La Capannina Closes After 37 Years

 

I am very sorry to learn that La Capannina (one of Brighton's best Italian family run restaurants) has closed after 37 years.

The premises is on the market for £350K.

Nature Kitchen Discount

 

I have negotiated a 5% discount on purchases of over £20 of herbs, spices and other seasonings from Nature Kitchen. 

This is a family run, specialist Spice Merchants, based on the wild moors of Cornwall. 

Their extensive range of Herbs, Spices and in-house Spice Blends, Seasonings, Salts & Peppers have been carefully selected over many years of searching and exploring the globe for ultimate tastes and food experiences. 

The products you will find here have been chosen for their qualities, depth of flavour, availability and price. 

To qualify for the 5% discount use this link below and enter the discount code: ThanksToKenFrost on checkout.

https://www.naturekitchenshop.com/discount/ThanksToKenFrost

 

Roasted Parsnip and Potato Soup

 

Ingredients

-parsnips chopped and peeled

-potato peeled and chopped

-garlic

-cumin

-turmeric

-smoked paprika

-coriander

-chilli pepper

-salt/pepper

-olive oil

-chicken stock

Method

-put the parsnips, potato, garlic, cumin and chilli in a roasting pan

-pour over some olive oil

-season

-roast for 30 minutes at 180

-put the ingredients into a saucepan, add stock

-simmer

-blitz

Colonnade Bar Brighton To Close

 

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:

https://help.atgtickets.com/hc/en-gb/requests/new...

 

Beef Stew and Dumplings

 

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.

The Glorious 12th!

 

Brighton Beach Club - Avoid at All Costs!

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!

Greggs The Patisserie

 

Saw an American call Greggs a ‘patisserie’

— Dan Waterfield (@danwaterfield) July 3, 2022

Presenting The £80 Pint!

 

You have to pay for quality 😛 https://t.co/IIKXaYJntj

— Pub Curmudgeon 🌸🍻 (@oldmudgie) June 21, 2022

Just how stupid can people be?

Plans To Let Hospitality Staff Keep Tips Shelved

 

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!)

Don't Drink The Beer at Wembley Stadium!

Who had a pint at @wembleystadium last night #FuryWhyte 🤢🤢🤢 pic.twitter.com/4AKyWfB3I9

— Sabji Hunter (@SabjiHunter) April 24, 2022

Götterdämmerung! - Germany Bans French Fries

 

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)!

 

Happy British Pie Week

 

Casalingo - Valentine's Night

 

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.

The Guinea Grill

 

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, 

Mayfair, 

London, 

W1J 6NL

020 7409 1728