Balmy Beauty
GG Madden tries out Indian Summer
 The expression 'fusion cuisine',
sexy though it may seem to some, is challenging to the food
writer. A device often used as cover for pandering to conservative
palates, fusion has been known to kill the cuisine. But two recent
visits to Hove have restored my faith in the concept of fusion
food, for very different reasons.
Indian Summer's minimalist chic
interior is obviously a nod to the European contribution. The
"ancient spices in a contemporary environment" approach
is not uncommon in London, but new city status is seeing it
emigrate down to the coast. Here, the angle is authentic Southern
Indian cuisine with familiar desserts. We went for Sunday lunch
and explored their Thali, a complete meal of selected vegetarian
delicacies, served with papad, rice, garnish and pastes for
£7.50.
This was a colourful and aromatic
affair, heavily spiced with coriander, cumin et al. that would
impress the beginner and expert. It was also a bonus that the
waiter talked us through each dish with a confidence borne of
having eaten the stuff for life. I took the opportunity to return
the favour with my area of expertise - the pudding. The dessert
would not have been my first choice as it was distinctly bereft of
chocolate, but this mango brulee was seriously good. A consistency
of the perfect poached egg, the mango oozed through the pudding,
bright and sharp.
The week's menu looks a similarly
interesting proposition, notably excluding anything commonly
recognisable by your average lager lout ie no tikka masala, no
naan, and no take away either. This sophisticated approach has
seen return custom in Indian Summer's first month, some of whom
are actually Indian, a compliment greater than any review can top.
Essential Information:
Drinks: House red and white wine from Chile, £9 a bottle, small
but diverse selection of wine including dessert wine. Peroni beer
£2.50 a bottle (no draft) and mango lassi, £1.80.
Food: Unfamiliar but intelligently summarised Indian fare, ideal
for vegetarians and vegans, with some chicken dishes and European
influenced seafood and desserts.
Atmosphere: Clean, crisp and light, with a couple of hidden
alcoves for intimate dining.
Indian Summer
5 Victoria Terrace
Kingsway
Hove
Tel: 01273 773090
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday -
6 to 10.30 pm, Thali Sunday 12- 3 and 6 till 10 pm.
Spicy Rhapsody
Coriander by GG Madden
 Coriander in no way resembles an
Ikea dining room, with its mismatched furniture and dark wooden
bar, and it's all the better for it. It's spacious but warm and
has the added charm (on our visit anyway) of a chef who fills the
air with raucous laughter.
This is fusion of a different kind
- less earnest to the point of being cheeky in its pick 'n' mix
approach to North African and Middle Eastern influenced food. The
menu offers an overwhelming selection that includes guinea fowl,
ostrich fillet steak, dairy free ice cream, fair traded coffee and
organic liquors.
We liked the two tier starter
system - the dukkah of warm bread dunked in oil and nuts, seeds
and spices (£3.50) was a fine teaser to share until the starters
proper appeared. A chicken briouate (£5) was a beautiful filo
parcel, adorned with a spicy tamarind relish and lively tomato,
saffron and ginger sauce. The king scallop and crab claw stuffed
baby squid (£7) was a more adventurous choice, for palate and
clothing, served in a shell that spun across the plate, but was
also a success.
The Aussie at the table went for
poached and grilled morton bay bug, an antipodean crayfish. At
£16 it wasn't cheap, but there was enough of this unusual meat
and a saffron risotto to justify the price tag. The crispy
chimichanga filled with honey maple roasted squash and goats
cheese was the best vegetarian dish I've had in many moons. The
concurrent melting on the tongue of light filo, honey, squash and
subtle cheese was a tenner heavenly spent.
The indulgence of yet another
course beckoned and the challenge was well worth it. Ruby red
poached apples with homemade rum ice cream (£4) was a hit; dark
chocolate and balsamic strawberry cake with mexican chocolate ice
cream was impossibly dense but light. And it wouldn't have looked
out of place next to something similar I indulged in at the Oxo
Tower last week at twice the price.
Essential Information:
Drinks: Excellent selection of ciders, beers, wines and non
alcoholic drinks catering to every taste and principle. Wine
starts at £10 a bottle.
Food: Unusual but with something for everyone. 90% of all
ingredients are organic and they can cater for (genuine)
allergies. Best sellers include baked aubergine, Moroccan lamb and
date tagine and ostrich fillet steak.
Atmosphere: Informal and friendly with jazz hip hop soundtrack; an
ideal venue for large groups and parties who want to take over the
place.
Coriander
5 Hove Manor
Hove Street, Hove
Tel: 01273 730850
Open: Tuesday to Saturday from 7 till 11 pm; other times by
arrangement. .
Deli Drool
GG Madden goes to Kemptown's Bona Foodie
 If lacking the time or means for
either of the aforementioned overleaf, Bona Foodie is a damn good
compromise. The latest contribution to Kemp Town's gentrification,
this sumptuous deli is a relief after the inevitability of
Safeway's. Stacked with unusual and delicious treats, many of
which are sourced locally (aside from a Belgian chocolate orgy)
this is a little slice of heaven.
Bespoke baguettes are a speciality
(£2.70 to £3.10) constructed from bread baked on the premises
and an array of cured meats, pates, cheeses and fripperies of
artichokes, anchovies and olives of every hue and centre. A light
but cosy enclave at the back provides in house dining at take away
prices, despite cutlery, china and a chandelier. Two of us had a
super fresh, solid lunch (the mature vegetarian cheddar
particularly recommended) followed by warm pastries and coffee for
£12, although chocolate addiction really blew the budget as the
bill soared another £2.
Essential Information:
Food: Nine different patés from coarse to smooth, including wild
boar (£1.35 per 100g) and duck with port (£1.20 per 100g);
seafood antipasto is a bestseller at £1.35 per 100g. Good
selection of flans and cakes; pastries and bread baked there and
much of the stock is organic and fair traded. Interesting options
for Xmas excess abound, including ornate speciality cheeses loaded
with alcohol.
Atmosphere: Unrecognisable from former butcher's shop; colourful
and clean with super friendly staff. But if you want a table, plan
lunch for 11.30am.
Bona Foodie
21 St James's Street
Kemp Town
Tel: 01273 698007
Opening hours: Monday 9.30am - 6pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday 9.30am - 7.30pm; Saturday 9.30am to 7 pm and Sunday 12
noon to 7 pm.
copyright New Insight 2001
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