| Restaurant
Guide
New fish on the
block
No expense was spared kitting out the new Brasserie
fish at the marina. Simon Hope reckons it was worth
it
The sea sparkled like
Amphitrites’ tiara the day I visited Brighton’s
newest fish restaurant. With me was my old friend Richard
Hopkins, who is probably the least boring accountant you’re
ever likely to meet. When the sun is that bright and the
temperature that warm, Brighton Marina could be anywhere
in the Med. Being Cancerian, I love being on or near the
water and, as this is only surpassed by my inherent carnality,
eating by the sea has to be almost my favourite thing.
The Brasserie fish is the sister restaurant of The Brasserie,
an Italian-style restaurant about 100m further inland, and
had only been open one week when we visited. Rohmano, who
runs both operations, was on hand, and service throughout
our meal proved slick and efficient (no mean feat only one
week after opening). The restaurant boasts not only waterside
seating but also a large granite-floored modern bar and
superb dining room on two levels. No expense spared –
in fact, £500,000 was spent on kitting out the place.
Still no guarantee of good food though.
Richard chose the White and Black Crabmeat (£6.50)
to start with. I think ‘black’ as a description
of light brown is pushing it a bit – why not ‘Dressed
Crab’, as that was what it was? And very good too,
according to The Accountant.
I had Scallops Braised with Shallots on baby spinach with
saffron sauce (£7.50).The juicy little Queenies were
perfectly cooked, and consequently the attached corals (orange
bits) were totally overcooked. Always detach the coral and
cook it separately and very briefly. The spinach was nice
and buttery, while the saffron sauce was fragrant and delicate
– a really superb starter.
We’d ordered a bottle of Orvietto DOC. Classico Abbocato
12% abv Ruffino (phew!) (£16.95), a lovely, delicately
sweet Umbrian wine best served with simple fish dishes.
Good with crab but lost on saffron sauce (my fault). The
wine list has everything you need plus a few dessert wines
and an array of sparklers. No indication as to whether veggie
or vegan tho’.
Richard’s Grilled Plaice with Rosemary Oil and Mixed
Salad (£12.95) was absolutely perfect, with good,
sautéed, new potatoes (£2.00) on the side too.
The plaice was obviously as fresh as could be and still
glistened as Richard cut into it – a real treat at
an excellent price too. I had Monkfish Braised with Shallots
and Cherry Tomatoes on Baby Spinach (£16.95), which
sounded uncannily like my starter. Generous portions, and
all perfectly cooked.
Struggling, but in the interest of research, I managed a
portion of Spanish Strawberries and Cream (£4.95)
for dessert, followed by good Italian coffee (£1.95).
The whole meal cost £71.70 – not bad considering
the price in the town centre would be nearer £100
for a comparable lunch. In a short space of time Brasserie
fish have done a near-perfect job. The menu caters for veggies
and carnivores, but some info on sustainability would be
welcome.
Atmosphere: Mediterranean Marina
Food: Mega marinara
Drink: Aqua marina
The Brasserie fish
The Waterfront, Brighton Marina.
Tel: 01273 698989
copyright The Insight 2004
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