The New Club has been receiving unfailingly positive reviews – including ours here – since it first opened in March 2013, and with good reason. Its laidback, American coffee-house feel coupled with awesome food, great cocktails, friendly staff and an unbeatable location bang opposite the West Pier has made it the perfect place for all-day dining. The Places I Eat Brighton team – well, most of Brighton – are big fans of its superbly filthy Wednesday night fried chicken special. It just has something for everyone.
Rockstar Margarita – tequila, passionfruit, lime, pink grapefruit and a shot of Prosecco (£8.50)
A few weeks ago, when a Twitter mate Clem sent me The New Club’s newly-launched weekend Supper Club menu, I was on the blower to book a table before I’d even reached the desserts section. Actually, I booked it for two weekends in a row. Well, I had to try pretty much everything, right?
This small and perfectly formed menu, which seems to change every couple of weeks, makes for a mouth-watering read. Chef Tom Griffiths – a true gent – has already gained plenty of fans with his cooking, but here he definitely reveals his more inventive side. Starters such as Hickory pulled pork bomba with burnt apple emulsion and fennel kraut (£6), Tuna sashimi with chipotle mayo, tostadas, avocado and crispy leeks (£7) and Tea-smoked mackerel with pickled quail eggs, crispy onions, sourdough and pickle butter (£7) are playful, beautiful and completely moreish.
Hickory pulled pork bomba with burnt apple emulsion and fennel kraut (£6)
Tea-smoked mackerel with pickled quail eggs, crispy onions, sourdough and pickle butter (£7)
Mains may range from the typical New Club fare – Two (yes, two) dry-aged beef filthy burgers (£12) and Dry-aged organic Herefordshire rib-eye with garlic and buttered thyme (£20) – to the lighter Bag-baked bream fillet and brown butter shrimp with tomato and scallion dressing (£15). On my first visit, my steak was perfectly cooked – charred outside, pink within – the garlicky, herby juices swiftly mopped up with plenty of Truffled parmesan fries. The burgers, as ever, hit the spot.
Spit-roasted half chicken was perfect – crisp skin, succulent, loads of flavour – and came with a huge side of braised chillies, baby courgettes, tomatoes and shallots (£15)
My friend’s Slow-roasted longhorn short rib with dripping trencher (a sort of meaty fried bread – yes please) £15
Mains include one side, which could be the BBQ root veg with manuka honey (so good they’d sold out on my first visit), Marrow-fried potato gnocchi (so good my mate nearly proposed to Tom) and Shredded raw fine salad with citrus candy dressing.
BBQ roast veg with manuka and Marrow-fried gnocchi
On my most recent visit, Tom showed me the next menu he’s working on: how do you fancy House-made salt beef with charred silverskins, mustard and hazelnut mayo and pressed challah toast; Shredded slow-roasted spiced duck with pomegranate and clementines; or Chargrilled fiery monkfish tails with crispy cornflake crayfish and a tomato and citrus bisque?
Desserts are equally tempting and may feature the Doughnut box, Chocolate fudge choux bun with salted caramel or Lime panna cotta with scorched pineapple.
Everything I ate over the last two weekends, washed down with cocktails and prosecco, was so delicious that I rolled out of the New Club both times giddy on a food high. If you haven’t been yet, you’re guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face. Get down there one weekend – and soon.
Words by Suzanne Rose
(Apologies for the poor photos – the lighting was perfect for dinner, not so perfect for photography)
The Weekend Supper Club menu is available every Friday and Saturday from 5.30pm for tables of up to 8 people.
The New Club, 133-134 Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2HH 01273 730 320
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