FOOD + DRINK
Modern , inventive food at
MARKET RESTAURANT & BAR
BY SARAH GREEN
BOLDLY DRESSED IN VICTORIAN GREEN TILING , MARKET RESTAURANT & BAR SITS IN THE CENTRE OF BRIGHTON ’ S BRUNSWICK VILLAGE – that trendy little pocket of town right on the Brighton and Hove border . It ’ s a vision of classy and calm that lures you in visually before anything else .
The name , inspired by the old Camden Market signage that adorns the restaurant ’ s façade , sets the scene for the entire dining experience at MARKET . The interior all at once says ‘ traditional butchers ’ – blackboard banner listing specials and a cured ham leg poised on a wooden stand ; and ‘ modern utilitarian ’ – exposed copper piping , powder-coated steel , and lots of leathertopped stools to encourage ‘ at the bar ’ dining . It is a marketplace : a hub for great eating , great drinking and great company .
Owner , Kate ’ s passion for world cuisine , and her vision in creating the masterpiece that is MARKET is evident . She has gathered together knowledge from a lifetime of world travel and managed to skillfully condense it down into a compact , but more than enticing menu that allows for lots of choice while still remaining small enough for the chef to be able to produce perfection when he cooks .
So , let ’ s talk about the food . Progressing the restaurant ’ s theme seamlessly , starters followed by mains are a bygone notion at MARKET . Instead the supplier-driven , inventive menu promotes sharing , listing a selection of dishes to pick from , aptly divided by subheads including ‘ From the Mini
Market ’, ‘ From the Greengrocer ’ and ‘ From the Fishmonger ’. You can mix and match smaller plates with bigger plates , choosing to share , or choosing to feast alone . MARKET rewrites the etiquette on what to eat and when to eat it , which is a very welcome touch .
The crispy olives with kale pesto were a real treat and very unusual . I ’ m not sure I ’ ve ever eaten a hot olive aside from on a pizza , let alone one wrapped in tempura-light batter , and each one was divine . Alongside these came goat cheese churros ; little delights served with white truffled honey , which offset their saltiness beautifully .
Next , we welcomed cheese croquetas ; being a cheese lover , there ’ s no way I could resist these . They ’ re normally served with either ham or jalapeno , but since we couldn ’ t choose we had both , which worked really well , and the piquant chimichurri yoghurt that we dipped them into brought everything together with a clever hit of both bite and balance .
Squid can so easily be served tough and chewy , but it absolutely isn ’ t at MARKET . Served with black lentils and a mojo verde garlic and coriander sauce , our squid was cooked exactly how it should be – quick and without fuss allowing its evident freshness to sing for itself . Greedily , we added some truffle and duck fat chips at this point – crispy on the outside and soft and light in the middle – they ’ re a decision that I ’ d recommend and will never regret .
Somehow , we still had room for dessert because how can you not when there ’ s dulce de leche on the menu ? Sweet with caramel and creamy too , it was just what our palettes craved after hitting all the right savoury notes . You cannot possibly try all of the truly delicious dishes on the menu at MARKET in one meal , no matter how many of you are sharing , which is one of the best things about it – you ’ ll just have to keep going back until you have .
MARKET Restaurant & Bar 42 Western Road Hove BN3 1JD
01273 823707 www . market-restaurantbar . co . uk
dineatMARKET
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