Andrew Kay shares a festive favourite at Busby & Wilds
Home for Christmas
Many of us dream of having a local restaurant or pub, where you can slip in quietly, be greeted like family and dine in style for a price that seems an honest one. I know that in my many years doing this job I have seldom found such an idyllic place. My seven years in Saltdean, much as I loved the place, were gastronomic wilderness years in a local sense, with the nearest decent plate of food a car ride away.
So when Busby and Wilds opened just a kidney stone’s throw from my Kemp Town front door I was thrilled. It was smart, relaxed and offered a menu that was not only delicious but to my mind rather sensibly priced. On my first few visits I was impressed by the food, but more recently I have been amazed by it.
Which is a tragedy for me as pretty soon after the place hit its stride, I was forced to move away. In my last few weeks I ate there alone on several occasions and each time I was delighted.
The first dish to impress on these recent occasions was a baked cod loin served with roasted baby parsnips, creamed leeks and a gratin dauphinoise that had a rich seam of paprika spiked chorizo at its heart. It ticked so, so many boxes that I was moved to tweet about it. Delicious, yes, piping hot yes and in a portion that would suit the heartiest of trenchermen, yes, yes, yes! I downed it with a pint of superb Hallet’s rum cask cider, a vice that I discovered at the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival’s Bitter and Twisted event, which I host, where it won first prize.
On my second visit I was drawn to belly pork croquettes served with a delicious anchovy sauce. Now this was really special, soft and creamy inside with sweet tender pork, a crisp crumbed exterior and a rich sauce laced with salty anchovies. Yum, yum and thrice yum!
These I followed with a rich saffron infused fish stew of cod, mussels and langoustine, all served with a huge herbed crust and a pot of rouille. It was marvellous stuff, unctuous and heart warming, generous too with plenty of fish and seafood fighting for attention with some lovely chunks of steaming potato. This I ate with a pint of Timothy Taylor, as good a pint of ale as one might hope to find anywhere and a real delight when it’s only a few hundred metres from your front door.
Sadly no longer as I have moved a few miles away, but believe me when I say that I will surely return. In the mean time here is their Christmas menu to tempt you:
BUSBY AND WILDS CHRISTMAS SET MENU
STARTERS
Butternut Squash & Apple Soup, Parmesan Tuile With Mushroom
Game Terrine, Hedgerow Jelly & Toast
Sloe Cured Salmon, Pickled Vegetable Salad, Watercress & Horseradish
Baked Camembert, Cranberry & Crostini
MAINS
Ballotine Of Turkey, Stuffing, Pigs In Blankets Seasonal Vegetables, Cranberry & Gravy
Braised & Rolled Shin Of Beef, Horseradish Bread & Butter Pudding,
Seasonal Vegetables, Pigs In Blankets & Gravy
Langoustine & Fish Soup, Rouille & Homemade Bread
Sweet Potato & Chestnut Bake, Onion Puree, Brussel Sprouts & Almonds
PUDDING
Clementine Tart With Chocolate Pastry & Crème Fraîche
Sticky Toffee Pudding With Clotted Cream Ice Cream
Homemade Christmas Pudding With Brandy Butter
Christmas Cheese Board, Quince & Biscuits
Three courses for £25, available Tuesday – Friday 6–10pm & all day Saturday – Sunday for tables of six or more.
Busby & Wilds, 8/9 Rock Street, Brighton, BN2 1NF, 01273 696135, www.busbyandwilds.co.uk
As published in The Kemptown Rag (December issue), in Dining Out with Andrew Kay, www.kemptownrag.co.uk
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