Earth and Stars

Roast dinner: £10.95
Avg drinks prices: Draught cider £3.90; orange juice £1.95

The Earth and Stars always caught my eye because of the awesome notice boards on the walls outside. Cutesy anecdotes from the point of view of the bored board itself, they're small things that always made me chuckle. It's obviously advertising that works (on some) as when I was at a loose end one Sunday, I decided I was going to give it a go.

It's not the cheapest of pubs - it certainly pays for its excellent location (the pub is on a corner just off Queen's Road; close to the station and The North Laine). The beers are slightly pricier than average and the food is priced to reflect the central area.  However, on entering I found it to be choc-full of people who evidently appreciate what it has to offer.  All types of people, too - couples; groups of young adults; older people - they're all here.  I think it has something to do with the staff - patient, friendly, unassuming - and the general atmosphere of the place.  In the winter, it has a cosy feel to it as it's quite small, but in the spring and summer months the place is bright and airy.  The artwork on the walls is unique and the decor isn't too flashy.  There's plenty to read adorning the walls and even the chalkboards have an attitude.

The choice is quite limited - the standard beef, chicken or lamb - with a veggie option I didn't catch (sorry).  Just the one veggie option, though, which I thought was a bit mean, but hey - it's a small place.  I opted for beef, my friend Chris for the chicken.  There's a myth that The Earth and Stars is an organic pub, but that's not been the case for a while.  I was disappointed, as I love organic beef, plus for nigh on £11 I expected something special.  However, it was still local and you can't argue with that.  There were some absolutely awesome aromas coming from the kitchen - I was quite excited from the off, despite the meal and drink costing me a whopping £16.  I watched as plate after plate came out of the kitchen piled high with goodies, and when mine came (after only a fifteen minue wait), I wasn't disappointed.  

It was a mountain.  An actual food mountain.  Yes, it costs £11, but you get a lot for that money.  Potatoes nudged for space alongside carrots, cabbage, parsnips and swede; gravy threatened to spill off the edge at the slightest nudge of the table.  The yorkie sat tentatively on top, as if it knew it was about to fall.  The beef was completely hidden at the base of the plate.  However, I found this appealing - it was like an adventure to find the prize amongst the melee.

The spuds were lovely - a little dry, perhaps, but the ample amount of gravy made up for that, and at least you get more than two.  The parsnips were proper parsnips (no parsnip crisps here - hurrah!), roasted to perfection - burned at the edges and soft in the centre. However, they juxtaposed the carrots, which in turn were actually quite boring and would have benefited from a little more seasoning.  The cabbage was slightly salty and could have done with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or apple - the gravy provides enough salt in itself and I didn't need any more.  After a while I found it to be too thirst-inducing to eat and so after a couple of mouthfuls I left it.  But the beef.

Oh, the beef.

Great big wads of roughly-carved, pink-in-the-centre beef.

It melted on the tongue, even if it was slightly fatty.  Crisp at the edges and smooth in the centre, it complemented the rest of the food perfectly, especially the homemade yorkie (which itself was not at all small - more monstrous!).  The chicken, however, was not so good.  Chris looked insanely jealous of my beef, and in a turnaround from my experience at The Farm Tavern, it seemed I had chosen the best roast on offer.  He summed it up in one sentence thus: "this chicken is all about the skin. The meat - not so good."  He proclaimed it to be rather dry - like the potatoes - and that he was lucky they didn't scrimp on the gravy.  A real sad twist to the story, because had the chicken been good, this place would have definitely scored higher.

In the end, I was beaten by the mountain - it was far too huge for me to finish.  Definitely one for the big eaters.  I was disappointed - I have a frugal mind and I'm all about eating what you've paid for - especially when it costs as pretty a penny as this one did.  I just couldn't, though, so I pushed my plate away and tried not to think of starving children in Africa.  I can't help but recommend this one idea - maybe next time, charge a little less and put a little less on the plate.

6/10

46 Windsor Street, Brighton BN1 1RJ
Tel: 01273 722879
Credit/debit cards accepted (over £10)
Booking recommended
http://www.drinkinbrighton.co.uk/earth-and-stars

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