Thursday 8 December 2016

LION AND LOBSTER BRIGHTON (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)



When Sunday rolls around and you can't be bothered to cook there is only one thing left to do; head on over to the local pub and get that Sunday roast cooked for you instead. When we discovered that The Lion And Lobster was just a stones throw from our hotel and was indeed serving this traditional British feast we just knew that we had to go and check them out. Painted bright red, Lion and Lobster's quirky exterior is hard to miss. With its traditional cartoon pub sign it really couldn't get any more quintessentially British. Stepping though the door is like stepping back to a time when the pub landlord was king and everyone came down for a sing song and a gossip down at the local boozer.

As we headed around past little snugs and up a flight of stairs to the restaurant area I was pleased that we had booked a table as it was quite the busy. We took our seats and ordered our roasts and within minutes our plates were landing on our table. Service is quick but seeing how popular Lion and Lobster's Sunday sessions looked they have probably got service down like a well oiled machine by now.

So what about the roasts? Well each roast comes with a healthy selection of roast potatoes (soft and fluffy), parsnips (tasty but could of had one or two more!) and Chantenay carrots. Also on the plate were some perfectly cooked broccoli and a well balanced carrot and swede but for me the star veg was the red cabbage. It was beautifully flavored and really stood out amongst all the other offerings. I could of quite happily of eaten a whole plate of the stuff. The whole plate is then smothered with lashings of the most delicious gravy and I endeavored to try and mop up every last drop scooped up off the plate.

For the vegetarians out there; there is a homemade vegetable nut roast. Over the years I've tasted some terrible dry and bland nut roasts but Lion and Lobster's version was soft, moist and packed full fresh nutty flavors. For the carnivores out there you can choose either chicken, beef, lamb to go with your veggies or like me you can go for the pork belly. I suggest you do as not only does it come with a layer or the most crunchy crispy crackling on top but the meat underneath was so juicy and tender. Ask for some apple sauce to with it and you will be in porky paradise!
For the really hungry diner you can add some extras onto your plate starting with a Yorkshire pudding. Ample sized, I would of like them a tad more crispy but for 40p you can't really quibble. The pigs in blankets were scrummy (who says you have to only have them at Christmas!) whilst a particular mention must go to the cauliflower cheese. Becoming more and more popular on Sunday dinner tables around the country, Lion and Lobster's version had amazing little crispy bits of melted cheese on top which housed a delicious sauce which I think had a smidge of nutmeg in it. I can't be sure but whatever is in that sauce, it totally works. 

We had said we were going to have a dessert before we came but we were well and truly stuffed after our fabulous roast. We'll be back another time to try the sticky toffee pudding that's for sure. We headed back down the stairs and through a corridor of old posters of seaside shows and out into the fresh Brighton air to walk off the lunch along the prom. From the approach right through to that walk back out again, Lion and Lobster was a tribute to everything that's great about Britain. The old boozer, Sunday roasts and variety entertainment by the seaside. If you are in Brighton next Sunday and fancy a roast then head on over there for a truly roaring time! 

Make sure you book though! Head on over to Lion and Lobster's website here to do just that and to check out whats going on there during the week too!

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