Church Road, Hove
01273 324080

Review: April 29, 2005

Open noon-2pm, daily and 6pm-10pm, Mon-Sat

Saucy, Hove's popular British restaurant, has changed hands – but the new owner insists there will be no drastic changes.

Saucy opened four years ago and quickly proved to be extremely popular, attracting a youngish, hip crowd.

Founder, Tamra Shanly, wanted to capture the eating-out trends of London and bring them to Brighton, and came up with the idea of serving traditional British cuisine with a modern twist.

Saucy succeeded in becoming a big-league restaurant with real character and flair, offering value for money and a great atmosphere. Sceptics may argue British food is somewhat boring but Saucy offered an exciting choice, including pan-fried calves' liver with bramley apple mash and calvados gravy, fillet steak on horseradish and chive mash and courgette, shallot and asparagus tart.

The new manager, Joseph Girgis, emphasises the traditional theme will prevail and, although he does plan to make a few changes to the menu, regulars need not fear.

The firm favourites, sausage and mash and bubble and squeak will remain and all the main courses will be of British origin. There will be a wider selection of salads for summer, including the ever so slightly exotic goat's cheese and beetroot.

The bright, modern interior has always attracted a trendy crowd and Girgis has no plans to change the decor. To keep up with the times, there has been some modernisation in the selection of music, which Girgis adapts according to the mood of his clients.

Review by Rosie Hayes

• If you are interested in restaurants in Brighton, Hove and Sussex, visit www.theargusfoodguide.co.uk