The Ivy in the Lanes – post-lockdown review

Last week I was invited to the Ivy in the Lanes to celebrate the long-awaited re-opening.

It was my first post- lockdown meal out so naturally I was a little apprehensive but I couldn’t wait to get dressed up and have someone else cook for me!

The Ivy is known for its beautiful interior design, slick service and delicious all day dining menu, however in this new Covid world that we are living in, I was unsure if my dining experience would feel safe or if I would be able to relax and enjoy being out again. Keeping safe is the key thing on everyone’s mind at the moment so I was really hoping that the Ivy had enough safety measures in place to make the experience safe without losing the enjoyment of dining out.

The Ivy has implemented a number of measures to ensure guests can confidently dine in a safe environment. We had such a fantastic evening and felt completely at ease with being in the restaurant. The Ivy had gone above and beyond to keep all restaurant diners safe while keeping that Ivy luxury and charm.

On arrival we were greeted and taken to our table. The staff were friendly and relaxed but they were all taking appropriate social distancing measures with customers to keep themselves and us safe. Every table had hand sanitiser for you to use which matched the décor of the restaurant! The tables were all nicely spaced out and there were signs reminding people to keep distance.

Once we settled in at our table we started to relax, realising that this felt really safe, clean and so good to be back in a Restaurant. The restaurant had such a lovely atmosphere so we decided to take a deep breath and enjoy the evening ahead.

We started with Tempura Prawns with Salt and Pepper Squid and a very, very delicious Rhubarb and Raspberry Gin cocktail.

For mains I opted for the Prawn and Monkfish curry which was served with rice and green beans. The fish was so tender and tasty, not like anything I have been producing at home! My husband decided to have the chicken Milanese with Truffle Fries. The chicken was yummy and the fries were pure heaven, the perfect balance of truffle and cheese.

Dessert was the highlight of my meal; a melting Chocolate Bombe with a Vanilla ice cream and honeycomb centre with hot salted caramel sauce. Just wow. The food coma was real once I had pretty much licked my plate clean!

Our first post lockdown restaurant visit was over and I can’t believe how much I enjoyed it. Not only were we treated to an evening of beautiful food, drinks and service but we were able to feel safe and I realised that this new way of living isn’t actually so bad.

Thank you to the Ivy Brighton for taking such good care of us, we can’t wait to come back.

Katie

The Ivy in the Lanes offers all-day dining, seven days a week, from dawn until dusk. An enticing cocktail list sits alongside the dining menu, featuring a choice of traditional and contemporary bespoke cocktails. Visit www.theivybrighton.com