Dejeuner

Andrew Kay slips out for a tasty lunch at Mange Tout in Trafalgar Street

A few months back, on what was a rare, sunny Saturday morning, I decided to come into the city centre to meet a friend for a spot of brunch. I like brunch from time to time and it’s certainly no bad thing at the weekend, leaving time for other more important stuff than cooking three meals.

We headed into town to a popular haunt where I know they do a decent brunch, but on arrival we found it packed to the gunwales, and mainly with families, young children and buggies. Now, I have no objection to kids in restaurants, well behaved ones that is; the sooner we introduce the next generation to dining out the stronger the future of the restaurant business will be. Buggies, however, drive me mad.

Needless to say, we moved on, and I am very glad we did. Our second choice was Mange Tout in Trafalgar Street. I was already a fan but the exceptional breakfasts we enjoyed were superb, tasty, generous and sensibly priced. I loved the freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice that day and the relaxed atmosphere of the place. It made me wonder why we did not go more often.

When my friend JC called and asked me to meet him for some lunch I was happy to suggest Mange Tout. JC is French with a capital F and as a restauranteur he is as passionate about food as one might expect. Strangely though, he had never eaten at Mange Tout so for him it was going to be a first.

Our meeting was about business. JC and his lovely wife, Julia, are hosting a second International Chef Exchange and there were one or two things we needed to talk over as well as some rather exciting plans for a new venture at L’Eglise, their Hove bistro. (More of that when things are finalised.)

Knowing I had a busy evening with no plan for dinner, I was happy to have a proper lunch. Just the one course you understand but more than the usual snack. What am I saying? I often have a proper lunch, as I detest snacks and whole heartedly believe in taking a break from the computer in the middle of the day to give the eyes and the brain a rest.

JC was of the same mind and has for years tried to encourage us all to eat a proper lunch by coming up with very attractive and affordable offers. The menu for the day is chalked up at Mange Tout. I would have loved to do three courses but I need to show a little care when it comes to my consumption of food. The Toulouse sausage with lentils was very tempting but I suspected it would be rather robust and not tick my careful box. Instead I chose the roast hake with new potatoes, sweet potato puree, braised fennel and a sauce vierge.

The fish was perfect, a decent slab of pearly white fish, cooked perfectly and sat on a small pile of potatoes. The fennel, a replacement for the advertised pak choi, was delicious and a much better choice in my view. The potatoes and the puree added texture and sweetness and the sauce vierge was buzzing with the flavours and smells of fresh herbs. It was, in short, first class, just the right size to satisfy and a sensible price at £10. I suspect the same dish in a posh joint could be sold for at least another £8 on top.

JC chose the sausage and when it arrived I looked on with a certain sense of envy but also righteousness at having chosen the lighter dish. But my word it looked good. The big sausage took centre stage but a supporting slice of garlic sausage added variety of both taste and texture. JC thought it might be a boudin blanc but the waiter assured him it was not, rather a garlic sausage. The stew of lentils looked unctuous and was heavy with slices of bacon. If the bacon is the same as they serve at breakfast then I know it tastes good.
I stuck to my guns and refused dessert, despite hankering after some variant on Eton Mess, and I finished with an espresso which we took outside so that JC could enjoy a small but stinky cigar.

I must go to Mange Tout more often; the food is always great, the service charming and the clientele seem to be there because they enjoy great food and cooking. Interestingly, the room was full of people partaking of a proper meal and not just loitering over a latte for an hour, a sure sign that this is a place for food lovers.

It was also, on this occasion, a buggy-free zone, which after my earlier tantrum was a good thing. Perhaps if prams got smaller again then things might be better, but that, I suspect, would be like asking parents to give up their Chelsea tractors and do the school run on foot, or at least in a Nissan Micra.

Mange Tout, 81 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4EB, 01273 607270