! Ole! Tapas Bar & Restaurant
42 Meeting House Lane,
The Lanes
Brighton BN1 1HB
Live flamenco shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9pm

RECIPE: Beetroot Salsa

2013-01-26T15:34:00.002Z

This really zingy, versatile beetroot salsa is great with fishcakes or burgers or even part of a mixed salad lunch with cous cous, humous and mixed leaves. A staple in the Graphic Foodie household.

Ingredients
2tbs olive oil
Half an onion, finely chopped
400g of cooked beetroot (pre-packaged or fresh and boiled at home), diced
1tbs small capers or 3-4 finely diced gerkins
Zest of 1 lemon
2tsp of good, sweet balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Juice of half a lemon

Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, cooking very gently so it doesn't colour until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the diced beetroot, capers (or gerkins), lemon zest (I like to use a zester for long zingy ribbons), balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt.

Cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add lemon juice to taste and more seasoning if needed.

Can be served hot or cold.