La Maison Du Vin

On the face of it the East Street venue is quite clearly a wine bar – its walls are lined with shelves offering more than 120 European wines, with a focus on France and Italy.

But hidden at the back of the venue is a beautiful and intimate restaurant space, expanding the seating enough to feed between 50 and 60 covers.

The extensive bar has a wide range of cocktails on offer – including some homemade signature specialities, such as Green Eyes, Two Italian To Be French and When Milan Met Deli using Italian spirits Aperol and Campari.

And the food menu stretches all day, from breakfasts between 10am and 1pm, to lunches, pre-theatre dishes, an extensive three-course dinner menu, platters and a French take on tapas coined as Bistrotapas.

Manager Marco Campisi describes the venue as a “wine bar, bistro, cocktail bar and French restaurant” – adding to Como’s Italian brasserie in Market Street, and Italian restaurant in Ship Street, and the Spanish Vinos y Tapas in Preston Street.

“The menu offers almost everything,” he says.

“We have different audiences – families in the afternoon, young people in the evening, especially as East Street gets busy after 10pm with the clubs.

“We want to create something different.”

Formerly Kaydee’s Place, La Maison Du Vin has replaced the bright orange and terracotta colour scheme with a tasteful grey and black bistro feel.

In the main bar area, the chairs are black leather or comfy sofas, with round wooden tables, while the restaurant area is slightly more formal, with places laid out for sit-down meals.

The music changes throughout the day to suit the venue’s different moods, starting with light French jazzy sounds building to appropriate pre-clubbing tunes as the night wears on.

The venue also has a Sunday evening live music session.

At the heart of the menu is the Bistrotapas selection, which includes deep-fried calamari, breaded melted brie with cranberry, homemade mushroom croquettes and prawns in garlic and white wine sauce. They are all £4.50 each, or £12 for three, which are served on a wooden platter to share.

“The tapas combines well with a glass of wine or cocktail,” says Campisi. “It can also be in place of a starter.

“We wanted it to have a French touch – there’s nowhere else that you can find something like this.

“It is all about sharing – the platters [of charcuterie, fruit de mer, cheese and vegetables] have the same function.”

The French and European influences come through in a choice of croques – toasted ham and cheese sandwiches – and fougasse – folded pizza focaccia bread – and a largely French evening menu, offering a mix of fish, meat and vegetable dishes.

A sommelier is on hand to help choose from La Maison Du Vin’s extensive wine list.

“We want to offer different wines,” says Campisi. “We have noticed that people just go for what they know. Sometimes people are a bit scared about wines.

“Our sommelier can explain to customers all the features of each wine and suggest combinations with specific dishes.”

The Mon Aperitif menu, which runs from 4pm to 7pm on weekdays and 6pm on Sundays, offers certain cocktails at two for £10 and all bistrotapas at £1 each with every glass of wine or cocktail.

And there are lunch and pre- theatre menu options available from noon to 6pm, offering two courses for £7.95 or three courses for £9.95.

• La Maison Du Vin, in East Street, Brighton, is open daily from 10am to midnight. For more information, visit www.maisonvin.co.uk or call 01273 726006