Church Road in Hove is no stranger to a new opening, nor does it shy away from fine dining, as it's home to the likes of etch Brighton by Steven Edwards, and now the new kid on the block, Maré by Rafael Cagali.
The two Michelin-starred chef of London’s Da Terra has teamed up with his partner Charlie Lee and head chef Ewan Waller to bring a seasonal restaurant, focusing on local produce, with a nod to Cagali’s Brazilian-Italian heritage.
Maré by Rafael Cagali's interiors were earthy and tranquil.
DesignMyNight Reviews Maré By Rafael Cagali In Brighton
I visited on a Saturday night, only four weeks after opening; I thought it seemed fitting to sneak a peek at the crashing waves down a sloping road before stepping through the doors of a restaurant whose name directly translates to ‘tide’ in Portuguese.
A steady procession of diners spilt into the warm, terracotta-washed surrounds after me, filling up most of the 38 seats, all keenly looking to enjoy Cagali’s culinary offering that promised to sit somewhere in the middle between Da Terra and his other restaurant, Elis, in terms of execution and accessibility.
A brilliant opening into this vision was the fried market oyster (£4.50), with a delicate dab of hot sauce emulsion and pickled onions. This was part of the ‘one bite (maybe two)’ section of the menu, designed to familiarise and excite the palate.
The Dorset crab crumpets (pictured left) and the fried oysters (right).
True to its name, I found that I could devour it in one mouthful. It was decadent, salty and crispy, and, as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of oysters, I found myself smacking my lips with glee at this elevated snack. My favourite though, was the onion croustade with pickled walnut (£4.50) which practically burst with zaps of pickle in my mouth. Very different to the sweet-tasting, fluffy texture of the crumpet topped with Dorset crab (£6), lovage, radish, and dill.
You could’ve easily ordered a snack or two for yourself to get you started, but the small plates that followed were definitely for sharing and conversing over. I was very excited for the delica pumpkin raviolo (£16) with jalapeno and ricotta, which was a gentle shade of autumn orange and was so silky to eat. I relished the mild creaminess of the ricotta, but wondered where the heat from the chilli pepper was.
Aged hamachi crudo (pictured left), and the Carabineros prawns (right).
The aged hamachi crudo (£18), with tomato, ajo blanco, and cobnuts, was a real treat; the ajo blanco (a Spanish gazpacho) tasted yoghurty and drenched the dish in a tangy pool of sauce, disguising the cobnuts like a blanket of snow, and so well that I almost forgot they were there until I felt a crunch. It could’ve been my favourite dish, but the Fowey mussels (£16) with hispi cabbage, mussel sauce and focaccia stole the show. The bread was toasted and chopped like croutons, and the depth of the sauce was full-bodied and moreish.
Our mains, the Carabineros prawns (£46), took the form of a Brazilian fish stew with a fragrant coconut sauce and deliciously charred peppers. While the high price point could've made some wheep, crustacean enthusiasts would've rejoiced, as the prawns were juicy and so tender that they glided out of their shells effortlessly, like butter melting on a warm pan.
Accompanying this were domino-shaped Cassava chips (£5.50), made from yuca (cassava root), with impressive golden layers that offered a firm structure, but a brilliantly flaky texture and the sort of layers a croissant would envy.
Olive oil sponge cake (pictured right) and the fig choux bun (left).
When it came to dessert, the olive oil sponge cake (£14) called to me, which was lighter than air and a vehicle for some earthy, rich red Mayan chocolate. However, the choux bun (£12) might’ve just pipped it to the post in the list of desserts that I’d fight someone for.
It was split in half like a sandwich; it had a crispy outside but retained a soft texture, with a scoop of herbal fig ice cream sneakily achieving hints of Pedro Ximenez and a comforting and botanical fruitiness that made me believe that ice cream really could be consumed all year round - a justification I never knew I needed.
Overall: Maré By Rafael Cagali
Maré by Rafael Cagali is a very welcome addition to Brighton’s food scene, cementing it as a city with a variety of fine dining options and one that embraces high-calibre chefs. I had a wonderful meal, and one that stood out to me among the seaside riff raff. Admittedly, it was slightly pricey, though I do not doubt that the quality of ingredients was worth it. I'd return as a special treat, if only to get a mouthful of that blissful choux again.
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💰 Price: £157 for two, excluding service charge and paired wines. 📍 Address: 60 Church Road, Brighton and Hove, Hove BN3 2FP. 👌 Perfect for: a dinner date or special occasion. ⭐ Need to know: you must leave room for dessert. |
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