L'Eglise

Julia Martin, the English-born co-owner of L'Eglise Restaurant describes her first business venture with her French husband Jean-Christophe as not just a restaurant but 'an Anglo-French collaboration and a real example of the entente cordiale at work'. This passion is evident in every part of the quaint restaurant - from the décor and service, all the way to the food and wines.

A great deal of care has gone into giving L'Eglise the feel of a true Parisian brasserie. The no-nonsense clearly written blackboards display the day's specials, whilst long leather seats with small intimately set tables and customised wood and pewter tables waft the customers across the short stretch of English Channel to France. Attractive art deco lettering and black and white Henri Cartier-Bresson photographs of Paris serve to intensify the feeling of actually being there.

Open all days of the week from noon until late, it can cover fifty-six diners with a maximum group size of twelve. In fine weather the restaurant can accommodate a further twenty five outside. The menu, in true French style offers set and à la carte menus, including a menu rapide on most days of the week. Specials of the day are more than just an extension of the menu - they really are special and the Sunday roast contrives to reassert a touch of local feeling without upsetting the overall sense of joie de vivre.

Start the meal with a hearty soup, let's say a tempting bowl of classic French onion with Gruyère cheese and croutons, or some dill and vodka cured salmon with pickled cucumber. For those determined to revel in the experience of French cooking at its best, Burgundy snails with garlic and parsley butter are likely to stage a convincing performance. On then to around eight main courses which tend to provide difficult choices - they all sound superb and discreet inspection of dishes being whisked to other tables offers visual confirmation. What to do? Even a tasting menu could not cope with such largesse.

The steak, onglet échalotte, is French cut and comes rare (but chef Jean Yves Guiomar is open to negotiation) as a proper steak should with sautéed shallots and superb duck fat chips. Others may be tempted by another classic dish, the seared lemon sole with parsley and lemon butter and ratte potatoes. Vegetarianism is said to be on the increase and followers will take heart at the vegetarian cassoulet, white beans and vegetables with grilled haloumi cheese. Le poisson de jour is well worth keeping an eye open for - whatever it is it will be fresh, prepared with care and retentive of identity.

Each day of the week has a plat du jour and the well-loved, classic dishes provide a litany of indulgence with coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, the inevitable and glorious bouillabaisse, and foie d'agneau, all there to serve as icons of French cooking. A choice of six desserts carries a crème brulée, a delightful iced rhubarb and poppy seeds soufflé, and an assiètte of cheeses that, France being what it is on such matters, should not be lightly ignored.

One tends to assume a rather leisurely pace of life in Hove, but it seems this is not always the case, hence the Menu Rapide. Available from 12-6pm Tuesday to Saturday, this enables people in town with a purpose to have a two or three course meal at an unbelievably reasonable price. So whether it's shopping, theatre, appointments, whatever that brings you to Hove, L'Eglise provides a warm welcome, a refuge even, for those who wish a thoroughly decent 2 or 3 course meal in comfort. With steak frites, mousse au chocolat and grilled mackerel amongst the menu this is not to be missed.

An extensive list of French wines available by the bottle or glass comes as no surprise. They consciously choose winemakers who are followers of viticulture raisonée, or those who use natural methods rather than chemicals. Regular wine tastings and champagne dinners are well supported. For more details, particularly menu changes, a click on their Website will reveal all.