| Restaurant
Guide
A Taste of Paradise
Simon Hope heads down to Café
Paradiso with the Man
from Delmonte and find things to their liking
There’s not much
Frank doesn’t know about fruit – I call him
the Man from Delmonte. And so it was on a sensationally
hot Monday evening that we found ourselves enjoying the
fruits of labour at Café Paradiso by the waterfront
of the Marina. When it’s hot and the sun is shining
there aren’t many better places in Brighton.
Maitre d’, Ghislaine (Gi Gi to you and me) heads a
really relaxed and friendly yet efficient restaurant team
in the huge and somewhat bizarre space that constitutes
the Seattle Hotel’s dining room/public restaurant.
Large sliding windows overlook the busy harbour, while inside
the décor combines Richard Rogers’ Pompidou
Centre with the chandeliers and mirrors of Louis XIV.
Thankfully, Gi Gi seated us by one of the large open windows.
Marsha brought good fresh bread with harsh peppery olive
oil, and Max discussed wine with us. We opted for a La Forge
Merlot 2002 from Languedoc (£19.95). 2002 was obviously
good in Languedoc as this wine oozed ripe bramble fruits
with a persistent tobacco and red pepper finish. Unusual
choice for starters, you might say, but the Man from Delmonte
and I just love good Merlot.
Café Paradiso’s main problem for us was that
we wanted everything on the menu. In your interests, I chose
the Deepfried Courgette Flower filled with Gorgonzola accompanied
by Red Pepper Mayonnaise (£5.50). Frank waded into
a starter-size Crab Tagliatelle in Lemon Herb Butter with
Garlic Sprouts (£5.75) – a good portion of squid
ink taggers coated in crab, butter, parmesan shavings and
adorned with dainty garlic sprouts. My courgette flower
had a delightfully crunchy exterior and melted gorgonzola
inside – excellent. If lamb is on the menu Frank will
eat it every time. So, next to arrive was Organic Sussex
Rump of Lamb with Basque Vegetables and Violet Mash (£14.25),
while I had dainty Scallop and Prawn Brochettes with Salsa
Verde and Pesto Broccoli (£12.65).
Everything was just slightly overcooked, perhaps a French
chef’s confusion in cooking for a largely timid British
market. If lamb’s not pink, you simply cannot taste
lamb. Scallops should still wobble; corals must be cooked
separately and briefly. The Basque vegetables were as you
would expect: pretty punchy violet potatoes just pretty!
And never grill boiled prawns. Broccoli with pesto was a
divine revelation.
Lets face it, most restaurants in Brighton offer Brake Brothers’
finest for dessert. Head chef Fabien Figuet at Paradiso
makes his own and is proud to do so. Mr Delmonte of course
said yes to the Pineapple Assiette (£6.25), while
I homed in on the White Chocolate Fondant (£4.25).
The supersweet pineapple was just like a tropical ballerina
in a frothy ovendried pineapple TuTu, topped with vanilla
ice and spun caramel. My supersmooth fondant concealed a
fragrant and spicy pistachio icecream centre – delish.
So delish, we then shared a local cheeseboard (£8.50)
along with two excellent glasses of Grahams LBV 1997 (at
£3.00 a glass a real bargain). Final bill: £70.45.
Go there – you must visit this restaurant and say
“Hi” to Gi Gi, Max, Marsha and Fabien. They
deserve every success.
Atmosphere: Barbarella meets Josephine
Food: Don’t believe the Brits, Fabien!
Drink: Great – but they must open
for cocktails!
Café Paradiso, Brighton Marina,
Brighton.
Tel: 01273 665444.
copyright The Insight 2004 |
