Brighton’s newest LGBTQ+ venue located on St George’s Rd in Brighton finally launched their highly anticipated new menu last month and I clicked my heels together in delight to return to the Wizard of Oz themed venue to be one of the first to sample the new food. I chose to sit in the secluded beer garden located at the rear of the venue with a pint of Moretti with a lemonade top (ever classy) while perusing the delights on offer. Arcobaleno is the only establishment in the city serving Maltese-inspired food. I have never tried this cuisine before and was looking forward to a brand new taste experience. To start I ordered the Maltese platter, consisting of Kapunata, fresh pickles, Maltese sausage, burnt aubergine, cannellini beans in extra virgin olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, olives and warm bread. All of the aforementioned items were delicious, the food is reminiscent of Mediterranean Meze with a heartier twist. All the ingredients were fresh and the flatbread was homemade. I particularly enjoyed the sausage, which was very well seasoned and the olives were huge and moreish. This platter gives you a little bit of everything which is perfect if you are unsure on what to order. It is the ultimate Maltese-inspired starter. Up next, smashed beef and pork meatballs, served in a rich tomato sauce with parmesan and a side of potatoes. This dish really is comfort food at its very best, the sauce was rich and the meatballs well cooked, they literally fell apart while I was eating them. This dish reminded me of a Maltese-inspired version of a beef stew, something that warms you from the inside out, like getting a fat hug from a fine looking man in a fluffy jumper. Once again It was evident high quality ingredients had been used. I was pleasantly full when I had finished my meal and couldn’t resist popping into the kitchen to meet the Chef. I was surprised to discover she isn’t Maltese, but hails from the north of England. She told me what I already suspected, they only use the freshest ingredients, with nothing coming out of packets. It is clear Chef is passionate about cooking and she has certainly delivered the ultimate comfort food menu. Food is served Thursday to Saturday from 4pm – 9pm with the kitchen changing their hours at weekends from midday – 5pm. My advice is make sure you try this unique menu, it is reasonably priced and will leave you feeling loved and happy. The venue launched their new revised Autumnal menu last week, so there are slight changes to when I visited. Please note Arcobaleno also plays host to a plethora of free drag, cabaret and burlesque at weekends and quiz nights, student nights, cocktail club and karaoke during the week. Their cocktails are all Wizard of Oz themed and hand shaken by highly trained mixologists. Get yourselves along to this inclusive safe space, to see and be seen.
