Vanilla Restaurant & Bar

We visited here on Saturday 17th March 2007 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Food was outstanding, service excellent and surroundings were good, although rather loud at times. We will definitely be making a return visit.
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liz from Surrey - View all reviews by this user
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

8 of us went on Saturday 17th March 07 and absolutely loved it, food, service, customer attention all 10/10. I booked this venue with an age range from 27 years to 78 years old and they all loved the diversity of the food. I can thoroughly recommend the rabbit. I will certainly be making a revisit.
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Liz - Surrey
Monday, March 19, 2007

My partner and I wanted to go somewhere special one night and had heard good reviews about this place. When we arrived we were more than impressed. The service here is astounding and very personal. The food also was absolutely beautiful with the little extra touches that make it really special. Nice selection of wines too. I would definatley come back soon.
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Cameron, Hove
Monday, January 29, 2007

WE WENT WITH FRIENDS TO VANILLA ON SATURDAY NIGHT, NOT EXPECTING TO MUCH, HAVING READ MIXED REVEIWS, WAS PLEASANTLY SUPRISED THE WHOLE EVENING, THE STAFF WERE EXTREMLY FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE FOOD, WINE, SPECIALS ETC MYSELF AND MY PARTNER HAD THE WARM SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TAGLITELLE WHICH WAS VERY GOOD, SCALLOPS SEARED TO PERFECTION, FOLLOWED BY THE FILLET OF BEEF WHICH WAS I HAVE TO SAY THE BEST BEEF I HAVE EVER TASTED, IT EVEN BEAT GORDON RAMSY @ CLARIDGES, FOLLWED BY THE CHEESE BOARD WHICH WAS A MEAL IN IT SELF "HUGE BUT GORGEOUS" WILL DEFINATELY BE GOING AGAIN, SO NICE TO FIND A DECENT RESTAURANT IN HOVE AT LAST, SO DIFFERENT TO THE REST.
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Thursday, January 25, 2007

I too agree with the previous review. Vanilla is extremely good value for money for high quality food.

I went with my friends on the dine offer. I have tried in previous months to get a table, but I always found they were busy. Luckily, when the offer came along, I endeavoured to get on their reserve list. And as luck would have it I managed to get a table.

What we experienced was a dine feast. I've had these £10 offers before, and usually one would get some knocked up average tasting dishes, made inexpensively. Not Vanilla, the food was as enticing, and of the same quality, as the Alla Carte menu.

Every ingredient was well balanced in taste, with a healthy portion. My beef was cooked to perfection. It melted on the old taste buds.

The review regarding the wines being inadequate. It sounds like the staff had their work cut out with these pretentious customers. No one will be impressed at their knowledge of a good wine, or how you think the food should taste. I went along with a chef who knows about food, and he agreed with us all, on just how well put together the meals were. As for the wine, to us ignorant ones, it tasted wonderful. And it's the masses that matter after all. We're not all wine tasting experts - although I wonder if these guys were!

I have to say that I do wonder sometimes if these reviews are written by competitors. Let's face it, anyone of us could either be friends or enemies of Vanilla. I for one have no personal relationship with them whatsoever. Just a fully satisfied customer!

Well done Vanilla for introducing a culinary gastronomic delight to Brighton & Hove!

Best regards

A happy diner!
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Monday, December 18, 2006

After reading the last reviews on Vanilla, I would just like to have my say. Vanilla is a restaurant for people who enjoy their food cooked properly, people who like to taste every single ingredient in each dish, and those who are not prepared to take second best. It upsets me immensely when silly comments are made.

I work in this industry, and can appreciate that when I ask for my steak to be cooked medium it comes to me medium - which for those that are not sure, yes, it is still bloody in the middle. The food is superb - and being a local I frequent quite a few restaurants - where else can you go in Brighton and get a three course meal for £25 that is cooked correctly, tastes wonderful, is served by knowledgeable staff and in beautiful surroundings. And on the latest Argus offer I got 2 courses including Steak for £10. The saying goes - "You pay for what you get" - this is not the case. In London where I work you would not get a main course to this standard for £25 let alone all three!

This restaurant is a breath of fresh air. It is great to be able to eat in a fantastic restaurant, to be served by helpful staff, and then top the evening off by having some nice drinks in a bar where I can actually hear the conversation I am having with my friends.

All I say is - well done Vanilla, you have managed to create a superb venue for us thirtysomethings.
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LT - View all reviews by this user
Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Had high expectations of Vanilla but was sadly disappointed. Intensely disliked the 'bench-style' seating and found the restaurant totally lacking in atmosphere. The food was at best average (main course, fish), with the dessert a disaster. If your chef doesn't know how to make a brule, don't put it on the menu! Fortunately they were sensible enough not to charge us for it. Give Vanilla a miss.
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NB
Friday, November 10, 2006

Atmosphere fantastic - decor enticing - restaurant a bit pretentious, in that the food presentation was perfect, but the actual cooking was not up to scratch - duck was as tough as old boots. Flavours were good and balanced, but the actual cooking of the meats were not adequate - eg meat requested as medium, turned out rather rare. Wine list showed wines as much grander than they actually were. Nothing was actually bad in any way, but equally, not brilliant. House wines should have been good, but were rather vacuous in taste and depth. Waiter was a little sharp when I didn't like the wine he poured for me to taste, but why pour to taste if he's not prepared to realise that it may not be acceptable? Not a meal I'd pay for myself again! But I think it all may be fine if you've had a handful of cocktails, and someone else pays for you!
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Shaz
Saturday, June 24, 2006

A great bar and restaurant. Staff are friendly and helpul, the cocktails are extremely good and the food's just right. Had a great time there on saturday night, dinner and then fun in the bar and going back for a romantic meal for two tonight. Rock on.
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Sarah
Thursday, June 22, 2006

It was (without doubt) one of the best meals I've had in Brighton. The food was good quality and extremely well put together, the cocktails are excellent and the staff in both the restaurant and the bar were friendly and welcoming. I'd go again.
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Monday, March 27, 2006