As you’re all probably aware from social media, I re-discovered Brighton recently and fell back in love with it all over again. Gone are the days of mediocre food – Brighton means business and I couldn’t be happier. Making up part of this recent restaurant boom in Brighton sees its newest addition arrive – Semolina Café/Bistro. It’s a little out-of-the-way from the center, hidden and tucked away on Baker Street just north of the station but it’s worth every extra minute of that walk. We wouldn’t have discovered it if it wasn’t for the newly launched Brighton’s Best. A website dedicated to showing off just what Brighton has to offer and it’s fab.
What I love about Semolina is that it feels like a home from home. Not the cooking of course, because I could never cook this good – but from the moment you sit down all your troubles seem to disappear. We were exhausted from our day out in Brighton but a pre-dinner drink here later we were brought back to life by the cosy atmosphere and comforting food. The restaurant is run by husband and wife duo, Orson & Linda Whitfield who are incredibly passionate about what they do here. Linda evokes passion and a love for what she does throughout the dining room, while Orson’s personality is truly reflected within the food. Our selection of home-made breads were an excellent testament to that, as well as the crab beignets with brown mayonnaise and charred cucumber – a plate of food which gave off so much flavour and freshness.
Main courses here are very rich and with a real homely feel about it all, yet more refined than you or I could rustle up at home. Star dish of our entire meal at Semolina was the incredibly juicy looking venison haunch with roasted chicory, parsnips and grapes. A lovely balance of rich meaty flavours, sweetness from the grapes and a little bitterness from the chicory. A gorgeous plate of food I could eat all over again. A side of fries were very moorish too. Our other main course of beetroot gnocchi, lemon ricotta, hazelnuts and oats was nice enough, but it needed just a little more flavour too it. With so many interesting sounding ingredients making their way into one dish this plate of food really should have had more flavour and the beetroot gnocchi was a little too airy in texture for me.
We finished up our cosy meal here with one hell of a dessert. Over the years I’ve developed a very unhealthy appetite for baklava, which only spiraled out of control after a visit to Turkey not so long ago. Here they’d rolled pistachios and pecans through the pastry and infused the whole thing with orange and lots of syrup – served alongside a pot of delicious burnt cream. Semolina also pays homage to the espresso martini with a choice of variations to choose from, we went for a deliciously creamy classic which didn’t disappoint.
Semolina is an excellent neighborhood gem which I only wish was on my own doorstep here in London. It’s incredibly well priced, excellent value for money and very romantic, but above all – the food is honest and delicious. It may not be perfectly plated every time or pushing culinary boundaries, but that’s not the point of Semolina. This is food for the heart, made with love in Brighton.
8/10
