The Chilli Pickle

My partner and i went here last night for out anniversary dinner. it was a surprise for me from him. well we have a lovely greeting but from then on was a nightmere for me! i am not a fussy eater with my food at all but on this occasion my god my korma was terrible. i was going to try and eat it as i felt bad my partner had gone to alot of effort for us to have a nice time and enjoy our time let alone anniversary! they took my korma back which was like plastic taste replaced it with a massala as recommended. replacement it was almost like i was eating italian tomato chicken with rice in an indian there was no indian in the dish at all but the time i got my replacement my partner had finished his meal i had gone past my dinner, they could have offered some nibbles while i waited! the waiter was lovely was not his fault cant fault him but then the manager came over and asked us why we were not happy i explained all above my meal got taken off the menu and the starters we had so only my partners meal and the drink to pay for ok it was a good endeing in some respect but our anniversy only come round once a year i would say it was the meal from hell for me!!!! be warned the curries are not coconut based as normal and you need to quickly say if you want rice as it otherwise comes with a massive naan bread the size of a bike sadle!!
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Lauren
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Thursday, December 15, 2011

Used to go to the Meeting House Lane restaurant which was very good every single time.

I have eaten at the new Jubilee St location twice now. The first time last month was good...a busy Friday night. Attentive staff and delicious food. Unfortunately I went yesterday evening (a Wednesday) and was very disappointed. The service was so slow, they forgot our popadoms and the food was okay but nothing special. Not worth the wait or the price. The crab cakes were tastless, the popadoms were definitely not as good and the tandoori lamb and chicken was disappointing. Am really sad as I took my parents, raving about how incredible it would be, a real experience. Oh dear. What a shame standards have slipped.
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Emma
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Thursday, September 22, 2011

I have reviewed The Chili Pickle before but felt I had to do it again after going there for lunch yesterday..

The best restaurant I have been to in Brighton for tastiness of food, even if the beer is infuriatingly expensive.

I love the way they have the balls to have a restrictive menu but still fit relatively way out dishes like Cherry Tomato Rasam & Dall Vada on the menu. This was an ass kickingly sour starter which my wife and I shared with two spoons. When we next go we are just going to order every starter on the menu.

Yes you can get equally good food cheaper in London, but you can't in Brighton, so unless you want to spend the money and time getting on the train then you will have to accept the odd £6.50 lager.

By the way the lemon chutney was fantastic and I tasted it for the next 5 hours.

A true taste of India.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Spent a lovely evening here on the 2nd July.

The service is attentive, without being intrusive. The food is very good quality, but not your run of the meal Indian. I would not recommend for a romantic occasion as the tables are very close together, but as a get together with friends it really does offer something different..

Go again, yes probably next year, as there are so many other restaurants to try first.
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Sandie
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Friday, July 15, 2011

Me and my wife have been twice and the food is nice but it ain't cheap.

Lets face it, you can't beat London for Indian sub-continent food, be it in the Whitechapel or Southall area, but if you are not going to London for the day just think of the cost of the train fare when you get your bill at The Chilli Pickle.

For me, one of the pleasures of eating in an Indian restaurant is having a few beers with your meal, but six quid a bottle is so expensive that you have to stop at one. They should revise their drinks prices if they want people to stay in the restaurant longer.

Nonetheless, having spent about 7 weeks in India, I must say that The Chilli Pickle is the only place in Brighton with any authentic seasoning and tasty Indian food.
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Andrew Oliver
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Very impressed. Great food and nice range of meantime beers. Oxtail madras was particularly good.
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CA
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, November 22, 2010

A friend and I were here on Saturday. We must have gone on an off night because we were not very happy with the evening.

I wanted to come here because the menu didn't look like your bog-standard curry house fare.

The starters were promising. I had the Vindaloo Sticky Ribs. They were nice and sweet but not sickly. My friend has the pea fritters. She said the coating was nice and crunchy.

The mains were the problem and subsequently the service when I complained. I had the Tandoori Grill. Unfortunately the meat seemed to be overcooked. It was tough and chewy. The kebab lacked any taste. (Was it cheap meat?) When I told the waiter, he just barked that is how it is always served and gave the impression that I should just accept it. I just left most of it. It was inedible and I was a little disappointed with the waiter's off-hand attitude.

My friend had the Moilly seafood pot. She wasn't very happy with the lack of seafood in it. It was bland and not very impressive.

Needless to say, we didn't stay for dessert, paid our bill and left.

Is Chilli Pickle one of the best restaurants in Brighton? No, it's not, based on our own experiences. Poor food and disappointingly impersonal service would not draw me back to this restaurant, sadly.
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Greg
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Monday, November 01, 2010

Can't rate this place highly enough. One of my favourite passtimes now is to take friends who have never been to the Chilli Pickle just to see their reaction and all have left impressed.

The quality of the food is superb, with a strong emphasis on taste. Sounds rather poncy, but I would say that it serves food for the mind as well as the body, as the food becomes the main topic of conversation during the meal.

The service is relaxed, understated, and professional, the staff attentive but not intrusive. They are all knowlegeable about what is served and are happy to answer questions about the various dishes.

Have been here 8-9 times and each meal has been excellent - in my humble opinion, the best restaurant in Brighton.
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Marco
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Is this the best Restaurant in Brighton? Well it must be up there and from my own point of view, after 15 years of trying to find the best food in Brighton, The Chilli Pickle' is the restaurant my family, friends and I have enjoyed the most over a sustained period.

A highlight dish that is so unbelievably excellent that I have forgone the other delights on offer for the last five visits is the Oxtail Madras. Sweet, sticky and generous, this exquisite dish would surely be a contender for 'last meal' of any death row gastronome.

If you can't get in, book and wait till your slot arrives, it's worth it.

Excellent staff, wine list and range of tempting consumables to add to the growing bill make this a great place. They are very good and taking your money but always send you away with a smile on your face.

The gift that keeps giving!
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Rethinkfood - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Monday, June 07, 2010

Ate here on friday lunchtime. The best place to eat indian food in Brighton by far.

Having travelled India for 3 months about 7 years ago it was a pleasure to re-visit the real taste of the country. The fish stew was sublime and the lamb tahli was equaly as good!

If you want amazing indian food then look no further!
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Ben and lucy
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, April 09, 2010