Foodie Friday - Jamie's Italian in Brighton

Can I be forgiven for having abandoned Jamie's Italian for a while? Brighton is always full of new places and I must admit it's been a few years since I paid them a visit.

On Friday last I returned with my Welsh One, to where we had gone for our first meal together. This time we were back to try Jamie's Super Lunch Deal, served Mon - Fri, 12 - 6. It was 5:30 pm and we had arrived for an early tea and the restaurant was unsurprisingly quiet.

Outside the sun was beaming down but we had decided to chill with the still and take our seats inside. Upon reading the menu it soon became clear that the prices were pretty darn good. For two courses of either a starter and main or main and dessert the price was a healthy £11.95. Three courses was not much more at the fantastically affordable £13.95.

Looking around the interior it had a familiar, comfortable American diner feel to it. My Welsh One and I sat in a cosy little booth and I tried to decide what to order. I was torn between three; Gennaro's Chicken Club, JI's Caesar Salad and the Wild Garlic Spaghetti. For W it was easy, skirt steak and frites all the way and hold the red cabbage, except it was included so that I could try it.

For starters, the decision was a much easier one for me to make, Evesham asparagus, parmesan and fried egg came top of my list. I love asparagus and despite having stocked up at home with fresh and jarred varieties, I was still keen to try Jamie's version. W had Fritto Misto, of fish and squid fried in fennel-spiced flour with lemon aioli. After waiting for the obligatory photo to be taken, we both agreed the Fritto Misto tasted deliciously light and crisp. My asparagus and egg tasted fresh and full of flavour and was the perfect sized starter. In contrast to the lightness and delicacy of the flavours, the plates were impressively weighty. I think Jamie's design team must have read the book and bought the t-shirt about Jedi mind tricks and the psychology of heavy crockery.

Fritto Misto

Asparagus and egg

With the starters speedily devoured and after much deliberation, I chose the Wild Garlic Spaghetti. Arriving on yet more heavily bottomed plates, what stood out for me was the freshness of the pasta. The combination of wild garlic pesto, green beans and potatoes with pasta was absolutely delicious. The amount was perfectly filling without feeling oversized. My Welsh One found his steak with garlic butter and frites perfectly cooked and it all disappeared.

Wild Garlic Spaghetti

Steak and Frites

Meanwhile, I kept noticing people disappearing upstairs. Familiar with the layout, I knew that there was an upper dining area but it seemed strange to seat people up there when it was so quiet in the main dining space. I brushed the thought away as dessert considerations took over.

I was too full to eat anymore, but luckily I had W to help me out. To my surprise he chose the chocolate brownie with ice cream, even though he often tells me he's not a big fan of chocolate. Unsurprisingly, silence descended on the table as he ate the whole plate of delicious brownie, rich chocolate sauce, salted caramel popcorn ice cream and caramelised popcorn, without leaving a spoonful.

With no room left for dessert, our waitress suggested another option for me, a dessert cocktail. In fact a tiramisu cocktail. In moments a chocolatey boozie drink arrived in a martini glass. Lighter than a dessert with an alcohol kick, the combination of Bacardi Gold, Amaretto, Frangelico, Kahlua and Kimbo espresso shaken up with double cream and topped with Amoretti was a great way to finish the meal.

It was time to think of leaving, so I headed upstairs to the ladies. Then I remembered about the disappearing diners. When I reached the first floor no one was there, but I noticed an open door at the far end of the room. Outside I could see late afternoon sunshine still beaming down and I walked across towards it. Peeking outside I soon found out where all the people had gone, on either side of the doorway tables were packed with diners on a sun-drenched rooftop terrace. Lesson learned next time I'm not stopping inside if I can help it.

Jamie's Italian Brighton, 11 Black Lion Street, Brighton BN1 1ND

If barbecued meat is more your thing then check out my review of Jamie's London restaurant Barbecoa.

Buon appetito

Sarah xx