Sunday, 18 July 2010

Rasa, Little East Street, Brighton

I've been a few times to this place as its one of only 2 Indian restaurants in Brighton that my anglo-pakistani wife will deign to eat in - the other one being Eastern Eye on London Road. Admittedly I've not taken her to Chilli Pickle yet, ecause she's not been good enough.

This is one of a small chain of violently pink painted restarants serving S Indian food. Its on 2 floors and can get packed at the weekend. My last visit was with the 3 GOGs and a friend visiting from Cornwall where good indian restaurants are as rare as non-related Redruthians (joke!).

We all went for a mixture of starters such as dosas and pickles (the lemon pickle is excellent) and had a right old fish, prawn, veggie and lamb main course extravanganza. The menu is reassuringly short, the ingredients and spicing fresh and subtle, the service courteous if a bit quirky at times. Beer is the usual suspect lagers. [WHY CAN'T INDIAN RESTAURANTS SERVE INDIAN PALE ALE?]. The lassis are good as well. Excellent value - about £20 / head and great time had by all.
5 out of 5 (the first time ever!)
http://www.rasarestaurants.com/UserPages/Viewrestaurantdetails.aspx?restid=46

Pho, Black Lion Street, Brighton

Its a huge barn of a place next to Jamie Olivers gaff. I went once at the weekend and it was heaving, but on a Tuesday night during the World Cup, it was v quiet.
This is one of a chain of 4 vietnamese noodle bars. One of us 3 grumpy old gits had spent a bit of time in nam fighting Charlie and spending time in the famous vietcong tunnels so he knew what he was ordering. Pho is a noodle soup with meat, prawns or veg innit. You get some 'erbs and chilli oil to chuck in as well. Pretty basic, filling soup that the vietnamese eat for breakfast, lunch and tea. There's also curry and a few other dishes on the menu. The beer is all lager style beer from Vietnam or Laos. The S vietnam beer is drier and just about drinkable. The staff are that new winning (for the owners) mixture of young western totty waitresses and authentic ethnics in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the coffee strained through the bladder of a weasel had run out. Perhaps the weasel had gone to bed. Shame.
And when we ordered a 2nd beer it was room temperature. The waitresses response to our protestations was to suggest she put it in an ice bucket. Ha!
Reasonable value, OK but not mind blowing food.

3 out of 5

http://www.phocafe.co.uk/locations/brighton