Lunch at Drakes and a trip to Brighton

Then we were whisked downstairs to a bright and airy restaurant area where we were presented with some warm rolls which we ate while browsing the Sunday Lunch menu. It offered four options per course and we were torn between a few of them.

I decided to start with a rustic Pork terrine with Madeira jelly, which came served with a fresh salad and beautiful bread. Black sea salt helped to season the dish; a single grain in each mouthful is more than enough to reap its benefits.

Following on from that was perhaps the ultimate Sunday lunch dish. Ample thin slices pieces of beef, juicy and pink in the middle, were served with muffin sized Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes – both of which were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle - green beans, carrots and a dollop of horseradish sauce. The dish was drizzled in a light but tasty gravy that helped to draw all the flavour out of the prime ingredients.

It became clear that Drakes is an ideal spot for families and friends to catch up over a very good meal. The food isn’t particularly showy but Andrew Mackenzie’s style still comes through well, aided by ingredients as fresh as the sea breeze we experienced the night before. The atmosphere was very friendly, and staff would bring additional courses to enjoy - a cup of very smooth and creamy butternut squash soup went nicely with a warm roll. Once our main courses arrived, the restaurant barely had a table left.

We were busy admiring the traditional stone alcoves with downward spot lighting situated next to our table when our desserts arrived; warm and rich chocolate fondants served temptingly in an iron pot with toffee caramel ice cream. Being a lover of this particular dessert, I feel I make a good judge of a chocolate fondant and this version was one of the best I have tasted. It was so good, in fact, that I didn’t find the time to take a picture of it.

Perhaps I had learnt my lesson from the evening before - that in Brighton food must be eaten quickly!