I’d never been to Brighton, but everything I had heard about it was probably the same as you – the ‘Lanes’, the Pier, the Royal Pavilion. On this occasion, though, I wasn’t there to see the sights. My own sights were set on finding out what Brighton’s culinary scene had to offer - though I did find time to enjoy its wealth of street art and risk my life on some end-of-the-pier fairground rides. On that last point, I would like to award “Crazy Mouse“ the best ride award and “Horror Hotel” the wooden spoon.
We started with a meal at one of Brighton’s many fish and chip joints: Bardsleys, which was both a restaurant and a take-away. I was surprised to see people in the restaurant, though, as I thought the whole point was to eat fish and chips while strolling along its pebbled shoreline - which is the option we took. We went for a heartily-portioned cod and chips and were not to be disappointed. The cod, which was clearly of a high quality and fresh, was not too greasy and cooked to perfection, while the chips were perfectly fluffy inside and given an extra level of seasoning by the sea-air. The only obstacle was trying to eat the damn thing before the stiff breeze cooled it down - maybe that’s why people use the restaurant.
Chastened by the experience of eating fish and chips al-fresco on a cool March evening, we decided to book a table at Brighton’s premier restaurant, The Restaurant at Drakes. Drakes is situated on the seafront but, being a bit higher up the hill from the pier, comes with spectacular views. We sat in the warm cocktail bar and enjoyed some beautiful white wine while studying the fine mix of artwork which decorates the walls.
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Lunch at Drakes and a trip to Brighton