It probably won’t come as much of a shock to The Argus readers but Brighton was recently recognised as the most vegan friendly city in the UK, writes Nick Mosley.
At the start of this year, rail company LNER analysed data based on Google Search, Deliveroo and HappyCow revealing that the city had more vegan restaurants and take-out options per 100,000 head of population than anywhere else in the country.
Without doubt, at the fore of that offering is Terre à Terre in East Street that’s been serving up world-class vegetarian and vegan dishes for over 30 years. I think it would be fair to say that the restaurant is responsible for kick-starting destination plant-based dining not only in Brighton but also nationally. Founded by the undoubtably talented and visionary Amanda Powley and Philip Taylor, Terre à Terre has been serving up vegetable deliciousness for more years than I dare say either care to recall.
Amanda and Phil have nurtured countless chefs who’ve honed their cooking skills in the bustling kitchen and gone on to work in – and set-up – restaurants not only in Sussex but also throughout the UK. It is telling that Terre à Terre continues to attract a level of talent that would be the envy of many other restaurateurs and chef-patrons.
The menu never fails to impress and amaze me. I’d hate to knock other Sussex restaurants but when you tuck into a Terre à Terre dish, there is so much going on with a veritable cornucopia of ingredients, thoroughly accomplished cooking processes and plating that isn’t far off a work of art. Terre à Terre’s dishes are a feast for all the senses; it’s genuinely exciting food.
I popped in midweek at the end of August with a colleague for a late lunch. The first thing that always strikes me is the welcome – the team seem genuinely pleased to see you and also proud to share their passion for the food and drink menu with you. This isn’t just a cursory smile; its a feeling that radiates from their very souls. A mighty fine Amaretto Sour cocktail that rapidly landed in my hand certainly added to the bonhomie.
The a la carte menu is always tempting; the ‘Better Batter’ – a twist on fish and chips with buttermilk soaked halloumi coated in crisp chip shop batter with minted pea mash and vodka soaked tomato – is quite rightly never off the menu and always a personal favourite. However, in the interests of research, we dived into the Terre à Tapas – a plate with mini portions of the restaurants tried-and-tested dishes plus a few more recent creations.
The tapas plate is a journey around the world with mouth-watering bites inspired by the cuisines of Japan, India, the Levantine and – as above – the UK.
Moreish umami smoked tofu smothered in teriyaki sauce with seaweed, cucumber and rice puffs. Aubergine ganoush with crisp dipping chips. And my favourite – delightfully light mustard and curry leaf steamed channa cakes with lime pickle and coconut. At £24.50, this plate is a mind-blowingly good, fine-dining steal without any of the nonsense you’d find in swanky restaurants that wear their awards – at times way too heavily – on their sleeves.
I’m not a great lover of sweet courses, but undoubtably the pièce de résistance of our lunch was the dessert course. A cacao mousse on shortbread with hazelnut gianduja and a generous scoop of blood orange sorbet. This is a dish that combined sweet, savoury, acidity, richness and probably would have made for a rather stunning hat at Ascot.
If I’ve said it once, then forgive me but I’ll keep saying it. Having enjoyed countless meals there over the years, Terre à Terre isn’t just the best vegetarian restaurant on the south coast. It can rightly claim to be one of the very best restaurants in our neck of the woods full stop. After three decades, Terre à Terre remains at the top of the restaurant game – and delivers consistently time and time again – which is an authentic accolade that a rare few can claim.
Terre à Terre, 71 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HQ
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