Med
Brighton, East Sussex
For a restaurant named 'med' (sic), you might be surprised by the adventures awaiting your palate here on Little East Street; in fact, the menu embraces Asian flavours as readily as it does Mediterranean ones. This is freewheeling modern grazing, built around small plates for sharing and set up by a couple of guys who started a successful street-food business, with a kitchen following the seasons and displaying good instincts and creativity. Close to the action, but just off Brighton's main thoroughfare, the contemporary dining room suits the relaxed vibe (helped along by an urban soundtrack). Toasted focaccia arrives with deliciously peppery olive oil – perfect for dipping into beetroot borani with über-fashionable labneh and sweet hits of candied nuts; elsewhere, properly dressed sweet tomatoes get a zesty citrus hit from fresh fruits. Crispy Old Spot pork is a highlight, tender as you like, served on prawn toasts with crunchy apple and katsuobushi – bang-on Asian flavours. With the menu also touting sea trout crudo with koji tomato consommé, cheeseburger beef tartare and chaat masala fish bao, this is fashionable stuff so close to the pier, leaving fish and chips in its wake. Plates arrive in quick succession, which can result in a crowded table. It's back to the Med for tiramisu, albeit one enticingly flavoured with orange and dark spiced rum. The wine list includes natural and low-intervention contenders, with scant options by the glass, while cocktails and local beers beef up the cool quota.
Dining Information:
Counter seating, Dog friendly
2-3 Little East Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HT
01273 658035
