NINE: Pier 9

She says...

"Why are you going to Hastings?"
"For a pirate convention"
"No, seriously why are you going to Hastings?"
"To visit a restaurant with '9' in the title"
"Honestly now, stop joshing, why are you going to Hastings?"

Yeah, talk about unlikely. What was even more unlikely was that we'd manage to choose the first magnificently clear and sunny day after many long tortuous days of torrential rain. Go us.

The two hours on the slow train from Victoria was a bit tiresome, but there was much to welcome us at the other end. Thousands of people in fancy dress waving skull and crossbone flags, faces painted. Bands who'd re-branded themselves  (I hope) for the event (The Sex Pirates, The Peerless Pirates) playing in the historical square and on the beach. And not least our friends, Anthony & Lucy, who we'd convinced to join us with their 2 children. Our very jolly party enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the seafront to the restaurant for a late Sunday lunch.

Within a beautifully renovated townhouse overlooking the sea, Pier 9 is part of the Zanzibar Hotel. A smart looking building sandwiched between slightly more shabby exteriors.

We were shown to the back by friendly staff, past a shiny white grand piano (an attempt to bring Essex glamour into sleepy Sussex?), to a cool and relaxing semi-private room looking out onto their tiered terrace. The menu looked great and reasonably priced at 2 courses for £18, three for £24. Our guests were suitably impressed, us relieved.

Starters of potted shrimp and deep-fried seafood (or fritto misto di mare, if you will) went down a treat, whilst my beef carpaccio was the only disappointment all meal. All the ingredients were fresh and individually tasty, but the tarragon mousse and bitter rocket salad totally over-powered the delicate beef. However, my main of  breaded plaice was lightly dusted, expertly cooked and accompanied by a perfectly judged muddle of potato, crab and capers. Matt's lamb and Lucy's pork and chorizo also recieved praise, but Anthony's special - seared tuna with wasabi mash earned a 'sensational'. Well jel.

They also scored major blog points for offering to 'cook anything for the kids'... and the tomato and cheesey spaghetti was, I think, thoroughly enjoyed...




There was a wedding reception booked in from 6pm, which we had been warned about, so we were slightly rushed towards the bill, but through not fault of the restaurant. We would have happily had desserts and more wine though! Nothing like being left wanting more. A really lovely experience, which surely could only be topped by the red arrows doing a fly by for us... oh.

Restaurant #9: 9.5/10