English's of Brighton

Very sad experience to learn that my partner witnessed the staff discussing not wanting to serve me and my daughter based on our skin colour. Cannot comment on the food as I was reluctant to spend any more time there.

What could be more quintessentially English than fish and chips by the seaside? A recent work jaunt saw Gourmand Gunno make the one-hour train journey down from London to see seafood done properly in one of the oldest restaurants in Brighton. There’s far more to English’s though than just the humble battered plaice. All things pescine have been sold on the site of the current restaurant since the Victorian heyday of Brighton. Over the years, the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Judi Dench have apparently dined at English’s – and with very good reason. Although we sat outdoors on a grey but mostly warm weekday lunchtime, a quick peek at the venue’s interior shows why it has become a Brighton institution. There’s a beautiful marble-topped counter, murals in the style of Toulouse-Lautrec and an almost timeless vibe that speaks both to British coastal culture as well as its French bistro equivalent. What worked about the menu was the combination of decidedly retro dishes such as potted shrimps or seafood pie nestled next to offerings that would not seem out of place in London’s trendier establishments. This juxtaposition between old and new speaks perhaps to the enduring appeal of English’s. With this context, my menu choices embraced both categories, with my slight fail of a starter offset by the marked success of my main. The tiger prawns with which I began were fine – nicely succulent and easy to deconstruct – but the accompanying garlic butter felt like an unfortunate relic from the 1970s. Not only was it served too cold, but it tasted of fat and little else. My two dining comrades chose better, I sense, with their calamari. Onto the main event, and it was a delight to report that my marinated sea bass was among the best fish dishes I’ve sampled for some time. This was full-on flavour intensity with a thoughtful combination of miso and peanut butter aubergine. Every bite was a delight. It was also pleasing to see that English’s delivered with its fish and chips. My comrade’s looked like the real deal, with the mushy peas veritably glowing. Other things to like about English’s: discrete old-school service, a decent wine list (we opted for an Austrian Gruner Veltliner, by the carafe) and reasonable pricing (~£60/head all-in). Worth making that trip to Brighton.