Dines Out: Donatello

Late in 2017 I was reunited with an old favourite here in Brighton. For many years I ate at Donatello regularly, it was smart, it was tasty and it was brilliant value. Few would be able to deny that Donatello had become the city’s favourite family restaurant. Add to that the continued commitment of the Addis family to local arts, sports and charities and their success is so well deserved.

So when I went along late last year to an excellent wine tasting I was nudged into revisiting for dinner, and since I have been along a few times. The city has become famous for its burgeoning gastronomic scene, that is true, but what to do when you simply want a well cooked and well served meal without going crazy price-wise.

Last week, with the festival in full flight, Mr L and I needed a bit to eat between an afternoon show and an evening performance. I suggested Donatello and Mr L agreed that it fitted the bill – in every sense.

Good food, sensible prices and well worthy of its place on the city’s food scene

We chose to eat from the three course menu at around £21, which pretty much means dining a la carte. Mr L started with calamari, a generous portion that disappeared with speed. I chose mussels and I have to say they were as good as mussels get, plump and fresh, simply cooked in white wine and onion and plentiful too, especially as a first course.

We both chose saltimbocca as our main and this was again good and generous, tender veal, salty ham and lashings of sage infused sauce, perhaps just a touch too much sauce to be honest. And with it mixed vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes, very yummy.

I was pretty stuffed by this point and certainly enjoying a bottle of verdicchio that was not only delicious but very sensibly priced. I should have stopped but who can resist an ice-cream sundae on a sunny Saturday. Mine was crammed with amaretto-soaked amaretti biscuits, topped with vanilla ice-cream and lashings of whipped cream, – heart stoppinglyy delicious as was Mr L’s with booze-infused cherries.

Service was immaculate despite the place being rammed with families, dating couples, groups of friends and of course hen parties (who I think were all sent upstairs into one pre wedding part area leaving us in relative peace). Good food, sensible prices and well worthy of its place on the city’s food scene.

1-3 Brighton Place, Brighton BN1 1HJ, 01273 775477 donatello.co.uk