The first thing I noticed upon entering Kusaki in Brighton was the interior design, an interesting blend of traditional Japanese furnishings mixed with bare brick walls and concrete floors; it felt like a scene from an Ang Lee movie on which J. G. Ballard consulted. As my partner and I sat down at our table in Kusaki’s Blossom Dining Room, the soft lighting, warm colours, and blossom tree focal point gave the atmosphere a slight al-fresco feel.
Is Kusaki in brighton worth visiting?
Drinks & Apptisers at Kusaki
For drinks, my partner ordered a delicious jasmine green tea which arrived in a generously sized teapot, and I ordered a Wolfox Pilsner which was crisp, malty, and refreshing. As an appetiser, we ordered a small plate of Kimchi Tofu Gyoza, which was served up promptly (but not suspiciously quick). The dumplings appeared hand-made and came sitting on a bright beetroot puree and a Chang Mai dipping sauce which complimented the spicy sour kimchi filling perfectly.
Main Meal Experience
Once we had finished the gyoza, our mains arrived beautifully presented and smelling divine. My Tofu Hanlok was bursting with warming spices and fragrant aromatics – the tofu patties were particularly good as they had a toothsome and almost meaty texture to them, something that I haven’t previously experienced with tofu. The thing that really brought my main dish to life though was the pineapple relish which crowned the rice and added a bold refreshing dimension to the hearty and rich sauce. My only criticism with the main dish is that I wasn’t provided with a spoon to scoop up the remainder of my rice with; this was a feat which sadly my chopstick skills could not manage.
Dessert at Kusaki
My dessert of choice was a deconstructed tea-flavoured cheesecake with apple gel and apple crisps which was delightful, contained a multitude of textures and the strong pomaceous element never felt overly sweet or sickly.
Final thoughts about kusaki in Brighton
My experience at Kusaki in Brighton was overall very good, however, my partner and I both thought that while drinks and desserts were very reasonably priced, other items on the menu fared a little steep which makes Kusaki a restaurant to visit for special occasions rather than a regular treat. That being said, I still highly recommend Kusaki to experience a whole new level of plant-based cuisine.
Address: 5-6, Circus Parade, New England Rd, Brighton, BN1 4GW
Website: https://www.kusakibrighton.com/
