New year resolutions eh. My inbox is flooded by restaurant veganuary invites (I'm ignoring you all), #dryjanuary is in full swing, my social feeds are promoting every diet under the sun and I'll be joined by tens of extra runners on the hills that will tail off before February, leaving me on my own again. (Great, because deep down, I really hate people.) But in amongst all that is somewhat of a backlash with #NewYearTrueMe and endless self love memes. Wince-worthy maybe, but I'm all for this new antidote to this month long macro guilt and pressure. Enjoy yourself in moderation all year round I say. Eat that cake, order those fries, drink the wine...and savour this gratuitous plate of meat. For breakfast.

I've been drooling at the pictures of The Coal Shed's brunch menu on the social media feeds. Headline act is of course this Surf n' Turf and in the flesh, it still commands a gasp.

And knowing what awaited me, I had purposely starved myself short of an espresso, rolling into the freshly refurbished restaurant at noon ravenous. Being a Saturday also made it entirely permissible to order cocktails - plural. Hell, let your hair down love.



It kind of feels like stage fright, the pause of not knowing where to start, but the plump, soft mussels cooked with nduja seemed a good a place as any quickly followed by the tiger prawns and scallop and pork belly skewers.

The flavour of the maple-cured Tamworth bacon chop, king of chops, was immense and a smart addition to make the dish more breakfast, along with the two fried eggs and smoked black pudding. However, when I think of The Coal Shed, I think steak and the salt aged sirloin didn't disappoint. The charcoal grills give the meat those delicious charred edges and undeniable smokey flavour whilst sealing in all that juicy goodness.

There's plenty of choice for your two sides; crisp, slightly charred broccoli with garlic and chilli or an iceberg wedge with blue cheese and stilton for a bit of greenery. For those blasé about carbs or mortally hungover; beef dripping chips, truffle mac n’ cheese or mash with burnt ends. I chose one from each camp. Balance innit.

At £32.50 per head the Surf n' Turf platter may be at the top end of what you'd normally spend on brunch (lighter options are available) but along with hearty portions, quality is paramount here, so confident in both their produce and cooking, that they don't shy away from simplicity. Thoroughly enjoyed, I don't know of a more luxurious, or decadent brunch in this city.

And this ethos is evident throughout all their menus, wine selection and cocktails. The new decor is elegant, as moody and sexy as ever, a good eye for taste and refinement but still on-brand for an upmarket steakhouse and date night gold.

God, I need that run now though.

Brunch served Saturdays only 11am-4pm, alongside the a la carte menu.



The Coal Shed
8 Boyce's Street
Brighton BN1 1AN

also at

One Tower Bridge
London SE1 2SE

I dined as a guest of The Coal Shed. Words and thoughts, as always, my own. 

After having my preconceptions of "fusion food" totally turned on its head after my last visit to Señor Buddha, I returned for the Fish Thursday Night for another taste of their Spanish Asian style tapas dishes. Fish Thursdays are held on the third Thursday of the month and include a set 5 course menu plus dessert for £35. It's a bargain.

Señor Buddha is a quirky restaurant; it's intimate and located just off Preston Circus. I can't quite put my finger on the environmental style but the quality of the food is outstanding. Their wines are also stunning and front of house extraordinaire, Chris Garcia Viera, is very knowledgeable about their carefully selected range.


As I said, the wines were all fabulous and matched to the food. I particularly enjoyed the Maetierra Atlantis wine we started out with and I rarely go for whites. Hondarrabi Zuri is not a grape variety I have come across before but coming from Basque Country it was perfect with the food and a great choice - I'm treating myself to a case of this one! Unlike me, I strongly recommend you leave the car at home and get stuck into the wines here as you are bound to discover new varieties and favourites. I was so, so sad to miss out on the others on the night.

It's has been a good old while since my last visit to Little Fish Market, yet I still have some strong food memories from that meal, which is always a winning sign of good food. But the LFM has evolved since those days, now offering a single five course menu. Even the place seems a little smarter but is still relaxed and pleasant in an upmarket beachy way. One thing that hasn't changed is that Duncan Ray is still the sole chef at work in the small kitchen, and I suppose this restaurant's success is down to his ability to control and set the creative direction of the food.

It was actually a real bonus not to have trawl through a menu on the night (lazy me, I know). If you did have any dietary requirements I think they are happy to assist with notice, but for us eat-alls, it was nice to sit down and and relax from the offset. And if you can't be bothered with the wine list either, there is also a wine flight available to match the foods. At £25 per person it is well priced too.

From the starter you knew you were in for a special meal. A miso glaze is ideal for the smoke and strength of flavour of mackerel and the spring onion added a sweet element with the yuzu a little lift.


The food has simplified and even though it has always been of an exceptional quality, the cooking feels more self-assured. There are no flourishes and certainly no reliance on the smoke and mirrors of trendy processes or edgy accessories on the plate. The slip sole in seaweed butter, becoming somewhat a signature plate by the look of things, is exactly that. Being used to pretty garnishes and the like, it does feel a little stark but kudos for that confidence. And when you delve into the dish there is no need for any more at all, it's exquisite. Firm and sweet flesh flaked easily from the bone and the seaweed butter added depth and richness. Perfect.


Even thought the focus of LFM is, obviously, fish, the meat dishes are also very good. The pork belly was perfectly rendered so you had all of the flavour delivered in a soft, succulent texture. I loved the freshness from the pea puree and broad beans and the decadent, sticky reduction of the sauce.


Back to fish, a generous portion of halibut was served with pillow soft Parmesan gnocchi, pickled mushrooms and crisp Parma ham. This was the most complex course and I would have loved to have seen it stripped back like the other dishes, but was still hugely enjoyable.


We finished with a light strawberry mille-feuille with wild strawberry sorbet, perfect for the warm evening and to cleanse the palate. This is exactly the fresh dessert I prefer really over anything sweet and chocolate based.

So a pretty faultless meal and at £50 for all the courses, I would say exceptional value for money. The attention to detail and pure focus on the food makes me really struggle to think of a better restaurant in Brighton. This was actually my birthday treat from the husband so eating out as much as I do, I want somewhere really special and was so pleased we chose Little Fish Market, for an occasion it's an absolute must.

Most people with his talent would be shouting it from the rooftops, but Duncan works diligently and quietly at mastering his craft here, and the location, tucked away in the residential streets of Hove, suits it perfectly. But if you haven't already, do go and discover it for yourself.



thelittlefishmarket.co.uk
10 Upper Market St, Hove BN3 1AS

Aqua Pazza means "crazy water" which makes this a really fun sounding recipe. Apparently the dish comes from southern Italian fishermen cooking their fish for lunch in the little they had; sea water and a few herbs, possibly a tomato or two. It was made famous around the Capri area in the 50s and 60s by visiting tourists wanting a taste of something authentic.

Schwartz, the herb and seasoning company got in touch with me about creating a recipe and this was one of the first dishes to come to mind as it's ALL about the herbs and seasoning. Oregano is one of the most important Italian herbs and I always have a jar of the dried herb in my larder. In addition, you can use most Mediterranean flavours although I always like an acidic edge that either capers or olives bring. Aqua Pazza is a really gorgeous, light and fragrant dish for pretty much any white fish and really quick for a mid-week meal.
http://www.schwartz.co.uk


Serves 2

Ingredients
2 Fillets of firm white fish (sea bass or bream is perfect) or a whole prepared fish
3 Tbs olive oil
A few sprigs of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Half tsp of Schwartz dried oregano
2 Garlic cloves, peeled
Half a celery stick, chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes or two ripe chopped tomatoes
Small handful of capers or olives
A little fresh red chilli, sliced

Half a glass of water
Half a glass of white wine
To serve: Sliced lemon and good bread

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C

In an ovenproof dish which will fit the fish in a single level, pour in the olive oil then the fish. Arrange the remaining ingredients around the fish (if using a whole fish then stuff the cavity with some of the parsley too) and pour in the water and wine. The liquid should come to about halfway up the fish, and never cover the fish entirely. Season well.

Bake in the over for about 20 minutes until the fish is cooked, it may need a little longer if the fish is whole.

Serve with slices of good crusty bread and lemon slices.

This post was written in collaboration with Schwartz. Thanks for supporting the brands that support The Graphic Foodie.

This is ideal is a quick, healthy midweek meal. It's a pretty standard fish stew recipe that is made more special with a few simple fresh toppings that elevate the flavour. Add a glass of chilled white wine and pretend you're on holiday whilst blissfully ignoring the grey British weather outside.

Serves 4

2 tbs olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Half fresh red chilli, finely chopped
Teaspoon smoked paprika
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
New potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and sliced
400g tin of tomatoes
Fish stock, about half a tin can, fresh or made with stock cube
A handful of frozen peas
A generous handful of king prawns, defrosted if frozen or fresh
4 white fish fillets, skinned, deboned and cut into chunks

Topping;
A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Zest of one lemon, finely grated
Garlic clove, finely chopped
Lemon juice
Olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the chilli, garlic, paprika and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the remaining chopped vegetables and saute for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, stock and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the peas, fish and prawns and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Season to taste.

Serve in bowls and top with a little of all the toppings, a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy with plenty of crusty bread.