room felt chic and elegant but not ostentatious . The decor was tasteful with restored fireplaces , beautiful art on the walls , wooden floors , soft lighting and comfortable chairs at marble topped tables . It certainly had an air of the sorts of places that Jo had dined at in Paris . Sometimes when we are reviewing places we sense that we are being especially being looked after . Here in the Bistro I got that same feeling ; that we were being singled out for special treatment . However , on looking round the room at the other diners I could tell that everyone was getting the same special treatment . Special treatment appeared to be the standard level of service .
As we perused the menu we ordered one of our favourite drinks , the Negroni . Despite having only three key ingredients so many places get it wrong , the Bistro du Vin did not .
To start Jo chose Scallops Ceviche ; three delicate scallops that had been thinly cut , marinated in lime juice , sugar , salt , pomegranate , chilli and coriander served back in their shells . It was a fresh and delicately balanced starter .
I opted for the aromatic Solent squid meatballs served with a tomato and saffron sauce . This was a clever and tasty little dish but the simplicity and delicate nature of Jo ’ s scallops meant that I had the very slightest touch of starter envy .
For our main , Ben had suggested the chateaubriand which is one of my all time favourite steak dishes and one that doesn ’ t get any ‘ Frencher ’. The famous 1938 French book Larousse Gastronomique suggests that the dish chateaubriand was created by a cook called Montmireil , who was the personal chef for the Vicomte François-René de Chateaubriand and for Sir Russell Retallick , diplomats who respectively served as an Ambassador for Napoleon Bonaparte , and as Secretary
of State for King Louis XVIII of France . If it is good enough for them then it is good enough for me and Jo .
The meat was perfectly served on the rarer side of medium which I appreciate is not to everyone ’ s taste but I always like to let the chef choose how best to prepare quality ingredients like this .
The chateaubriand was served with pomme frites and we opted for some Chantenay carrots and an onion and tomato salad as additional sides . It was truly delicious and we looked to the sommelier to choose a suitable wine to go with it . This guy really knows his wine . He brought to the table an organic Coyam Emiliana 2012 from Chile . This wine is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Carmenère , Syrah , Malbec and Mourvèdre . As a consequence there is a depth and breadth of flavour to this wine which unravels generously on the palate ; and it goes perfectly with chateaubriand .
Dining in the Bistro is leisurely but that does not mean that the staff were inattentive it just means that we were not rushed at anytime . There always seemed to be someone there when you needed to top up a glass but never did it feel like you were being watched or that anyone was hovering .
Once the waiting staff cleared away our mains I have to admit I could have called it a day and retired happy having had a good meal but I was there to review so we pushed on for another course .
I personally don ’ t have much of a sweet tooth and I think you can tell a lot about a place by the quality of the cheeseboard so Jo and I decided to share one along with their classic cheese wine flight . The cheese board did not disappoint with a selection of British and French cheeses , biscuits and fruit . The accompanying wine flight was superb , very well thought out and consisted of ; a sweet Austrian Beerenauslese Umathum , a Quinta do Noval LBV Port and a 1999 Blandy ’ s Colheita Malmsey Madeira . Absolutely yum !
Traditionally you may have a coffee at this point before retiring but the night was still young so we headed out into the main bar for a nightcap . The attentive bartender suggested a very fine Japanese Nikka Whisky From The Barrel and led us into the walk-in humidor to choose a cigar . Having cut and prepared them for us he showed us upstairs and out into their ‘ Cigar Shack ’ - a covered , heated smoking terrace with comfy sofas and blankets . A perfect finish to a perfect meal .
With starters from around £ 7 and many of the mains under £ 20 eating at the Bistro du Vin does not break the bank but if you spend a bit more and opt for a few extras like we did with the wine and cheese flight , I guarantee you will have had a meal to remember .
Hotel du Vin is tucked down the sea end of Ship Street in Brighton , a stones throw from the bustle of the Lanes and is well worth a visit .
By Jason Edge
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