Avg drinks prices: Bottle cider £3.85; pint lager £3.70; soft drinks £1.90
All desserts: £4.95
Arriving at The Dorset on a warm, sunny afternoon, we were immediately welcomed by the change in atmosphere in the place. Despite the place being taken over by new management in recent months, I had been prepared to feel as I had always felt when attending drinks at The Dorset - a little uncomfortable; the feeling of eyes looking down noses burning into me and a general air of disrespect. However, I was pleasantly surprised - no longer is this a place for posers and wannabes - no sirree, The Dorset has had a makeover (of sorts), and what a crowd-pleaser it seems to have become. The air was warm and welcoming, the staff smiling and genuine and the menu looked absolutely delicious. Having been shown to our table, the staff couldn't do enough - drinks were brought promptly, cold and iced; our choices were requested after a suitable wait and the dining area itself was bright, cheerful and had a nice air of chatter within it.
Now, The Dorset has always been renowned for its food - particularly its Moules - so I was harbouring high hopes for this place. Following the London-Brighton bike ride, this was a choice of a friend as we'd happily agreed to sample the delights with him in celebration of his wheeled victory. The menu was straight up - three meats and a veggie option with all the added extras - 'potatoes, yorkshire and seasonal vegetables.' Exciting. Once again I opted for a beef, same as my friend Ray; Dan, my partner for pork belly with crackling. I was absolutely starving, and was definitely looking forward to my roast - despite the sun and the heat, it was sorely needed after a heavy Saturday evening. So we sat back with our cold Westons Organics and we waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
And some more... Until 40 minutes had passed and we had to enquire as to the whereabouts of our food before poor Ray vanished into nothingness. The waiter mumbled an excuse, then disappeared. A further five minutes passed before we asked again; five minutes after that the roasts finally arrived. Had it been any other Sunday, a 50-minute wait may not have been a problem, but some days, especially one where a good friend has cycled 54 miles, you need to get food quickly. Granted, they were full, but we were literally the last to get served in the place. Even after those who'd sat down long after we'd arrived.
Grrr.
Anyway. Back to the roast - enough moaning. Strange presentation they have at The Dorset - meat and potatoes and a nicely roasted shallot on the plate, with a cabbage medley on an accompanying side plate. I thought this a little strange - such a waste of crockery - but as Ray has kindly put it - "saves me the work of pushing them to one side - I prefer the meat and potatoes." Fair point, well made. Only problem was - I am the opposite of Ray. I love my veg, and was sorely disappointed to see that my 'seasonal' selection only counted two types of cabbage, both of which, though crispy and well-cooked, lacked in any flavour or real oomph.
However, saying that, the potatoes were exquisite. Lovely and smooth on the inside, crispy and rough on the outside; slightly salted and peppered and contrasting wonderfully with the copious amounts of gravy (a very good thing indeed). Proper meat gravy, too - thick and dark with a great taste to it. The shallot was crisp and tender and the portion size, though aesthetically on the small side, was more than enough to fill a hungry cyclist.
The meat, on the other hand, was varied. I like my beef pink in the centre, but when mine arrived it was clear I'd got the edge of the joint. Thick, rubbery and grey, it was a nightmare to cut into and a challenge to eat. However, not a lot of fat and great seasoning made the challenge easier to stomach - it was by no means horrible; just tough. Ray had a different story - his beef was pink, juicy and fell off his fork as it was so tender. I had to settle for simply gawping at his fork every time he lifted a piece to his mouth, lamenting that I'd taken the first one to arrive. Damn.
Dan was just as thrilled with his pork - declaring it "the best piece of pork I've had so far." According to his experienced word, the crackling was just the right texture - crunchy and crispy, nicely salted; the meat itself was lean and tender and there was a distinct lack of fat running through the actual belly. Finished in minutes, he'd wanted more.
The great thing about The Dorset is that the gravies differ with the meats. So many places simply do a stock gravy that it's nice to see a varied choice - a gravy can really make a meal and so to concoct one that complements the food is a real touch. Dan's pork gravy was slightly cider-sweet, whilst mine was rich and heavy. Both fantastic.
I really wish I could say more about The Dorset, but the distinct lack of colour and variety on my plate means that in a few short paragraphs, I've pretty much covered it all. To summarise - what is on there is wonderful (if you're lucky and get a good cut of meat), but there just isn't enough variety - making the whole experience less than worth the 50-minute wait. To improve? A few more vegetables and some adventure wouldn't go amiss...
6/10
28 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YB
Tel: 01273 605423
Credit and debit cards accepted
www.thedorset.co.uk
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