“A real show-off place” overlooking Brighton’s seafront and iconic West Pier ruins, this sibling of the meat-tastic Coal Shed is a star in its own right. Located behind a sleek black facade, The Salt Room mixes exposed brick and bare lightbulbs with a menu that majors in locally-sourced seafood and meat roasted over coal. ‘Whole fish to share’ is one of the standouts and fans rate the “outstanding” ‘surfboard’ piled with grilled shellfish from the south coast and Scotland.
Elsewhere, the Josper oven delivers some “exquisite steaks” for the red-blooded brigade and even a couple of options for vegetarians. Other notable fish dishes include lemon sole with spiced potted crab butter, cucumber and seaweed roasted potatoes, and Gigha halibut with fennel, samphire and kimchi hollandaise, though really you can’t go far wrong. The weekday set menu offers good value if you’re happy with a choice between two dishes for each course, while the Sunday sharing menu is more of a special treat (though kids under seven do eat free, if that sways it).
Desserts such as peach melba and arctic roll are pleasingly nostalgic, though we suggest you round off with 'a taste of the pier' – a chunk of West Pier driftwood brimming with delights such as doughnuts, fudge, pâte de fruits and chocolate ‘pebbles’. The bar’s a good shout too with plenty of trendy wines, including fine wines by the glass, though it’s also worth noting the cracking BYO deal on Monday evenings (corkage £5). Slick, friendly service and a lovely terrace for ocean-gazing during the summer months add to the overall buzz of this popular Brighton restaurant.