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EATING
OUT
House
of cuisine
GG Madden blanches with delight
When
Blanch House, the groovy themed room hotel, opened C Restaurant
18 months ago, it was an instant hit. The food was good
(innovative, organic) but talk also focused on the look
and feel of the place. More Clerkenwell than Kemptown, the
cocktail lounge was the interiors equivalent of the perfect
chocolate mousse - sensual velveteen in demerara tones enveloping
the clientele and putting everything into slow mo. The dining
room acted like a wake up call, so brilliant was the white.
A relatively new parent at the time, I relished in its sanitised
purity, safe in the knowledge that I wasn't clearing up
for once. The new restaurant has taken the edges off the
concept white, and I could see last night how it made for
a more restful dining experience.
But
enough of the décor. A new chef has taken over, a
protégée of Gordon Ramsay's, no less, and
the cuisine met the inevitable expectations that such a
label confers. My sweet yellow gazpacho (£5)
was zesty and light, complemented by small red pepper sorbets,
perfectly timed to trail red rivulets across the dish. The
three onion risotto (£5.50) had the bite it
should, accentuated with crispy shallots and a salty black
olive sauce.
The
starters cruised well above average, but the mains were
superlatively good. We actually sat and looked at them for
a full minute before assault with table weaponry - a rare
event. Every ingredient, colour, texture had been considered
and balanced with an almost architectural flourish. Wrapped
in tender prosciutto, roundels of succulent chicken
were shot through with asparagus and sun blush tomato, on
a bed of butter bean mash (£14). The Sussex lamb
(£15) was a similarly stylish affair but nothing detracted
from the evident quality of the cut and cook. Everything
was great.
Desserts
were surplus to requirements, but in my book that makes
them all the more enjoyable. And only an anorexic could
pass up the delights on offer here. The baked fig turnover
(£5) was tart and held its own alongside a scented
strawberry coulis. My choice of double chocolate candied
chilli cherry cup (obviously) proved to be a lesson
in savouring your food. Three large spoons in, the chilli
surprised the palate with an unusual but not unpleasant
cameo appearance. After three sublime hours, we faced the
wet, windy night cosseted and content. God, I love this
job.
Essential
Information
Food: Excellent. It's not the cheapest dining experience
to be found in Brighton, but it's a great reminder of what
eating out should be about. Starters and desserts begin
at £5; mains at £10.
Drinks: Well considered and varied wine list, ranging
from £11.50 to £44 (for the cognoscenti) and
a respectable selection of cocktails, averaging at a fiver.
Atmosphere: Sophisticated but relaxed, Blanch House
is a whole evening's experience. Only a philistine would
want to rush it.
Blanch
House Restaurant
17 Atlingworth Street, Brighton
Tel: 01273 603504
Open: Tuesday to Saturday: 7 - 10 pm
Sunday lunch: 12 - 3pm
copyright New Insight 2001
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