Restaurant Tristan – Horsham, West Sussex #MichelinStar

Chasing a life of sun, sand and sea, my stepdaughters have recently relocated to Brighton. Pedantically, I pointed out that the local beaches are not sandy but pebbly and that, instead of being a seaside resort, the English Channel is actually an ‘arm’ of the Atlantic Ocean. Yes, I really am that much fun at parties.

The best thing about their move south for me is getting to explore a whole new batch of places to eat when we travel down to visit. The first task, set by my wife, was to find “somewhere nice for lunch” to for us all to go to celebrate the birthday of one of their partners.

With a Michelin star and an incredible value set lunch of 3 courses for £25, Restaurant Tristan in nearby Horsham seemed the perfect choice.

Chef / Proprietor Tristan Mason has an impressive pedigree. He trained with Marco Pierre White at the Mirabelle and with Paul Merrett at The Greenhouse in Mayfair before winning his first star as a head chef at The Hare in Berkshire. Open since 2008, Tristan has held a star for since 2013.

What Michelin say: ‘16C property with a ground floor coffee shop and a heavily beamed upstairs restaurant. Well-presented, classic dishes are delivered with a modern touch; ingredients are excellent and flavours, distinct and well matched. Service is enthusiastic and friendly and the atmosphere, refreshingly relaxed.’

What we ate:

Bread: Walnut or Sourdough served with black olive tapenade, mustard butter and unsalted butter.

Amuse: Pumpkin Velouté, puffed wild rice, ricotta

Starter: Crab, Jerusalem artichoke velouté, apple

Starter: Boudin Blanc, tangerine, truffle

Main: Bream, beetroot, Coppa de Parma

Main: Pheasant, spiced quince puree, hazelnuts

Sides: Mixed greens, Ventreche / Maris Peer, parsley butter / Mixed salad

Dessert: Fig soufflé, white chocolate, ginger

Dessert: Orange, pink grapefruit, yoghurt

Selection of artisan cheeses, biscuits, chutney

Food high points: all dishes were well received amongst our party of five. Although making use of autumnal ingredients, each of the dishes remained light. The crab dish and fig soufflé were particular favourites.

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