It is with shock that I read this morning that The Colonnade Bar (which opened in 1806) in Brighton is to close in June 2023.
Seemingly the Theatre Royal (next door) want to have a larger foyer, and have therefore decided that the bar which they rent to the Golden Lion Group must go.
The Colonnade is a listed building.
Full details are available on the Colonnade's Facebook page.
If you feel, as I do, that this is wrong please drop the Theatre Royal a note via this link:
Ingredients
-cubed stewing steak
-chopped onion
-chopped carrots
-thyme
-rosemary
-parsley
-bay leaves
-Bovril
-gravy granules
-hot water
-Worcestershire Sauce
-tomato puree
-flour
-salt/pepper
Method
-Put steak in casserole and dust with flours
-Add all dry ingredients
-Mix hot water, bovril and gravy together and pour over the ingredients (inch covering top)
-Cook in oven at 140 for 2 hours
-Increase temperature to 180 for another 30 minutes
Dumplings
-Mix 8 heaped tablespoons of flour together with 4 heaped tablespoons of suet
-Add cold water and mix into dough
-Roll into 1 inch balls with floured hands
-Add dumplings to stew for the last 20 minutes
Serve with mash.
We last visited Brighton Beach Club in July 2019, and had a very pleasant time.
Sadly, three years on, things have changed for the worst.
Here is a summary of my Tripadvisor review:
Lousy welcome, waiter walked away from us
Placed in an awful part of the terrace by the rusting barriers and facing the road, despite there being better seats available.
Wine list different to online wine list.
No champagne.
Fizzy wine bottle was warm, we rejected it
Waitress then ignored us.
New waiter did his best but told us no white wine, of the quality we wanted, was available.
We left.
Avoid at all costs!
You have to pay for quality 😛 https://t.co/IIKXaYJntj
— Pub Curmudgeon 🌸🍻 (@oldmudgie) June 21, 2022
Just how stupid can people be?
For reasons bets known to itself, the government is shelving plans to ensure that workers keep their tips, despite having first promised to do so six years ago.
Paul Scully, the business minister, announced in September that the government would take action to make it illegal for employers to withhold tips from workers. The plan was designed to prevent restaurants from the increasingly common practice of taking a share of tips rather than passing them on to staff.
The idea had been on the back burner since it was first put forward by Sajid Javid when he was business secretary in 2016.
The FT reports that the legislation would have included a requirement for all employers to pass on tips to workers without any deductions. It would also have laid out a statutory code of practice setting out how tips should be distributed to ensure fairness and transparency.
However, the plan has been dropped “for the foreseeable future”, according to one senior government figure. Ministers had hoped to squeeze it into a proposed employment bill but that legislation has been shelved.
This is not so much a sign that government has it in for hospitality staff, but a sign that it can't manage it's legislative schedule (which is bloody disgraceful!)
Who had a pint at @wembleystadium last night #FuryWhyte 🤢🤢🤢 pic.twitter.com/4AKyWfB3I9
— Sabji Hunter (@SabjiHunter) April 24, 2022
German restaurants and cafes are removing French Fries from their menus, because of the expense and scarcity of vegetable oil.
The solution is of course to fry them in lard (which is actually better for you as it doesn't contain trans fats)!
A very warm and friendly welcome awaits you at Casalingo, one of Brighton's best Italian restaurants.
Located at 29 Preston Street Brighton, Casalingo offers:
"a simple winning formula; fine, fresh ingredients (locally sourced wherever possible), truly authentic recipes, and a genuine taste of social dining, as only Italians know how!
No matter what the occasion, our unique combination of good food and relaxed ambience will complement and enhance your experience.
Casalingo offers a true taste of the Italian food and wines catering for intimate romantic evenings, relaxed business entertainment or fun family gatherings with equal ease. Our attentive, knowledgeable staff will be delighted to help make your evening as enjoyable as possible; and they will be happy to tell you about each authentic dish, so that you can choose from our many dishes with confidence."
Here is a link to the menu.
Eva and I are regulars, and had a fantastic evening there last night (Valentine's Night).
It is well worth visiting.
It has been approximately 16 years since we last went to the Guinea Grill, therefore it was high time for another visit.
"The Guinea is a Mayfair institution; there’s been an Inn on this site since 1423. Our restaurant, the Guinea Grill opened in 1952. We specialise in serving dry aged, grass fed British beef from an open grill. You’ll find a selection of Young’s Ales at the bar and our atmospheric private dining room is perfect for up to 28 people."
I am pleased to say that the ambience, service, welcome and food was every bit as good as it was 16 years ago!
The devilled kidneys were sublime, and the steaks magnificent.
30 Bruton Place,
