The Salt Room Kings Road, Brighton, 01273 929488

IT may be tucked away from Brighton’s main avenues in Boyces Street, but Razak Helalat’s The Coal Shed has built an impressive word-of-mouth reputation over the last three-and-a-half years.

And today sees Helalat officially launch its sister seafront restaurant The Salt Room, which sees The Coal Shed’s much loved Josper charcoal-grilled steaks joined by a seafood menu ranging from seasonal catches to grilled lobster.

“We had been turning away so many customers from The Coal Shed,” says general manager Dariush Tamadon-Nejad.

“There was a gap in the market for a high-quality steakhouse –the fantastic combination of the charcoal grill, high quality meat and a chef who knew what he was doing. The original idea was to find a bigger site for The Coal Shed.”

Those plans changed when Raz was offered the former Bar 106 attached to Brighton Hilton Metropole. He saw the potential for a seafront seafood restaurant with a great view over the West Pier. The builders moved in to transform the space on December 1, and handed over the keys last week to a space which is set to revolutionise the city’s seafront food scene.

The restaurant, which serves modern British seafood with a twist, has 84 covers, including a 12-seat private dining section. There are plans to add a further 55 covers on a long outside terrace in the summer.

The Salt Room’s look is crisp and clean, with exposed brick arches dominating the centre of the space, intimate small tables and chairs neatly spaced out all illuminated by the light streaming in from the picture windows looking out over the sea.

Presiding over the kitchen is head chef Dave Mothersill, who has made his mark in the city working for The Ginger Pig in Hove Street, Hotel Du Vin in Ship Street and The Cuthbert in Freshfield Road, Brighton, as well as The Coal Shed.

“I have this phrase, ‘service with casual excellence’,” says Tamadon-Nejad. “It’s relaxed, charming and very friendly, but also knowledgeable. The staff know the menu and the service is spot on. We want to create and environment which looks great, with food and service to match. Consistency is high on the agenda.”

Behind the bar – which can seat 16 for pre- or post-dinner drinks – is Alex Palumbo who learned his trade with London’s Hakkasan Group and at Zuma in Knightsbridge.

The drink selection has been developed to complement the fish menu, offering aperitifs, cocktails and a range of gin and tonicas – a European favourite which sees each drink served in a balloon glass with a spice which matches the botanical make-up of the gin.

The restaurant currently offers set lunch and pre-theatre menus from £12.50, and hosts BYO Mondays, where for a corkage fee of £5 per bottle diners can bring their own wine.

There are plans to introduce a supper club and change the menu every couple of months according to the seasons.

“This has been a huge learning curve,” admits Helalat.

“Everyone always says the step from opening your first restaurant to opening your second is the biggest, but this feels like we got the second and third out of the way already!

“I think everyone has been overwhelmed by the design and the feel of this place. Brighton has been crying out for something like this – the reaction has been so positive.”

Essential info

Open daily noon to 4pm and 6pm to 10.30pm. Visit saltroom-restaurant.co.uk

Sample Menu

Starters

  • Fish soup from £7
  • Clams, dashi, lemon and seaweed £9
  • Lobster and shellfish cocktail £12
  • Crispy pig’s cheek, nasturtium root, fermented apple and radish £8
  • Salt baked and smoked beetroot, goat’s curd, cocoa nibs and blood orange £7

Mains

  • Roast halibut, braised oxtail, parsley root and mushroom tea £20
  • Sussex cod, braised octopus, sea herbs and shellfish bouillon £17
  • Venison haunch, chocolate, roast figs, turnips and broccoli £19
  • Cauliflower cheese, yellow chanterelles, violet mustard and Sussex Charmer £14
  • Steaks from £21.50 n Lamb rack, sweetbreads and green sauce £19
  • Milk-fed veal chop £34
  • Grilled lobster, charcoal mayonnaise and Salt Room fries from £20

Desserts

  • Taste Of The Pier – candy floss, salt caramel and chocolate 99, rum and coconut marshmallows, doughnuts, pebbles and honeycomb £16
  • Sussex honey ice cream, milk skin dumpling and toasted rice milkshake £6.50
  • Hot chocolate mousse, coffee parfait, dark chocolate sorbet and almonds £6.50
  • Custard panna cotta with rhubarb and Sauternes ice cream £7