The Chimney House in Seven Dials is serving up an eclectic mix of East meets West, with plenty of fun and loads of serious flavour. Recently The Chimney House has been taken on by the culinary crew at The Cleveland Arms Brighton, and the chef has brought all his favourites along with him.
Plenty of Fun in the Sun This Summer
The Chimney House is a bit of a Brighton institution, known for its exceptional roasts, family-friendly atmosphere and plenty of outdoor seating, just perfect for summertime drinks in the sun.
When you step inside, their ‘front and centre’ bar is filled with delicious local ales and lagers and plenty of cider and soft drink options. The wine list has something for everyone from dry rosé to rich Malbec and an impressive selection of organic and natural wines ready to keep the whole crew happy.
Cocktails and Tipples to Delight Every Taste Bud
If you’ve read pretty much any of my blogs you’ll know that I love a cocktail or two, and I can’t turn down a tequila-based tipple, so The Chimney House’s Paloma was just what the doctor ordered. Zesty, tart citrus-delicious with plenty of kick, it’s just how I like it.
My date ordered a slightly sweeter Bee’s Knees which was a seasonal sensation. A martini glass rimmed with a bit of honey, gin, and fresh lime juice; on a hot day it was an instant winner.
For our first course, we ordered a healthy portion of the famous Chimney House Babaganoush, topped with pickled walnuts and fresh coriander. The unctuous dip is served with folded flatbreads, perfect for scooping up mouthfuls of rich, creamy aubergine topped with the delightful crunch of walnut and a fresh pop of coriander.
Tasty and Tender Pig Cheek Tacos? Yes please!
Next up was my favourite dish of the night, the delicious melt-in-your-mouth confit pig cheek tacos. Confit pigcheek is rich, moist and flavoursome, and this dish was the perfect way to use an often overlooked cut. The hand-pressed corn tortillas were the ideal vessel, just thick enough to hold together, while still being soft and delicate, yum.
A true taco needs a bit of freshness to make it fabulous. The Chimney House salsa roja with pickled onion gave just that – a flavour-favourite that made this Californian heart happy.
Private Dining and Bespoke Buffets
As we awaited our second course we chatted to our friendly waitress about private hire options. Did you know they even offer a full buffet menu? It’s true! They also offer bespoke menus for clients with a particular meal in mind. Both the restaurant and bar, and upstairs private function room can be booked and are ideal for birthdays, weddings, or any other celebration where fab food and drink is needed. Location-wise, you couldn’t do better as it’s close to the station, but away from the hoards, hustle and bustle.
Next up, our moreish main course!
My lovely friend Alanna ordered the Blackened Sea Bream with mango and jalapeno salsa, rice & peas. A huge piece of beautifully blackened sea bream covered in spices and charred to a rich deep brown came topped with an uplifting mango salsa that brought freshness to every mouthful. Well-seasoned rice and peas were topped with spring onion and served with a cooling salad and lightly pickled cucumber slices.
Well hello there Mutton Curry, fancy seeing you here?
One thing The Chimney House chef knows for sure is how to pack in the flavour and make meat tender. Served ‘Thali style’ each flavourful element of this dish had its own ramekin, ideal for dipping and mixing, and making your own perfect bite.
The mutton curry had an almost Mexican mole level of depth, tender chunks of melt-in-your-mouth mutton covered in a rich sauce and topped with fresh chilli and coriander. The curried potato was filling and creamy, made with plenty of spices and just enough bite to tingle the taste buds. Alanna’s favourite was the squash and dhal puri which reminded her of her trip to Guyana, an indo-caribbean flavour mash-up for your mouth.
From fresh pressed corn tortilla tacos to rich and robust curry, the flavours were full and so were our tums! A big thank you to the team at The Chimney House for having us and we will see you again real soon!
