Due South
our comments
Mother’s Day lunch is perhaps not the ideal day to try a restaurant (but not as bad as Valentine’s Day). We got their early to secure one of the few window seats, because eating at the back is a bit like eating under a railway arch, although I’m sure its not so gloomy at night. Unfortunately the usual main course grilled fish of the day, at a reasonable £12.50 had been replaced with a whole Dover sole at £25 a pop. A shame. Potted shrimp starter was a bit heavy on the butter and the shrimps didn’t have the strength to fight through. If I’d had my eyes shut, I would not have been convinced they were there at all and thought I was just munching my way through a pot of Lurpak. The bread had been toasted to a severe crispness; it could have done with a soft centre. Quite impossible to spread the potted shrimp onto without a shattering crash and fragments going everywhere. A plate of home made feta with the increasingly trendy Puy lentils was far better, the feta far less salty than the stuff beloved of Greek restaurants and the lentils cooked just right. A plate of oysters, priced singly so that you could order as many or as few as liked was a nice touch, and benefited from a spicy dressing. It being lunch and Mother’s Day the two mothers I was with, one mine the other my wife, both had roasts –lamb and beef. My mother raved about her tender beef and it was indeed very good. Even the roast potatoes got approval. The locally sourced lamb made a good roast too, although the red cabbage was wickedly acidic. My lamb’s liver with a garlicky mash benefited from a splash of strong green kale, an underused vegetable that, like Swiss Chard, earns its place in the English vegetable plot by being virtually indestructible. So full marks for good use of British produce and thankfully not a tasteless Kenyan green bean in sight. Good as my liver was, I do wish I’d had the fish soup which looked gorgeous. I suppose the thought of soup as a main course put me off; maybe they should call it stew because it certainly looked more like one when I saw one going past. Puds were fine, a nice honey tart had a decadent splash of Calvados cutting through the sweetness and some smooth ice cream topping it off. Due South has all the right attitude to its menu and sourcing policy and its prices are reasonable. Recommended.NH - March 2005
your comments review this restaurant
I just ate at Due South for the first time in ages- wow! They have really taken it up a level recently. The local food angle is still big- but I guess it is getting to the point where it's big everywhere these days- but now the actual food is far more sophisticated and adventurous. And, judging from what we ate, it works. The staff were lovely too and made a couple of good wine recommendations. We had a great time and will not leave it so long between visits this time.
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Jennie B
Friday, June 27, 2008
I recently revisited Due South restaurant in June on my birthday with two friends. It was a special occasion and we wanted to go somewhere really 'special' and make it a real birthday treat. The last time I went on my birthday two years ago it was fantastic, food, service and location left me believing it was the best restaurant in Brighton so I was very excited about going back and reliving the experience.
Unfortunately, this time it was a huge disappointment. At some point in the last two years they must have changed management or the chef. The food was 'nouveau cuisine' and extremely small portions, I paid extra for the seafood platter which had the most minute portions of seafood in each corner on a lovely piece of slate. My main course was sea bass but it was the smallest portion I have ever been served in a restaurant. My friends had steak and it was not cooked to their requirements, both steak dishes turned up rare, I know my friends did not complain because it was my birthday and ate it out of politeness.
There really is no excuse for such small portions of food when there is so much competition in Brighton. There were three of us and it was £40 a head and I do not think we got any value for money with the meal and I really wish I had chosen somewhere else to go that night. I always thought of 'Due South' as primarily a seafood restaurant but there was not much choice on the menu, instead they had things like pigeon which seem two a penny if you look out of the window. It has really gone down in my estimations, the only plus point they have is the location and the service was okay but then okay at that price is not nearly enough.
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Louise Brooks
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Visited on a breezy summers day for an late lunch, what a treat!. Starting with a dozen oysters and a elderflower cocktail while my boyfriend gorged himself on
the homemade pork scratchings (not to my taste but apparently according to him srumptious!).
We shared a portion of squid with blackcurrant - not a pairing you find too often but the tastes compliment each other - sort of sweet and sour - and a beautiful sea bass with homemade chips.
Was so full that didn't think i had room for pudding but when i saw the next tables portion of ice cream i had to have some myself!
Superb location for people watching (oh the sites to behold - anything goes in brighton) and the staff were lovely. We will be back!
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Trudi Wyligen
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
After a disappointing evening visit in winter, I was still so tempted by the menu and the setting that we tried again this weekend, a lovely summer lunchtime.
Staff friendly, and relocated us from a pokey corner in the back of the upstairs room to a sunny outdoor table when one came free, without being asked.
Food though was poor value. Starter of broad bean pate and a feta pate was lovely as was a "garden" salad with fantastic dressing.
Unfortunately my main course's "radish and pea shoot" salad was exactly the same. The waitress could have tipped us off. With the salad came a "filo and asparagus tart" which was not a tart at all but a piece of filo pastry topped with (delicious) asparagus and far too much hollandaise sauce, which drowned the salad. It was insubstantial and lacking in protein.
I liked my partner's dish - polenta with a blue cheese sauce - but he thought it boring.
A hit was the vanilla rice pudding but the delicacy of its flavours were overwhelmed by some sort of preserved cherry. Sussex wine, from Plumpton, was great.
Overall, a disappointment. Too dear.
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Amazing food, location & service. Perfect place for a special occasion or just a long lingering lunch in the sunshine. Fish so fresh it tastes like its jumped out of the sea on to your plate while the desserts give Heston a run for his money.
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Rebecca
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
OK, not great. Pricey, small portions.
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
I took my boyfriend to Due South Monday 28th for his Birthday.The Waitress who greeted and seated us was polite and friendly. After about 10 mins our drink order was taken and a stunning bottle of wine bought to our table, the price was £50 and I think overpriced for the wine itself.
For our starter we ordered garlic bread and olives, the olives came swiftly, the garlic bread took a further 25 mins to arrive, I expected it to be delicious for the amount of time it took to arrive.
What was presented to us was french stick toasted and covered in butter, no garlic could be tasted. It looked like something a bad 80s pizzeria would serve.
We asked for it to be replaced by garlic bread, the waitress took it away and returned 10 mins later with our mains, this frustrated us as we were still waiting for our starter of garlic bread.
The mains were a great dissapointment, I had conger eel that was swimming in oil and my bf had pork. The eel was overpowered by the slab of grissly pancetta, while my bfs pork was dry and overcooked. The hand cut chips looked like they had been re-heated and tasted very greasy.
When I went to the toliet I could see 5 chefs in the kitchen, what were they doing!!!!
On my return we were presented with a complimentary dish from the kitchen, the bass was lovely, the potato that came with it was way to cold and spoiled the bass.
Due South needs to work on flavours that compliment each other and work on the speed of the food to the table.
We only paid for our wine and water as the manager apologised for the food. I was very dissapointed and will not return to Due South, if this is the quality of the flagship retaurant it makes me worry about their other restaurants and has put me off from trying those as well.
When we left we had to go to another restaurant for food as we were hungry.
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mooks
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
I visited Due South for the first time, last Friday lunchtime. I had booked a table online, which was a simple easy process.
We had a choice of eating inside or out, and chose the upstairs area with a view of the sea. We didn't have a table at the window, when we arrived, but when a couple left, were given the option to move which I thought was very accomodating.
The menu was interesting and innovative, I chose eel, and my mum had pollock and chips, which she had spied on someone else's table! The staff made an effort to check that they still had it and secured the last fish for her.
The portions were generous and, my mother raved about her pollock, a big compliment from someone who is quite particular about their food.
The eel, was well cooked and served with a delicious thick bacon slice. The wines were well chosen, a Muscadet and a Jurancon.
Staff were attentive, but not overly so, and I would definitely recommend it to friends. Relaxed, warm and friendly, with people who enjoy and care about good food and wine.
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Lisa M
Monday, April 28, 2008
fantastic food, wine and service keep up the good work
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Friday, March 21, 2008
I love the site and the interior.
We sat upstairs in the prime position overlooking the sea. Problem was it was a cold windy evening and there was a chilly draught which they could do nothing about.
Service was quite slow probably because they take alot of care over the food which I dont mind. The food was good but not excellent. Wine also good but not excellent.
The bill was £92 for two people for two courses only.
I think this is expensive for what they offer.
I would not eat there again a la carte in the evening but I would go again for lunch or on a special deal most probably in the summer.
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Sunday, March 16, 2008
