Viva Brighton Issue #80 October 2019

FOOD
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The Coal Shed
Quality across the board
The memorable meat at The Coal Shed
certainly isn’t surprising, but the flavourful
seafood and great sides, starters and desserts
make for an impressive meal overall.
On a bleak early September evening, we ask for
defiantly summery drinks: Jamie goes for a fruity
Beach Session IPA from local brewery Lost Pier,
and I choose a crisp Hallets cider, handmade in
the hills of Wales (both £5.50).
We dovetail: I go fish then steak, Jamie pork
then fish. His smoked old spot pork belly, with
apple and radish slaw (£8) is a louder affair: with
a tang and a kick to it. My fire-roasted prawns
with broad beans and jersey royals (£9) are
fantastic, with large, smoky, fluffy prawns – and
the secret sauce is fresh and fragrant too.
We indulge in the à la carte options, but it’s
worth noting that there is also an express menu
available at off-peak hours. Jamie settles on
the south coast fish stew, with scallops, prawns,
smoke liquor and more crustaceans (£23). He’s
gleeful, exclaiming that “it tastes like eating the
cast of Finding Nemo”: a salty, vibrant cornucopia
of fish, brimming with the tasty echoes of
colourful personalities.
I’m thrilled with my steak too: an attractive
Himalayan salt aged sirloin (£24), which is
tender, and perfectly cooked over coal to a
consistent, delicious, medium texture. The outer
third is neatly fire-tinged; the inner is pink and
succulent. Waiter Georgi suggests salsa verde
sauce to accompany the steak. It’s an aromatic
way to vary the flavour at times, but I prefer to
enjoy the steak as is, or paired with some chunky
chips, cooked in beef fat to joyful effect (£4).
Photo by Jamie Wilkinson
The sides at the bottom of the menu look
irresistible, and prove delightful. The garlic field
mushrooms are generously infused with a treacly
oil (£4), while the truffle mac’n’cheese, adds a
contrasting rich and cheesy tone to the meal,
with a lovely crispiness on top (£5).
The service is attentive and efficient: Georgi
politely wonders if we can possibly fit in
dessert. Maybe a bit of ice cream, to share, if
they have any? They do! We order a selection
of homemade ice cream for £6. We’re told the
options change weekly: the lemon thyme is our
favourite, joined by a somewhat savoury honey
and walnut, and a sharp berry flavour.
Quality permeates the whole menu. In addition
to the treats listed above, I appreciate their
fantastic loose-leaf Assam tea (£3), for example.
Furthermore, Georgi explains that they aim to
make as much in-house as possible, down to the
mayonnaise we dipped our chips in.
Joe Fuller
8 Boyce's Street, 01273 322998
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