The Alibi

Roast Dinner: £8.95
Avg drinks prices: Bottle Carlsberg £1.25; pint lager £3.05; bottled cider £3.25; soft drinks £1.65
Desserts: Approx £3.50

When I moved to Hove I didn't hold out much hope for the bars and pubs within a few minutes' walk of my front door.  For the most part they look like beer palaces - the type frequented by old lushes with veiny noses who sit outside the doors smoking Woodbines and smelling of wee or cocky chavs wearing battered Reebok Classics and trackie bottoms.   Not that I'm a snob.

However, since then I have been pleasantly surprised by both The Ginger Pig and The Foragers, and so, one post-flu, rainy, cold afternoon, the boyfriend and I decided to take the path of least resistance and head to the localest of our locals - The Alibi.  Resplendent on the corner of Victoria Terrace with a great view of the local Texaco garage and the run-down King Alfred's centre, from the outside it doesn't look much.  However, a week or so earlier I'd spent a lovely snowy afternoon in there and sampled their excellent chips n' cheese, hospitality and selection of board games, so in a time of laziness and boredom it was the natural choice.  Plus, at a whole £2 cheaper than the cheapest meat options in the other Hove establishments, the price also appealed.  It's rare to find a roast for less than a tenner nowadays.

The Alibi is a surprise to behold - with its open fire, stack of old-school games (Guess Who, anyone?), huge outdoor space and comfy sofas, its exterior is deceiving.  The clientele, though slightly chavtastic, are friendly, sociable and fun and the bar staff cannot do enough for you.  They stock a wide range of lagers including cherry beer and Staropramen on tap and whilst their ales aren't up to much, you are still spoilt for choice.  Best of all, if you're a lager fan you can pick up a bottle of Carlsberg for just £1.25 - student prices at their best.  Sometimes it's worth the trek out of Brighton.  They also do a free chilli night every Monday and have a 'build your own burger' menu, boasting a wide range of toppings and flavours, in addition to a highly appealing 'pie of the day' and sausages and mash served in a giant Yorkie.  Ace.

However, we decided to stick with the Sunday tradition and plumped for the roast.  I went for lamb, the boyfriend went for the pork, and expecting perhaps a little less than usual, we waited for our food to arrive.  When it did, we were not disappointed - what sat before us was good, old-fashioned, Nanna's-house-at-the-weekend fare - plump slices of meat, piles of boiled carrots, crispy spuds and a nice, puffed-up Yorkie.  Nothing artistic or gourmet, but just the ticket when you've just got over the 'flu and are feeling a little fragile.

The meat wasn't outstanding, but it wasn't boil-in-the-bag either - though it could have been a little more tender, it wasn't fatty or leathery.  The boyfriend's pork was simple and salty, though the crackling was a little rubbery and could have benefited from a little longer in the oven.  The gravy was proper, meaty gravy complete with a subtle flavour of rosemary and thyme, which complemented the potatoes perfectly. 

Speaking of the potatoes, these were wonderfully crisp and obviously basted in dripping - chewy in the middle and browned at the edges, almost deep-fried in appearance but with a beefy flavour, if a little dry in the middle (though the gravy helped assuage this).  They sat alongside crisp, al dente broccoli (just the way I like it), carrots that still had their bite and a good pile of peas - an unusual addition, but I was willing to give it a go.  However, here was where I was let down - the chef, in his infinite wisdom, had decided to mix the peas with a generous dollop of mint sauce, and in my eyes, mint sauce could well have been invented by the devil himself.  I couldn't bring myself to swallow them down, which was disappointing as I really had got a taste for peas over the course of the meal. 

The Yorkies were large and puffy, but evidently not home-made.  They could have been a lot worse - The Mesmerist's, for example, were small and unimpressive - at least these were of a decent size.  There was a distinctly supermarket-y taste about them, though and it really did let the plate down. 

To look at and to eat, this really is good, old fashioned, no-nonsense food.  The Alibi doesn't try to dress up its food or add impressive flavour combinations, but what it does do is cook the ingredients it does have to perfection.  The meat may not be locally sourced and the veg may be plain, but there's nothing mushy, burned or overcooked about it - certainly better than many could do themselves. 

What makes The Alibi worth the visit isn't really the food, though - it's the atmosphere.  It's rare in Brighton to find a real, old-man pub that isn't full of lushes or 'locals', which serves edible fare and has staff willing to give you the time of day.  The Alibi manages to maintain a friendly, local atmosphere without making you feel outcast, and I'd definitely recommend it for a swift afternoon stop-off.

6/10

22 Victoria Terrace, Hove BN3 2WB
Tel: 01273 733983
Credit/debit cards accepted