Wednesday, 8 August 2012

The Laindons and Pomegranate - Hastings' best


Whilst you might have considered the seaside town of Hastings to be something of a chic bijou hideaway, a recent visit to that part of the coast on a weekend getaway proved it to be anything but.  In fact, after three days of inhaling air perforated with the smell of rotting fish and rancid chip fat and watching chavs have dog fights on the beach, I was ready to nip this adventurousness in the bud and henceforth always head back to Hove when I wanted a break from London.

Chippy smells...

However, there are several ways in which Hastings thoroughly redeemed itself, if not the town itself then some of its resident providers of hospitality.  The first of these was The Laindons B&B.  If you want to visit Hastings and you are looking for accommodation that is convenient, welcoming, cosy and simply and stylishly decorated then this is the place.  This seaside townhouse has only three bedrooms each one with thick carpets that immediately make you want to take your shoes off, and chic yet nautical décor that included corner baths, White Company toiletries, enormous beds with clouds of scatter cushions and chaise longues.  From the relaxing jets of the power shower, to the care taken over the breakfast (order fruit salad here and you’ll get everything from blueberries to mango, freshly chopped that day), the experience of staying here made Hastings a treat when it could have been a real disappointment.

The other saving grace of Hastings was Pomegranate, a newly redecorated restaurant with ideas refreshingly above its station.  This place has the kind of service that makes you want to immediately spend a fortune, a bohemian ambiance of the French 19th century kind, and genuinely delicious plates of food, we were more than willing to forgive the fact that there didn’t seem to be an extractor fan through the open hatch to the kitchen and we left smelling of our dinner.

When you’re on ‘holiday,’ a meal out is always an occasion to throw away the self-control.  At Pomegranate this meant that within 20 minutes we had steamed through nearly a bottle of prosecco and two baskets of soft, home made focaccia with rich olive oil and tangy balsamic vinegar, all of which were delivered, replenished and topped up without any judgment whatsoever.  The arrival of the starters was greeted with the enthusiasm of post a half bottle of prosecco and the light, fluffy tempura prawns and fragrant pigeon and bacon salad barely touched the sides. 

Mains took a little time to arrive but we could see the chef through the kitchen hatch and it was pretty clear that he wasn’t slacking so we were content to chat tipsily and play footsie under the table.  I had ordered lemon sole and when it arrived I was a little dismayed to find it entirely whole.  But that was my own fault for not properly reading the menu and those chunks of white flesh drenched in lemony butter and capers were entirely worth the trouble of attempting to avoid all the bones.  Across the way my dinner companion was enjoying a hearty plate of halloumi and couscous – for once, a vegetarian main outside London that didn’t involved a quiche.  I think it’s always a sign of a good meal that when the pudding comes, the person eating it doesn’t speak for the first five mouthfuls.  The oozing, rich chocolate fondant and vanilla ice cream at Pomegranate was eaten in complete silence.  Right down to the kumquat garnish. 



Whilst we had consumed a substantial amount of food and booze during the evening, the usual blood-draining moment when the bill arrives proved much less terrifying, as the meal cost at least a third less than we would have paid for it in London (around £70).  Cue: relief all round and the temptation to order more food…After that delicious evening, when we returned to the corner bath and comfy bed of The Laindons we’d just about forgiven Hastings for chippy smell and the dog fights.  Perhaps we might even return…

The Laindons
23 High Street Town Centre, Hastings TN34 3EY
01424 437 710
www.thelaindons.com

Pomegranate Hastings
50 George Street Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3EA
01424 429 221
www.pomegranatehastings.co.uk 

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