Nostos

I love a surprise, so when my dear friend Ms B invited me out to lunch I was delighted. I set off on my two bus journey to Palmeira Square full of anticipation. Ms B is a discerning diner so I felt sure I was in for a treat. Nostos is tucked away in the north east corner of the square and is so discreetly signed that it would be easy to miss. It also gives little indication that its roots are Greek. Fortunately for me Ms B spotted me and came to guide me the last few yards.

Once inside there is thankfully little indication once again that this is Greek, no attempt to disguise a Hove restaurant as a taverna. It’s rather cool and elegant and the music is rather gentle too, an all together relaxing environment in which to enjoy some lunch and a full on gossip, and my, can we gossip and plot when needs be.

The menu is the next surprise, there are of course some of the Greek dishes that one might expect but there are plenty dishes that are rather a revelation. Ms B knows the place well and I am quite happy to let someone in the know steer the choices but on this occasion she actually handed that responsibility over to the very delightful lady who appeared to be in charge. She smiled and agreed and before we knew it had returned with two flutes of sparkling wine, icy cold and crisp. It was a welcome kick start to what was to follow.

And what followed was again a surprise. First out came scallops, plump beasties sat on avocado mousse with an orange and ginger sauce, crispy leeks and coriander oil. It tasted amazing but also looked very elegant and it became immediately evident that this was Greek fine dining, something that I have only experienced once before and then on the beautiful island of Lefkada some years back.

Next came fresh ravioli filled with guinea fowl with an light jus and a rich gruyère cream. It sounds dangerous but was really well and unexpectedly balanced. Things were certainly going well with surprise on surprise.

The courgette fritters that came next were rather more traditional but equally tasty and the feta espuma a great foil to the fried vegetable. I’m not a foam fan usually, it so often looks like a sad mistake, a rapidly disappearing splodge in a portion that barely delivers any taste or texture. This came in a decent portion that could be returned to again and again, it was stable and held its own on the plate, and evidence that the chef at work here has skill.

Kagianas eggs arrived next, a dish I had read about but never tried. It’s eggs scrambled with tomato and feta cheese and here served with some grilled asparagus and pita. A large plate arrived with a crescent of  a deep red concoction and at the centre the bread, rather good bread. Had I not know what it was I would have struggled to identify the rich ragout like crescent. It was incredibly meaty for a vegetarian dish, full of flavour and very very rich, certainly one to be shared and the only plate that had us genuinely beaten by its generosity.

I was certainly not expecting arancini next, a Sicilian dish that I love, but I was blown away by these amazing and perfectly formed wild mushroom delights, crisp outside, creamy inside and packed with earthy flavours, and the sweet chutney served on the side added a sharp edge to the dish.

Our penultimate dish came from the main course section of the menu. Poached hake served with truly delicious Dauphinoise potatoes, charcoal grilled vegetables, a caper and raisin cream, crispy skin and a very traditional tsiladia sauce but here served in a very refined version. Everything about this dish was exemplary, really accomplished cooking, balanced flavours and generosity too. It was the sort of dish that arrives in smart restaurants served in an elegant but tiny portion. Here there was plenty food for us to share and keep returning to and at £22 it was very fairly priced if not a bargain.

Next came the offer of dessert but Ms B had other ideas and requested the feta nest. I was happy enough to finish on cheese although to be honest I was already rather full, but hey, who am I to argue. And I was so glad that I had succumbed to her direction. The word nest was perhaps misleading, what arrived were two fairly large oblongs of feta wrapped in filo, piping hot and crispy then dressed in lots of honey with slices of red chilli, coriander and sesame seed. I had had this combination once before, again in Lefkada, and I was very glad to be re-acquainted with it.

Nostos is a revelation, a sure sign that Greek food can be successfully modernised without loosing its identity. It is very smart, fairly priced and charmingly welcoming. Certainly worth returning to to try more dishes, and, should you like your Greek food more traditional then those dishes are there to be enjoyed. But for me this place earns its claim to be Greek gastronomy.

Nostos

63a Holland Rd, Hove BN3 1BA

01273 713059
nostos-hove.co.uk