insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 16 - June 2016 | Page 44
FOOD+DRINK
Warmth and wonderful food at
the Crab & Lobster, Sidlesham
Dating back to the 17th century, the Crab & Lobster was once a humble inn and its exterior – a
pristine, plastered white cottage that sits long and low divided by a strong black beam and pretty sets
of square windows – although spruced up, still puts you in mind of its 350-year history. The interior
is a different matter altogether, however. A brilliant blend of old meets new, the current owners have
sympathetically renovated the ‘restaurant with rooms’ to the rumoured tune of £3 million, elevating
it from modest to magnificent. Polly Humphris tried the new menu and was not disappointed.
It was a sunny day when we arrived at the Crab
& Lobster. Based in Sidlesham, a small village
about three miles south of Chichester, the
restaurant sits at the convergence of two idyllic
country lanes right next to the Pagham Harbour
Nature Reserve, and I almost wished it had of
been a drearier day when we visited. Perhaps
it’s the romantic in me, but Pagham Harbour, a
marshland of tidal inlets that teem with birdlife,
has more than a touch of Wuthering Heights
about it – the Crab & Lobster is a welcoming
sight in the spring sunshine anyway, but I can
imagine after a windswept walk in the rain, its
warm glow must draw passers by in with an
even more irresistible pull.
Warmth is absolutely the word here too. The
interior – flagstone flooring, exposed beams,
open log fires and soft furnishings in brown and
purple - is one that draws you in and envelopes
you in the comforting way that only a sofa can
after a long, hard day. It’s homely and chic,
simultaneously; not an easy trick to pull. The
second thing that hits you is the incredible
smell of food being cooked in the kitchen that
sits just behind the lovely little three-seater bar.
I’d already heard great things about the food
at the Crab & Lobster, but was doubly excited
to try the new menu. “The ideas behind a new
menu generally come from the changing of the
seasons,” head chef, Clyde Hollett, told me. “It’s a
team effort and we spend a lot of time developing
ideas until we are happy with them. I’m very
proud of all of our new dishes, but a couple that
really stick out for me are the Selsey crab and
tiger prawn cocktail, and from the mains, the
roast rump of lamb with Pommes Anna, baby
leeks, butternut squash and a Madeira jus.”
No prizes for guessing which two dishes I
opted for. The crab and prawn cocktail was so
beautifully presented, I hesitated before eating
it, but then on spying a perfect quenelle of
pinkish-brown crab amid an edible garden of
bitter chicory, peppery radish and crisp baby
gem lettuce, of course I dived straight in. The
prawns were juicy and sweet, balanced by salty
hits of caviar, and the crab cocktail tasted of
the sea – exactly as it should. My dining partner
opted for scallops, which were served with
slow-braised oxtail fritters; a rich, meaty match
made in heaven for the smooth, buttery fish.
As its name indicates, the Crab & Lobster is
famed for just that, but I couldn’t resist the
roast rump of lamb. Tender and packed full of
flavour, the meat was the undoubted star of
the plate; paired up with soft, buttery Pommes
Anna and a deliciously sweet butternut
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squash puree, it was all bought together by a
Madeira jus that could win awards on its own.
“I’m a firm believer in good quality sauces to
accompany the main elements on any dish and
I’m particularly proud of our Madeira sauce,”
Clyde told me. “It’s made from a basic veal
jus that we flavour with the trimmings from
the lamb rumps, reduced Madeira and lots
of garlic, thyme and rosemary, which is then
left to infuse for an hour, so the flavour from
the lamb comes through.” Clyde’s pride is not
misplaced; the whole dish was utterly delicious.
Many people seem to stumble across the Crab
& Lobster on the off chance, perhaps because
it’s tucked away on the banks of a nature
reserve, but do make the effort to go. It’s an
astounding restaurant in a beautiful location –
come rain or shine.
Crab & Lobster
Mill Lane
Sidlesham
Chichester
PO20 7NB
01243 641233
www.crab-lobster.co.uk
@crablobster_wsx