Under the boardwalk

The Boardwalk is in a supreme location: right on the beach just right of Brighton Pier. You could be forgiven for having missed it so far as it is barely visible from the top of the prom. Unless you peer (geddit?) over the edge. The restaurant has been converted from a deckchair store under the arches into a white, bright scoffing house and a jolly fine job they've done too. Eating is not obligatory here as you are welcome to pop in for a smoothie, a coffee or a Bloody Mary - depending on the day you've had. The sea was wild on our visit so it was nice to be inside, but on a finer evening there are lights and seats outside for an al fresco meal.

The Boardwalk serves breakfasts all morning featuring the standard fry-up alongside Fresh Fruit Salad and Muesli, a daytime menu till six and an evening menu for later. The evening spread is about to get bigger with the imminent arrival of a new menu. The choices are mostly fishy and vegetabley, but the new menu will also have chicken and lamb dishes, using organic meat. We had a nice bottle of House white and a plate of Roasted Seeds (80p - bargain) whilst we perused. It's a beech-and-white-walls place with MOR on the CD player (Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits). Punters included a crowd of noisy yoofs, a woman on her own and an older couple, so clearly it appeals to all. I went for Moules Marinieres with a warm baguette and Anthony had Pan Fried Sardines with salad and a baguette. We shared a bowl of skinny chips. The sardines were huge, crisp and deliciously garlicky. My choice was a very good version of one of my favourite dishes with big, meaty mussels and a cream sauce to dunk the bread in. At around £5, these were extremely good value. Other offerings include Free Range Duck and Bacon Salad, Crab Cakes with Salad and Fries and Chargrilled Halloumi. There is plenty of vegetarian choice and quite an expensive children's menu.

Unbelievably, this was my second meal of the month with no dessert! I have to say that this is being rectified by the introduction of the new menu, which has several, so I can't moan too much. Anyway, we had a lovely meal, served by a lovely waiter in a superb location. Perhaps they're trying to tell me something by hiding the buns.

The Boardwalk
250a Kings Road Arches
Brighton BN1 1NB
01273 746067
9am-11pm daily

Nameless pleasures

This is not my first visit to The Pub with No Name; a friend held his son's Christening Party here last summer and I thought then what a nice place it was. Nothing has changed, except the weather, and it still has a good feel about it. This time, Hannah and I stopped by on a filthy, wet, Monday evening amidst the fuel crisis and entered into a haven of joviality and warmth. This is a proper local pub with many of those hip thirty-something Hanoverians popping in for a quick pint. It's a stripped-pine kind of joint but nicely rough around the edges. Upstairs there is an exhibition space for local artists which is also used as a function room for private parties.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Aretha Franklin thunders from the sound system and we're getting hungry. The menu is pub grub, Brighton style. In my adopted land of Devon, a pineapple ring on your gammon is considered exotic, but not so here in Food Heaven Land. A fine choice of meals, half of them vegetarian, most for around a fiver. No starters, no puds (only at weekends), no mucking about. Hannah had Spicy Veg-t-balls with Tomato and Herb Sauce and Pasta. The balls were good: home-made and substantial. The pasta was unexpectedly, pretty hot. A good plateful for £5.95. I had Seared Tuna, marinated in Lime and Coriander served with Vegetable Chow Mein. This was really very nice and was a well-chosen combination. The tuna was succulent and had a lovely tang of lime and the noodles were tasty with lots of fresh baby sweetcorn, mangetout and aubergine. At £7 it was a decent meal but desperately needed washing down with a big slab of cake. That's my only moan really, that we would have liked a pud even if there were only a couple of choices. They also serve chips, sandwiches and a couple of staple children's meals. Children can stay in the pub until 9.30pm, which I think is mighty tolerant.

This is good, fairly-priced food served by nice staff in pleasant surroundings. I really like the lively, friendly feel of The Pub with No Name - if you do decide to hike all the way up that hill to get to it - demand cake!

Price for two excluding drinks: £12.95

The Pub With No Name
58 Southover Street
Brighton BN2 2UF
Tel: 01273 601419
Normal pub hours.
Food served: Mon-Thurs 6pm-9.30pm
Fri & Sat 12-3pm, 6-9.30pm
Sun 12-8.30pm.

Let 'em eat cake

The menu is 100% vegetarian and organic wherever possible. A range of sandwiches including Organic Cream Cheese and Carrot or Tomato and Lentil Paté all come on organic bread. They also offer a range of salads, all gloriously healthy like home-made Tzatziki with Pitta. Add to that the fact that everything on the menu costs under £3 and you can't go wrong. A new kitchen area is on its way in a couple of weeks which will allow Foobars to expand their menu and to serve up more hot food. An evening menu featuring Mexican and Spanish scoff is also planned where diners are welcome to bring their own wine as there is no liquor licence here, as yet.

The interior is bright, white, and cheerful with a box of toys for the kids and some comfy sofas for the grown-ups. There is contemporary art for sale on the walls and good coffee in the pot. They also do herbal teas, organic cans of drink and fresh juice. A pleasant spot for a nutritious lunch without breaking the bank.

Finally, this month, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear I got to eat a bit of cake. Chocolate it was, with crème fraiche, and very nice it was too.

Foobar Café
37 Preston street
Brighton
Tel: 01273 774843
Open 10am-6pm, 7 days a week.

| Home | Films, Books, Music | Listings | Astrology |
| Health | About Us | Subscription | Contact Us |