Natural oyster, pickled gooseberry, elderflower vinegar at Due South (credit Xavier Buendia)
Due South opens on Brighton beach
Due South, led by chef Mark Wadsworth, has reopened under the arches on Brighton beach. Cooking over an open fire grill and hearth, the menu is British and seasonal with Asian inspired touches.
Returning to its original location after a decade-long hiatus, Due South launched in 2004, under the same team as Riddle & Finns, before closing in 2011 to become Riddle & Finns on the Beach, which has now relocated to The Rotunda. Quickly winning acclaim from diners and critics alike, Due South was renowned, and ahead of its time, for the team’s fanatical sourcing of local, wild and seasonal produce from ethical farms and suppliers, such as Shrub and NamaYasai, to showcase its creative dishes.
Now, with the same ethos, Due South has opened once more with head chef and owner, Mark Wadsworth, cooking everything over wood, smoke and open fire. Every part of the ingredient is used, from nose to tail and root to stalk, with Mark sourcing 80% of the menu within 35 miles, working with independent and small suppliers from Sussex farms and along the South coast.
Start lunch with aperol and elderflower sour cocktail, or a glass of Sussex sparkling wine, with a selection of bites such as steak tartare, brioche toast, almonds and smoked mayo; wood fired sourdough with lardo and garlic butter and a plate of oysters, either natural, grilled seaweed butter or with pickled gooseberry and elderflower vinegar. Small plates follow with spider crab stuffed courgette flower and crab bisque; wild seabass sashimi and wasabi crème fraiche or barbecued mackerel with horseradish and cucumber. For main courses, order the dry-aged rib eye steak, caramelised shallot and burnt butter béarnaise; wood fired turbot with charred lemon; sweet miso chilli skate wing with charred lime or smoked hen of the woods mushroom with spinach and garlic gnocchi. Sides such as butter grilled kale, almonds, chilli and ginger; baked pink fir potatoes and crème fraiche and a Nutbourne tomato salad complete the meal. And for dessert, try the wood fired cheesecake with strawberries or a plate of British cheeses from Alsop & Walker, served with quince jelly, celery, pickled walnuts and biscuits.
Mark Wadsworth
Head chef and co-owner of Due South, Mark Wadsworth, began his career staging at the two Michelin starred Latymer restaurant at Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey, before moving to The Ginger Pig in Hove. Mark spent eight more years working in restaurants around Sussex before becoming head chef at Riddle & Finn. Mark’s inspiration for his menus draws on his food experiences from the world, and his in depth produce and ingredient knowledge.
For more information, images, interview with Mark Wadsworth or for press visits to Due South contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room Hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361