The Palm: Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Church Street
The Hub: Pavilion Theatre, New Road, Brighton

Last year saw the Brighton Festival launch The Hub, a bar with a tapas menu based for three weeks right in the centre of the action.

For 2009 they have gone one better, revamping The Hub and opening The Palm Court, a daytime cafe space in the foyer of the Brighton Dome Concert Hall.

Both temporary food venues have been launched in association with The Secret Restaurant.

The Brighton-based fine-dining experience, which is run by head chef Nicola Russell, is more used to providing one-off bespoke menus for a range of events, from backstage catering to formal dinner parties.

“We can open a restaurant anywhere,” says Nicola.

“We have mobile kitchens and can set up in whatever space people have.”

The company began holding “secret” dinners three years ago.

It has since catered for Oceana in West Street, and the Georgian country home Tilton House, near Charleston Farmhouse, near Firle.

For The Palm Court the menu is based around the sort of dishes that would have been served for tiffin in colonial India, taking inspiration from the foyer’s airy atmosphere and white walls.

What is usually an open space is now scattered with leather sofas and palm fronds, and the food is designed to be eaten with fingers.

Highlights include the mini dosas, which are served with three aromatic sambals, including a gorgeous tamarind and lime dip, spiced flan de naranja (a sweet orange caramel shot with a brandy snap and caraway spoon) and a selection of small orange, lemon and polenta cakes.

Don’t leave without trying a luxurious glass of mango lassi with lime, just one of the many tipples on offer behind the bar.

The Hub, meanwhile, has expanded on last year’s tapas menu to more filling cafe food, available to eat in or take away.

On the menu are small and large salad boxes, hot and cold bar snacks, and hot lunches including moules frites, Dark Star and Sussex hop sausage and mash, and roast dinners on a Sunday.

There is also an ever-changing specials board and a selection of desserts.

Both venues have an extensive performance programme.

Palm Court is playing host to larger ensembles, including school music groups from Roedean, Cardinal Newman and Hove Park.

The Hub Nights schedule includes DJs from Fat Cat Records, The Big Chill and Tru Thoughts, as well as live performances from members of the Wilkommen Collective.

The Hub is also hosting a photography exhibition by David Gerrard throughout the three weeks of the festival.

Both venues opened on Saturday, and Nicola has been impressed by the response.

“We have been busy,” she says.

“I think as the weather gets better it will get even busier.

The hardest thing has been to predict when the busy times are going to be, but in terms of running a business it has been very popular from the word go.”

To find out more about The Secret Restaurant, and to get a 10% discount for both venues, visit www.thesecretrestaurant.co.uk.

Sample the menu

The Palm Court
Dosas with tamarind and lime pickle, coriander, mint and lemon £1.50
Mini sweets: Cointreau, chocolate and cardamom truffle, nariyal barfi, barfi with sweet tamarind and orange, lemon and polenta cake £1.20 each, three for £3
Tasting menu £6

The Hub
Salads – large £5.50 eat in/£5 takeaway
small £4.50/£4
Hot (wok cooked) £5.50/£5
Lunches
Local mussels wok-cooked with galangal and tom yum sauce, with crusty bread £6.50/£5.50
Moules frites £6.50/£5.50
Dark Star and Sussex hop sausage and mash with a Dark Star and onion gravy £7.50/£6.50
Roast dinner (Sundays only) £7.95
Soup of the day £2.50/£2
Bar snacks
Pimento de padron cooked in olive oil and sea salt £3.50
Hot honey and sea salt almonds with a dash of soy £2.50
Dosas with sambals and chutneys £3
Wasabi peas £2
Bread, olives and aioli with oil and vinegar £2.50

Palm Court: Open 11am-4pm(except Mondays) The Hub: Open noon-8pm