The Salt Room opens its doors...

There has been a buzz of excitement surrounding The Salt Room over the last couple of months, which is hardly surprising considering this is the sister restaurant to the very popular The Coal Shed and it is in a prime seafront location as part of the Hilton Brighton Metropole. After all the anticipation the restaurant offically opens its doors on Friday 20th February, but this week is the soft launch and so we were delighted to pop down and get a sneak peek.

Photo courtesy of the Brighton & Hove Independent

Inside the decor has an industrial feel to it with exposed brick and copper lampshades, these are coupled with vibrant cyan coloured banquettes so the overall affect is very inviting. Of course the main feature is the view and the floor to ceiling windows show this off perfectly. There is also a sheltered terrace which you know will be packed over the summer months.

Photo courtesy of the Brighton & Hove Independent

But what about the food? Fans of The Coal Shed will be relieved to hear that their signature 35 day dry aged steaks are still on the menu, however the main focus here is seafood. All the fish is sustainable and the menu will change regularly to reflect what's currently in season. After a bit of deliberation I opted for the Sussex Cod with braised octopus, sea herbs and seafood bouillon. In the wrong hands cod can be very bland but this had a delicate & light flavour complimented by the octopus and samphire. I couldn't resist having a side order of chips, which were very moreish having been cooked in rosemary. My colleagues opted for the Shrimp & Crab Burger; Halbut with Braised Oxtail and Cauliflower Cheese with yellow chanterelles.

Clockwise from Top left:
Halibut with Oxtail; Cauliflower Cheese; Shrimp & Crab Burger; Sussex Cod and Octopus.

The only problem we had was that we needed to get back to the office so we didn't get a chance to try any of the desserts, which did look delicious so we're alredy planning our next visit!

As mentioned the restaurant officially opens on Friday and to celebrate this The Salt Room are launching #SaltSearch - an interactive treasure hunt  across the city. Starting at 10am tomorrow (Friday 20th February) special prize cards will be hidden around the city with daily clues posted on The Salt Room twitter page. Prizes include £100 voucher; Sunday lunch; cocktails and more.

To be in with a chance a winning follow @TheSaltRoomUK and get ready to join the #SaltSearch

Charlotte