The Meadow

Thought I'd put my pennysworth about this restaurant, as my wife usually does the reviews. Went for Sunday lunch on 29th June and can honestly say this is the best roast I've eaten in a restaurant for years, if not ever. After the usual warm welcome and a couple of chilled Tio Pepes on the comfy sofa, we moved on to our favourite window table. After enjoying the warm home made bread, we then shared an asparagus, poached quails eggs and pink grapefruit hollandaise starter. After a suitable break, we had one roast beef with home made horseradish sauce and one roast pork. The beef was a bit on the rare side on the inside of the slices for me, but then it usually is, as I'm an old fashioned bloke who likes my meat mullered. However, my wife happily took the rare bits, and I ate the more cooked beef.

We shared the pork, crunchy crackling and apple sauce between us. Looking at the brilliant goose fat roast potatoes (beautifully crisp on the outside, soft and melting inside), their size (enormous!) and my slavering chops, my wife wisely decided that she would only have one and that I should have the other three. I then generously allowed her some of the yorkshire pudding! We also had baby carrots and cabbage. All the meal was extremely tasty, and the beef was melt in the mouth. We had to ask for extra gravy, as one it was so good, and two, we're gravy fiends! My favourite restaurant in Brighton, as we told Gina and Roz (made sure we found out their names this time). Roz told us that they are planning to open a shop soon, selling home made bread, pickles, jams etc and also produce from their suppliers. We liked the restaurant bread so much we bought two loaves from them, one white, one brown.

Incidentally, they are so proud of their suppliers and their quality products that they list them on cards on the tables in the restaurant, so that you know exactly where your meal's ingredients are sourced. How many places in Brighton do that? We wish them every success in their ventures, they deserve it!
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Bill Bond
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Returned yesterday (14th June) for a second visit after too long a delay, happily clutching the Argus voucher - two main courses for the price of one. On arrival we were welcomed warmly by a lovely Greek lady, (sorry we didn't find out her name), who actually remembered us from our one previous visit, without prompting!

Seating ourselves on a lovely squashy sofa, we decided to have a drink before lunch and had two Tio Pepes whilst perusing the menu. The drinks proportion was generous and nicely chilled, although I still chose to have ice in mine.

Both the set lunches and a la carte appealed, but we finally decided to go a la carte. Munching on the delicious complementary warm crusty bread (home made we think), and sipping a very nice Chilean merlot (raspberries to all those wine snobs out there) we ordered the goats cheese, beetroot and aparagus starter to share. It was very tasty, and plenty for us to share without spoiling our appetite for the main courses. After a requested fifteen minute break, our mains arrived.

Loin of middle white pork with creamy mash, roasted shallots and spinach, and pan fried guinea fowl accompanied with asparagus, crushed new potatoes and jus. Again, we shared our main courses, and apart from wishing we both had a little more jus/gravy and a slight problem with one of the pieces of guinea fowl (a bit bloody inside), everything was extremely flavoursome, with a special mention for the moist and tender pork, and very little remained on our plates at the end.

We then, after another much needed break, had a wonderful chocolate concoction with coconut ice cream and coffee sauce. Bliss! Incidentally, we entered the restaurant at 12 and were the first to arrive. By the time we left it was buzzing with people. Having had the nous to purchase two Friday Argus's, it won't be very long before we return to have some more gorgeous food in bright and pleasant surroundings.
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Anne Bond
Sunday, June 15, 2008

Dined at The Meadow restaurant last night and had a really good evening. The food was fantasitic as was the service. Had a fantastic cured salmon starter followed by duck, finishing off with the earl grey pannacotta. Really was spot on! Will be back soon.
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Saturday, April 19, 2008

I ate here last week. It wasn't very full but the waitress was friendly and I loved the clean, white decor and huge sunny windows that made me feel that I was on my hols (I wasn't!). Really good fresh pea soup, then I had bream; not the hugest of portions but gave me enough room for a lemon posset (yummmmm) and couldn't believe 3 courses came to only £14. Granted I had no wine, but the waitress even gave me a jug of tap water without trying to force me to buy into the plastic bottled stuff...Admirable ethos at this place too...definitely on my list of faves!!
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Kim
Sunday, April 06, 2008

Hmm, are the people with the reviews below going to the same restaurant? Every time I have been to this place I have an amazing meal, my favourites being the pork and mango salad which is fabulous, the dauphonise potatoes and the Sunday roasts! The atmosphere is always friendly too with the girls in there always really nice! I love this place and will definitely be going back!
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Visited The Meadow a couple of weeks back for a sunday roast, had a quite different expierence from the review below. The beef was a little fatty but I don't mind that so much as it tends to help the flavour in my opinion, all the trimmings were spot on, even asked for some extra roast potatoes as they were so yum!

Followed with the rhubarb crumble which looked and tasted really good, my friend had the peanut parfait with chocolate mousse likewise very tasty.
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Clair
Monday, February 11, 2008

I'm very surprised from the comment made on Sunday. Me and my family went to the Meadow on Sunday week ago. The reastaurant was almost full and atmosphere was very pleasant and informal. The roast beef was beautiful /we think the best in town/. The front of the house was very helpful, attentive and sweet to our children. We all enjoyed it very much and we will be back for Mothers day.
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Mike
Monday, February 11, 2008

When booking for Sunday lunch we were assured that the Meadow served the best Sunday roast in Brighton. If that were the case, I wouldn't fancy eating one elsewhere!

There were only 6 other diners although we were assured it was normally packed. (I notice that other reviewers have also commented on how few diners there were.) When we ordered 4 roast beef dinners the waitress joked that the kitchen could probably just about cope.

The beef was disappointing - riven with fatty sinews and lacking in taste. The roast potatoes had seen better days - leathery on the outside, dry on the inside. Should have tried Aunt Bessie's - as with the Yorkshire puddings. The veg and gravy were fine - very nice red cabbage.

Rhubarb crumble dessert was very nice.

No atmosphere and pretty impersonal service. Though as they had nothing much to shout about that's not surprising.

I know it's becoming the fashion, and we could have deducted it, but I find it presumptious to have 10% service added to the bill as a matter of course - particulalrly when they don't have the reputation behind them to warrant this.
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Laura McNeill
Sunday, February 10, 2008

Very nicely decorated establishment but totally lacking in atmosphere not helped by staff with no rapport or personality.

The food was mediocre at best and as the steak was not available the menu was also restricted. The chocolate fondant was the star of the show but spoilt by salty ice cream. Not worth a return visit.
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Michael
Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Had a jolly first visit for Saturday lunch (20/01/2008). We went fully intending to take advantage of the three courses for £14.00 each, or even the two courses for £11.00 that we were unaware of until arrival at the restaurant. However, after a cold glass of Tio Pepe each, we couldn't resist the a la carte menu. We opted to share two main courses between us, something we tend to do a lot. We'd initially had a warm welcome from the waitress who sat us at a table for two. When we told her our cunning plan, she smilingly suggested moving us to a table for four, so that we could more easily share the food. This we did, and were very impressed with the organic chicken and suckling pig deep crust pie, and the slow roasted shoulder of pork and fillet pork. One came accompanied by neeps and tatties and the other by buttered greens. We also ordered a side portion of dauphinoise potatoes. Although all the portions were on the small side, and rather pricey, everything tasted top notch and was cooked just this side of perfection. The only slight criticism we could find was that one end of the fillet was slightly overdone. The waitress also guided us from a more expensive white wine to a cheaper one, (a very rare experience!)as we'd wanted dry, and she advised us that our first choice was a bit fruity and not as dry as her suggestion. She was spot on, it went very well with the delicious food and it slid down a treat. I hope that they make a go of it - they so deserve to; lovely people, great ambience and brilliant food. A Brighton/Hove oasis in a sea of mediocrity.
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Anne Bond
Monday, January 21, 2008