REVIEW: The Chimney House

Service ****

Atmosphere ****

Food ****

JUST when our long-suffering rail commuters thought it couldn't get any worse, the weather turns.

The Southern Rail debacle shows no sign of letting up and it appears winter is truly coming.

Bewildered commuters can be seen roaming Queen’s Road looking somewhat shellshocked, hunched against the winds of autumn and corporate incompetence.

They seek solace in different forms - some find swift relief of heat and carbs at the station's Curry Leaf Cafe shack, others are lured off path by the familiar tinsel lights of Dominoes.

But for the brave few who look uphill and choose to scale the heights of Terminus Road, true sanctuary can be found, in the form of The Chimney House pub.

Half gastro pub, half local boozer, The Chimney House is tucked away in Upper Hamilton Road, a suburban stretch that punches well above its weight in the foodie stakes. Just two doors down is the much lauded brunch haunt Joe’s, a favourite for hash and crushed avocado on toast.

So throw down your broken brollies, shrug off that sodden coat, and welcome yourself home with a plate of crispy pig’s head. Because this aint just your average boozer, The Chimney House is a place that does special things with seasonal and local produce.

Skip the crispy carrageen and sour cream nibbles, it didn’t hit the mark for us. The oily seaweed has an acrid finish from its time in the deep fryer and the brittle shards are fussy to scoop up the dollop of sour cream.

But this is one off note in an otherwise near pitch-perfect meal. The aforementioned pig’s head starter is served in two crisp croquettes, the soft and gelatinous cheek and neck meat and juices encased in a beautifully crisp hazelnut shell. Sharp and sweet splodges of fruity quince offset the incredibly meaty, savoury parcels. Delicate curls of cracking are flourished across the dish like modern art.

In a lighter contrast, the celeriac and apple soup is warming and remedial, with the right balance of woody herbal notes offset by the sweet apple. It comes with fantastic homemade sourdough and salty butter.

Even an odyssey of rail replacement buses couldn’t dampen The Gourmand’s mood for tonight’s steak pie and swede. The pastry is perfectly rich and flaky - a fitting tribute for semi-finals night of Bake Off.

The steak filling is soft enough to eat with a spoon, mingling with the rich, silky juices. Swede mash is buttery and sweet, and the beautifully crinkled and blistered dark leaves of stir-fried savoy cabbage are unmistakably wintery.

In lieu of gravy, the dish is finished with a pool of parsley liquor, but it’s not the anaemic, floury sauce from your average pie and mash shop. The intense and vibrant green offering is packed with herby and grassy flavours.

The Gourmand’s companion for the evening went for the slow cooked beef, which is surprisingly the lighter, more delicate of the two dishes. The meat was erring on the harder side - not nearly as soft and shreddible as the steak pie filling.

But this is a dish of sidekicks, not heroes: the delicate cubes of squash roasted until caramel sweet, crispy onion rings in perfect miniature form. A scattering of black mustard leaves bring a spicy warmth.

This nod to the team’s love of foraged and seasonal can be seen across a number of the courses, and all produce we are told is sourced from Sussex, with fish from Shoreham and Newhaven, fruit and vegetables from local growers, as well as meat from nearby Garlic Wood Farms.

Puddings are the final salve for a weary soul. The warm frangipane tart is comforting and nostalgic, a perfect blend of crisp shell and pillowy almond centre. The poached pears are yieldingly soft and sweet, the vanilla ice cream is elegant and classic.

The chocolate brownie finishes the meal with a few more cheffy flourishes - not necessarily setting it ahead of its more quietly confident pud rival. The slice of fudgy brownie is dark and bitter, offset by a crispy mousse shard that was a little dry. Balanced on top are two quenelles - a sharp and sweet raspberry sorbet and a mouth puckering sour cream ice-cream.

Warming, welcoming and not too mean on the wallet - this is the antithesis of Southern Rail's so-called service at the moment.

So while the rail woes appear to be far from over, at least Brightonians know there is true respite waiting at The Chimney House.

The Gourmand pays for all his meals.

MENU

Crispy carrageen and sour cream - £2.00

Celeriac and apple soup served with home-made sourdough bread (vegan) - £6.00

Bread-crumbed pig’s head, hazelnuts and quince - £6.50

Steak pie with swede, savoy and parsley liquor - £13.00

Slow cooked beef, squash, onion, rosehip and black mustard leaf - £15.00

Frangipane tart with poached pear and vanilla ice cream (vegan) - £6.50

Chocolate brownie with aero, crispy chocolate mousse and sour cream ice cream - £7.00