Different Venue, Same DNA
When one of the hottest duos in Brighton’s restaurant scene opens a new venue, it’s big news. And that was certainly the mood when Stem opened six months ago. It’s the second venue from the team behind Dilsk: Maddy Riches and chef Tom Stephens.
On paper, Stem in Hove is a completely different proposition. Dilsk is fine dining: tasting menus, exceptional local produce, thoughtful wine pairings and understated elegance.
Stem, meanwhile, is a contemporary listening bar with a menu designed for sharing, seasonal cocktails and rotating exhibitions from local contemporary artists. The room reads cool.
Yet despite the differences, you can feel Tom and Maddy’s signature running through both. It’s in the attention to detail, the warmth of hospitality and a commitment to food done exceptionally well.
The Kids Can Come Too
I was thrilled to be invited to try Stem’s new BBQ Sunday menu. But my husband was working, leaving me flying solo with our tribe.
Dining out with the kids is definitely getting easier as they get older (the youngest is nine), but it’s still not without its challenges. What makes life easier is a menu that nobody is going to complain about. That alone, let me tell you, is no mean feat.
What You’ll Love
- Slow-cooked BBQ classics with Stem’s signature attention to detail
- Comfort-food sides you’ll fight over
- A relaxed Sunday atmosphere
- Great cocktails and thoughtful low/no alcohol options
- Family-friendly dining without compromising on quality
A Yes Day (Sort Of)
When I saw the menu, I knew it was going to be a winner. A small selection of mouth-watering BBQ mains for sharing (or not, depending on your appetite), alongside Stem-style soul-food sides.
For once, I stepped back and let the kids order.
We started with a half rack of baby back ribs glazed in a cola BBQ sauce, rich, sticky and falling off the bone. The sweetness was balanced by lightly pickled red and spring onions scattered over the top.
A half-roasted beer can chicken was fantastically juicy, steamed as it roasted and finished over coals for extra depth of flavour.
My youngest is a steak fan, so there was also a perfectly cooked bavette served medium rare with a jug of mellow, silky peppercorn sauce.
Alongside came smashed Jersey Royals with jalapeño mayo and BBQ corn, which caused a bit of argy-bargi (note to self – two portions next time). The smoked mac and cheese was a comfort-food masterclass, all the oozy loveliness you’d expect but with a deep savoury smokiness running through it. Between us, we polished off the lot.
The One That Got Away
What the children didn’t order – and where perhaps I should have been more assertive – was the hispi cabbage with miso glaze, nori and toasted seeds.
The chef brines the cabbage before freezing it, then roasts it over coals. It looked completely delicious.
What was I doing letting the children order? What do they know?
The Great Dessert Debate
I’ll tell you what they do know: never share pudding. On their insistence, we had one each, despite being stuffed.
Sticky toffee ice cream sandwiches were an instant crowd-pleaser, delivering all the familiar flavours in a lighter, more playful form. Meanwhile, my eldest and I opted for fresh strawberries with basil sorbet and elderflower crème because, frankly, who can resist strawberries at this time of year?
The kids downed glass after glass of Karma Cola and lemonade while I started with a wonderfully refreshing non-alcoholic Sober Pilot, a sherbet-bright combination of lime and cherry. Later, the team recommended a glass of Sébastien Besson Beaujolais Villages – organically grown, juicy and light enough to cut through the richness of the BBQ. It absolutely did the trick.
BBQ Sundays Tick All the Boxes
On Friday and Saturday nights, Stem brings the party. On Sundays, it offers something equally appealing: the chance to settle in and enjoy a brilliant meal with the family, recover from a late night out with friends, or both. Next time we’ll order more, not less, and stay longer maybe. (Especially if the kid to parent ratio leans more in my favour.)
It’s time to go, kids. Everybody happy? Oh yes indeed.
