» Food & Drink: Chips Down
Andrew Kay puts his shirt on dinner at The Grosvenor Casino in Hove
Apart from the occasional flutter on the Grand National I am not a gambling man. Oh yes, and the odd day at Brighton Racecourse. Come to think of it, I have been to Goodwood too, and the Derby at Epsom, and I love a good night out at the dogs from time to time. But apart from that I am not a gambling man.
I have been to casinos though, the first time was a memorable trip, aged 18, to the Playboy Club in Mayfair, where the aunt of
a rich friend gave us all £100 in chips on Christmas eve. I have to confess that I simply cashed in the chips; £100 was a lot of money back in 1974.
Fast forward to Grosvenor’s rather elegant and petite casino in Hove. We visited a few years back and had a delightful dinner in the small restaurant where the emphasis was clearly on classic food and service. The chain does in fact have standardised menus for all their other venues, but Hove fought for autonomy and won. And a good thing that is, too. So the menu is still created in house to suit the businesses clientele.
Our waiter had been with the club since day one and is as good a waiter as one can hope to find: friendly, efficient and caring. At the table next to ours a group of ladies were celebrating a birthday – quite a grown up birthday too, and our waiter treated them so gracefully we could not help but be impressed.
The menu is currently one of classic dishes and, I have to say, not messed with classic dishes either. There is a nod to fashion here and there, but this is four square food to satisfy both the tummy and the soul. After a couple of dainty pre-starters I was quick off the mark to choose a crab and prawn hors d’oeuvre. It was excellent, generous, and fresh as a daisy. I also loved the fact that the lemon half was tied in a square of butter muslin, an old trick to prevent getting pips in your dinner and one that we seldom see these days. Mr R had the fried Brie, retro heaven and whopping to boot. It put a big smile on his face. He moved on to a crispy roast duck with orange sauce. A real taste of the past and one delivered with style. The crispy fat was properly rendered down, the sauce bittersweet as it should be, and the flesh was succulent.
“There is a nod to fashion here and there, but this is four square food to satisfy both the tummy and the soul”
I chose calves liver with crispy bacon and bubble and squeak. I came to bubble and squeak late in life as we didn’t have it in Lancashire. But I love it now and this was first class. So too was the bacon, a nice gentle smokiness, and the calves liver was more than generous and well cooked. I would perhaps have liked it a little pinker but it was still soft and creamy. The gravy was excellent and there was just the right amount. Had I wanted more I could have asked, and I am sure it would have been found.
To drink we had a great bottle of Rioja that was not suffering from a massive mark up. It worked well with both our main courses. We had a drink at the bar first too and spotted some excellent offers. On certain nights of the week you can spin the roulette wheel and the number you get is the discount you get on your meal. If you get zero your dinner is free! There are other offers too, from a team that seem keen to find fun ways of luring you in. We also noted that there is a genuinely responsible approach to gambling and that the team are there at all times to help and advise.
So, finally puds. Well Mr R was in good form and chose a bread and butter pudding which he declared not quite as good as mine, bless him, but a pretty close runner. I went classic with a pear poached in spiced red wine. It was excellent, perfectly executed and a fine finish to a sequence of dishes that had been cooked and served with a great deal of care. It’s not expensive either, and the surroundings are rather grand with that slight frisson of naughtiness that comes with people playing poker and spinning the wheel. Membership is required but this is now available on the day and is free.
At the end of dinner we had good coffee and even an offer of the use of the chauffeur driven car home. We thanked them but declined. A bit of a walk was definitely needed.
Grosvenor Casino, Albany Mews, 28 Fourth Avenue, Hove, 01273 720261, www.grosvenorcasinos.com
