Saints be praised
Sinfully good food by GG Madden
 At first glance, The Saint appears
to be a straightforward coffee bar, with a small and unassuming
frontage. And yet it's always busy. On my second attempt at lunch
there, I realised that it must be something to do with the food
and booked a table for dinner.
In the evening, The Saint's charm
became clear. Beyond the café and bar, the eating area proper is
light and soothing. Two banquettes at the back are particularly
inviting - one being a veritable kissing corner. The environmental
bonhomie is complemented by the drinks list on two counts. The
first is the sheer choice of spirits and cocktails and the second
is the pricing policy. All Saintly Cocktails are £4.50; all wine
is £12.95 a bottle. Critical evaluation of the wines' qualities
rather than cost may be a novelty, but it does encourage a
"viticulture is a hobby of mine" stance. An air of
sophistication descends.
Assisted by the French waiter, who
distinguished himself by actually having an interest in and
knowledge of the food. The menu is a select affair but all of it
is so sexy. Papillottes and carpaccios, coulis and quenelles - all
the extra fripperies that make food fun are here - with
pleasurable consumption still taking priority. The chargrilled
asparagus was cooked to perfection, served with a cheeky lemon and
yoghurt dressing. Prawn filo parcels, billed as a 'farce' of
prawn, ginger, chilli and lemon grass were a heavier but equally
pleasing starter.
Both main dishes were good
portions; Mediterranean sausages (served on a mixed pepper and
nutmeg mash for £7.50 and heralded as "best mash yet"
by headline grabbing dining partner) and seared monkfish -
particularly noteworthy because monkfish can be served as an
inconvenience to everything else on the plate, at a more serious
but justifiable £11.95. Shared dessert was a rich apricot tart so
beautifully presented that it begged to be admired for a few
moments before the inevitable. At £25 a head, dinner at The Saint
might seem pricey for Kemp Town but there are plenty of people
willing to pay it and I can see why. Booking advisable.
Essential Info
Drinks: Plenty
Atmosphere: Cool and minimalist, but the conveniences out an
interior decorator who was thwarted upstairs! The restaurant is
smoking and there is no high chair or space for pushchairs - a
relief to childless and parents alike.
The Saint
22 St. James Street
Tel: 01273 607 835
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm, lunch served from 12 - 3; evening
menu from 6pm.
Hot for JTs
Hungry? GG Madden watches as Jim fixes it
 The fantastic location of Jim
Thompson's new emporium offers uninterrupted views of the sea. But
any dreamy wanderlust can be satisfied right at the dinner table.
With food, ambience and decorative artefacts doubling up as
souvenirs, JT's is the culinary equivalent of a whistle stop tour
of Asia, with significantly better facilities.
The foyer of this large restaurant
is a mercifully efficient bar, accommodating both the aperitif and
live jazz sophisticate and the more cocktail orientated. An open
plan layout cleverly integrates the bar, eating areas and a
section of kitchen to add drama without third degree burns and
also allow the clientele to watch a competent third party cook - a
fail safe appetite whetter.
A baffling choice on the a la carte
can be sidestepped with a comprehensive selection of set meals,
but the 'stars for heat' system gave us the confidence to go it
alone - ordering rules were that each dish had to come from a
different country. And there was still plenty of choice. Pakoora
(India, V, *** i.e. hot, deep fried battered potato with a lively
yoghurt dip) got things going, and Japan chipped in with the Ebi
Tempura of battered king prawns (£3.45 and £4.25 respectively).
Stir fries from Malaysia and Vietnam (at around £8 each)
emphasised the quality ingredients and a distinct lack of MSG, a
rarity in the Western approach to this cuisine, with one sporting
an oyster sauce of pleasing subtlety. The desert list respects the
palate over 'death by chocolate' indulgence, but does allow for
the cocktail digestif. Lightweights beware - these tipples
initially appear innocuous, served in dainty glasses with
chocolate frosting reminiscent of a milkshake. I would love to
share the constituent ingredients of my Penang Pudding, but
quickly lost the ability and will to take notes. No tuk tuk waited
to give me a death defying lift home, which would have been handy
in the state I was in, but that was about the only thing that JT's
didn't supply.
Essential Info
Drinks: Wine by the glass, bottles start at £10.25; bottled
beers; alarmingly effective cocktails.
Atmosphere: Buzzy, bazaar look and feel, with room to eat and
talk. Professional service, wheelchair facilities and air
conditioning. Live jazz every Tuesday evening
Vegetarian options: Well catered for. South East Asian food is not
suitable for nut allergy sufferers.
Jim Thomspon's
No. 1 The Terrace, Madeira Drive
Tel: 01273 666933
Opening hours: 11am to midnight, serving lunch, dinner, bar menu
until 6pm and take away.
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