AS SOON as I heard about the new autumn menu at Cafe Rouge I wanted to try it.

I have to declare an interest here as a Francophile. Cafe Rouge is pushing at an open door when it tries to impress me with its decor and menu.

I once helped my parents set up a restaurant, hotel and bar in central France. A real renovation job. But we loved it there and turned the place round. I still have friends there and visit when I can, trying to maintain my limited French.

So yes, going to Cafe Rouge at Brighton Marina, with its beautiful deep red colours and old nostalgic pictures of Paris wins me over. And the food is fantastic too. Tres bien.

The new menu is inspired by a mix of French favourites, vegan options and British seasonal classics.

New items inspired by travels across the channel include beetroot tartin with a watercress and shallot garnish and bouillabaisse with salmon, hake, mussels and king

prawns.

Meanwhile, those keen to enjoy brasserie favourites including steak frites closer to home now find Black Angus steak aged for 35 days on the menu while Café Rouge has added to its croque collection with new camembert and pancetta and BBQ pulled beef options.

The menu posed a difficult choice for me as there are so many I love with some great French classics.

The starters include soup a l’oignon, one of those dishes, in my opinion, that you only remember how good it is when you eat it. There’s mushrooms in a cepe and garlic sauce too, but I could not resist going for the camembert, breaded and warm with cranberry and redcurrant sauce.

It was as good as I’d hoped too, with the melted cheese going so well with the sauce. For a few seconds there after my first bite I was back in Normandy on a hot summer’s day. Mont St Michel towered in the background and the sea shimmered in the distance, while around me were fields of sunflowers.

With all those nostalgic pictures of

Paris on the wall that is what Cafe Rouge does best.

Close your eyes and you could be dining near Montmartre, as if you are in the film Amelie.

For my next course though, I had quickly been dropped another 500 miles south

of the capital, to Marseille and the Mediterranean.

I told the waiter I had been looking forward to a bouillabaisse since I had last been to Provence, two years ago when the Euro 2016 football tournament was on.

On that occasion I had planned to have the Marseillaise classic, but all the fighting between the English and the Russians had got in the way.

Thankfully there was to be no trouble at the Marina Cafe Rouge that night so I was home and dry.

If you’ve not had bouillabaisse before,

basically it is a fish stew, this time with

salmon, hake, mussels and king prawns, served with baguette croutons and saffron rouille.

It was fabulous, tasting fresh, healthy and yet it was like a treat.

A nice hearty portion too. It was perfect having seafood like this overlooking the marina. It was so good that when when I do get to have it in the Vieux Port in Marseille my mind will no doubt wander back to sitting at Cafe Rouge, overlooking the boats.

I was advised that my partner’s port salut and caramelised onion souffle with frisée, watercress, hazelnuts and chives was full of flavour and the chicken chasseur went down very well, slow-cooked in a white wine

sauce with smoked bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, tarragon and thyme, served with herb mash.

And let’s face it, you can only have a good night if the children are happy.

They were busy with their goody bags, with games and drawing and even a little bag of cress seeds.

The Caesar salad and macaroni and cheese were both finished off, as were the desserts of ice cream and the chocolate brownie.

For the record, vegans keen to enjoy French food have a delicious choice of starters and mains including soupe de saison as well as a vegetable parmentier with celeriac, chestnut mushrooms and pearl barley in a white wine sauce, topped with crispy potato and the vegan Moroccan tagine.

An orchard salad with chicory, frisée, watercress, beetroot, carrot, red apple and chopped hazelnuts is also available as a lighter bite.

Desserts have not been forgotten with the rhubarb and ginger crumble and the

tarte tatin available with vegan vanilla ice cream

Among the new sweet treats there is more of a mix of seasonal classics with a touch of French flair such as Beignets – mini doughnuts and a brioche bread and butter pudding with French orange liquor.

If you want to eat in town The Lanes Cafe Rouge is in Prince Albert Street, Brighton.