Viva Brighton April 2015 Issue #26

food news
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Edible Updates
Refurbished pubs and underground caves
Another pub makeover
to report in the Blatchington
Road area. Wave
goodbye to the Red
Lion, on Hove Place,
and say hello to the Better
Half, which plans to
open mid-to-late April.
Owner Simon Stern is
turning the space into a traditional pub with a
quirky Victorian feel about it – out go the fruit
machines and pool tables; in comes an old fire
place, saddle-leather seating in the banquette
and booth areas, and refurbed toilets, which
will feature vaulted ceilings and period-inspired
décor. The (brand-new, copper-topped) bar will
be well curated with popular and less familiar
brands of beer, ale and cider, accompanied with
quality house brand and specialist spirits, including
Brighton Gin.
Simon has drafted in chef Andy Keir (previously
of Koba, where his Sunday roasts were
declared second best in the whole of the UK
by the Observer), who will be creating seasonal
menus including ‘scallops with garlic prawns,
crispy ham and curried aioli’, ‘swordfish steak
and tropical fruit salsa’ and ‘spiced lamb cutlets
with pomegranate molasses’. There will also
be traditional pub fare, including a souped-up
Ploughman’s, burgers and plenty of vegetarian
options too. Coffee from Coffee@33 and
pastries will be available in the morning.
Further east, Hove Kitchen seemed to all but
vanish overnight from its large corner spot on
Western Road, but just as quickly brand-new
family-run restaurant
The Good Food Club
appeared. ‘The Club’ has
thoroughly refurbished
the site, and is now serving
predominately Britishstyle
local and seasonal
food. It’s divided into a bar
for day time, serving coffee
and cakes, a café for a relaxed lunch and finally
a more formal dining room. There’s a meeting
room for baby groups and yoga.
The between-the-piers seafront food and drink
scene, with a notable few exceptions, has generally
been the preserve of clubs and identikit bars
selling fish ‘n’ chips – but that is all starting to
change. The latest addition to the stretch is The
Tempest Inn, a Shakespeare-inspired pub that
features its very own underground cave system.
Downstairs there’ll be over a dozen different
caves (or snugs) that you can hole up in with
friends for the night, play smugglers and excise
men, and enjoy a selection of craft beers and
ales, along with some excellent spirits. Cocktails
will include the Seagrog - a glass tankard of
Kraken and ginger ale topped with ale foam.
Food-wise, local produce is the order of the day,
with bread from The Flourpot Bakery, local
cheese from the Cheeseman, plus a catch of the
day from local fishermen. For those who don’t
fancy cave-dwelling, the Ariel Bar on ground
level has a huge window looking out over the
sea, and there is a patio with furniture that is
positively flotsam like.
Antonia Phillips @PigeonPR
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