Fire, smoke and a very good Tuesday: Embers

The room

Small, dark, hot in the good way. Everything comes off wood and you can smell it from the door, which is either an invitation or a warning depending on your coat.

The food

Order whatever has spent the longest over the flame. Vegetables get treated with the same seriousness as the meat, which is the tell of a kitchen that means it. Bread and dripping first, always.

The bill

Not cheap, not silly. Two people, three plates, one bottle, and you leave smelling faintly of smoke for the rest of the night.

The verdict

The best argument in Brighton for eating out on a school night. Go at seven, sit at the counter, talk to whoever is cooking.