Embers is a stylish restaurant in the heart of Brighton's famous Lanes with a much-coveted location just minutes away from the beach. Its concept centres around cooking over an open flame, something both of the founders are passionate about. Dave and Isaac first met 15 years ago when the former mentored the latter. As the years went on, the pair fantasised about opening their own place with a relaxed attitude, punchy dishes and - they joke - a medieveal cooking style, brought into modern times.
The menu offers an innovative range of dishes which you'll definitely want to come hungry for. As mentioned, everything is cooked on the wood fired oven, starting with small plates like sticky aubergine with tahini cream and carrot kimchi, alongside chicken leg with honey butter and pul biber aioli, and flamed sea bass with salsa rosso and preserved lemon.
Mains, or 'centrepiece dishes' as Dave and Isaac have cleverly renamed them, include dry aged pork tomahawk with fish sauce caramel and scratchings, as well as hake with chaat spice vadouvan mussels and fennel, and stiitake and cashew laab with sticky rice, bitter herbs, charred hispi and miso.
Now, while some restaurants offer just a select few desserts, Embers has a go big or go home attitude - which we can't help but like. Choose between The Rolo with chocolate, caramel and burnt butter ice cream, a classic Banana Split with not-so-typical parsnip and rosemary ice cream, toffee sauce and praline, and if you are so inclined, cheese on toast with tunworth and truffle.
The drinks are also a big part of the appeal here, alongside a selection of wines, Embers offers some great-sounding signature cocktails. The Brighton Bee Bal, for example, mixes Lillet Blanc Brighton gin, Italicus and sea salt, while The Ember's Own brings together Cognac, Rye and smoke.