Luxury with your shoes kicked off at Hotel du Vin

Confit duck leg at Hotel du Vin Brighton

Back in the days of the food festival, Hotel du Vin was – quite literally – my office, writes Nick Mosley.

As MD of the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival and Hotel du Vin’s Brighton ambassador, I could be found there banging away on my laptop or in a day of back-to-back meetings, more often than not with a glass or two of Sussex sparkling wine or a Brighton Gin and tonic in hand.

About a decade or so back there was a change of general manager – when unfortunately the relationship went a bit pear-shaped for reasons I still can’t quite fathom – however I’m pleased to relay that things are now very much back on track and with my BITE Sussex hat on we’re planning a Wine and Spirits Festival there this summer and the bar will be joining the line up of Brighton Cocktail Week in November.

My most recent visit however was more much more about pleasure than work; a catch-up with a friend who – as Brighton’s absolutely fabulous version of Edina Monsoon – also enjoyed the heady days of Hotel du Vin. Safe to say we enjoyed an hour and a half of reminiscing and giggles.

Not much has changed with the main bar and lounge area, other than the mural of Brighton’s great and good socialites has been painted over… but then again knocking on 25 years since the property opened its doors, I doubt many would recognise those faces any longer. Even those featured in the painting itself.

Following a pre-lunch gin martini aperitif, we headed to the bistro. A light-filled dining room with a touch of ‘je ne sais quoi’. It being a Tuesday after a bank holiday, it was a little on the quiet side but I guess only to be expected as outside it was blowing a hooley and Ship Street can be a bit of a wind tunnel.

Although it has been more years than I care to remember since I last dined, I recall that the menus had started to get a bit confused and perhaps the hotel group had lost their way a little. With the name of ‘Hotel du Vin’, its really not rocket science to realise that guests are expecting French brasserie style food so I was pleased to see that my old pal, executive head chef Rob Carr, has brought the magic back with hearty, well-cooked dishes from the gallic kitchen. Think chateaubriand sharing steaks, moules marinière, pâtés, oysters, beef bourguignon… although there are lighter options and dietaries are very well catered for.

To start, I had a fresh and uplifting crab and fennel salad. Now I’m a bit funny with crab – primarily because I gorged on so much of it when working in the Channel Islands – but this hit the spot with delightfully sweet and delicate white meat complemented by refreshing salad leaves and fennel with its herby anise punch.

Sautéed wild mushrooms at Hotel du Vin Brighton

My dining partner opted for a more hearty starter of sautéd wild mushrooms in Madeira sauce and sourdough. Priced at £9.95, I’d say that this was easily a lunch dish on its own so I was impressed that she managed to then squeeze in what is possibly the biggest pork chop I’ve ever seen. It was enormous! Although a tad on the dry side for her preference, accompanied by a side of Sussex Camembert mash it was an impressive dish.

My main had to be the confit duck leg. For me, duck is a very close second to rabbit when it comes to game meats, and this dish didn’t fail to impress. The succulent flavoursome flesh fell off the bone; with piles of Lyonnaise style potatoes it was more than a match for my lunchtime appetite so I was glad my partner popped by and finished it off so not a morsel was left.

Blueberry and lemon curd at Hotel du Vin Brighton

For dessert, three spoons dived into a shared blueberry and lemon curd fool that was whipped to within an inch of its life. Light and refreshing, it was the prefect palate cleanser at the close of a very jolly lunch. We dined a la carte so cost-wise it worked out at £35 per head plus wine however there are lots of great value dining deals to be had and are all clearly displayed on the retro-style menu card.

For a speedy lunch or pre-theatre supper, the set three course ‘Formule’ menu is an absolute steal at £19.95 including a glass of wine or beer. Its available every day apart from Sunday lunch and undoubtably is one of the best value restaurant offers in the city.

As a long-time champion of all things local food, drink and tourism, I’m genuinely heartened to see that Hotel du Vin has skin back in the game with accessibly priced menus and impeccably professional – and genuinely friendly – service in a premium yet laidback hospitality environment. The vibe: luxury with your shoes kicked off.

Nick Mosley

Hotel du Vin, 2 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AD

01273 855 221 • www.hotelduvin.com