All about 1847 - the restaurant not the year!

Having decided to have a business based around food, I spend a lot of time cooking, whether experimenting on the family in the kitchen or preparing dishes for my course participants or supper club attendees. Now don't get me wrong, I do love it, but I also really enjoy someone else doing the cooking every now and then and having an evening out.

Stuffed aubergine rolls

When you have to be careful with certain ingredients though, eating out can become a little challenging at times, depending where you are. More and more chain restaurants like Zizzi and Los Iguanas have cottoned on (which is great if you live near one) and provide dairy free, gluten free and vegan options for their more sensitive guests, but the choice is limited, so can get a little repetitive if you want to eat out regularly. Now that may sound a little picky, and to be honest I'm just grateful to be able to eat something that I know won't make me ill! But sometimes it is nice to have more of a choice. Fortunately, living so close to Brighton, there is a veritable array of cafes and restaurants to chose from, serving up (mainly) delicious and innovative creations. The only dilemma then is choosing where to go and what to have, which when you've got used to such limited choice can be a little overwhelming at first!

1847 opened up in North Road in Brighton last year, right in the heart of the ever popular North

Fragrant pakoras

Laines. It is part of a chain - there's 4 locations now - and is light and modern inside. We booked quite early for a Saturday night as we had an event to go to after, but it was still pretty busy, so booking is definitely advised.

What I love about restaurants like 1847 is that because they are dedicated to vegetarian or vegan food, the menu features variety, creativity and a real understanding of how plant based flavours combine, often in innovative ways. The menu clearly marked which were vegan and there were also gluten free options - a real bonus for the sensitive diner! The only one who struggled a little in choice was my hubby - aubergine was a big feature in the the vegan options and he's not a fan, but he was happy with some deliciously lightly spiced pakoras to start followed by 'fish' and chips' on a sweet pea puree - the presentation was so precise it was almost a shame he had to eat it! 

Surf and turf

Our friends tried the stuffed aubergine roll to start, which was also so pretty, followed by celeriac gratin made with local cheese - obviously not for the dairy free diner, but the construction was awesome and they declared it delicious . I opted for their 'Surf and Turf' option, a huge aubergine steak that was crisp on the outside and unctuously gooey on the inside, with a herb 'butter'. The surf was sea vegetables, which I have to say didn't really do it for me, but it was a clever idea. 

Even though we were pretty stuffed, the dessert menu had options, so had to be tried. I had heard the vegan gluten free chocolate brownies were awesome, and I can confirm that rumour is true - my friend chose them and then we had to help her clear the plate as it's a huge portion! Don't order one for yourself unless you are seriously hungry. The vegan creme brûlée was also a big hit, and beautifully presented. Mine however, the trifle, was quite a disappointment as it promised much and delivered little. My mistake; curiosity and a childhood love of trifle tempted me but I should have had the brownies!

Amazing chocolate brownies

So all in all, we had a great experience at 1847 - fabulous gins, great food (mostly), super company (provide your own!) and all finished in time to go and enjoy the rest of our evening with happy tummies, but a slightly lighter wallet! I'm sure we'll be back again some time soon - those brownies are calling!