The Restaurant is an essential part of the new boutique hotel in Brighton, Drakes. As such it enjoys the same degree of sophistication as the rest of the project and one is left with the notion that the Regency crowd who created the Brighton Dome would feel very much at home here.

The food is demonstrative and bold and might have those of a tender disposition reaching for the smelling salts. Starters could include seared squid with black tagliatelle and Parmesan. Both lamb and hare feature amongst main courses, again boldly presented, the hare on a Madeira sauce. Puddings take the same course and a hot raspberry soufflee with a lavish back-up of raspberry ripple ice cream, the final touch in decadence.

A well-bred wine list supports the meal well, as does the service, never servile but definitely user-friendly. The general consensus is that Brighton can do with some more places like this.