Brighton Marina

If you think all Italian restaurants are the same you'll think again after a visit to Strada at Brighton Marina.  The atmoshpere, food and service could easily be described in one word - exceptional!  Italian inspired, but so much more than pizza or pasta, Strada offers a warm and welcoming dining experience, perfect for a lazy lunch with friends or a relaxing evening as a couple.

 

The menu presents a wide selection of starters, including Bresaola, which sees thinly sliced cured beef fillet served with rocket, lemon, Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil, and was certainly an excellent opener.  Roastede king prawns with garlic, white wine, chilli, lemon, parsley and olive oil were both sweet and flavourful packing a garlicky punch and presented with panache.

 

With over 30 dishes to choose it could take some time to select a main course.  Imaginative risotto and pasta creations include rigatoni speck e Gorgonzola, and risotto di verdure - a creamy risotto with grilled asparagus, broad beans, peas, spring onions, zucchini, green beans and mint topped with baby spinach leaves and shaved Parmesan.  Pizzas are thin and crispy with toppings to suit all tastes and the secondi selection of the menu offers further temptations with traditional pollo alla Milanese - sauteed chicken in seasoned breadcrumbs with tomato, garlic and basil sauce - and, my particular favourite, a whole sea bass stuffed with fragrant thyme and fennel served with roasted cubetti potatoes.

 

Desserts continue in traditional vein with fresh strawberry, mascarpone and vanilla tart finished with strawberry coulis, and panettone al forno - a warm panettone bread and butter pudding served with vanillae ice cream and caramel sauce, both superb examples of a creative and skilled kitchen.

 

A comprehensive list of Italian wines and a good selection of beers and soft drinks are available to compliment each and every dish.  All of this combined with amazing views over the harbour makes this the perfect place to experience a little bit of Italy.