We have so much choice in Brighton that sometimes its a little overwhelming when choosing where to eat. I am constantly torn between trying to be healthy, which never seems to work out, and following my stomach at times of hunger. How is it that when you are hungry you can never decide on where to eat, nowhere seems to take your fancy and you end up being a miserable hungry gremlin. No? Just me? Moving swiftly on then… In our little jam-packed cosmopolitan city, you can definitely eat out most days of the week without ever having to repeat. Once you eat at SoulFoo Food Bar you won’t want to eat anywhere else, trust me on this, I’m a foodie.
With a bounce in my step, I set off towards SoulFoo food bar located at the bottom of busy St James Street. As I entered with my equally buzzing lunch date, my excitement for the food was matched by every single one of the staff and customers, being greeted with big smiles and hellos, I felt like I had come back to my mum’s house for dinner. Reggae music playing and the warm, earthy coloured interior created a relaxed and comforting vibe. A mixture of high and low tables, accommodating for all ages, nicely filled the space with a floor to ceiling window flooded the food bar with natural sunlight and allowed for great people watching. Once we sat down, George (one of the two brothers that own this lovely establishment) came automatically over to greet us and ask how our days were going; genuinely making us feel like VIP’s. The great customer service made us feel as though we were special regulars on our first ever visit.
The menu is a small but well thought out, combining African, Afro American and Caribbean food and spices. We were firstly brought out Moyo Ribs and Suya wing. One bite and you could tell how much time and care were put into the food that came from the kitchen, evident in the flavour and the presentation. We quickly dug into the piping hot food, starting with the ribs, which were meaty and flavoursome, with a perfect hint of after-kick spice. Similarly the chicken wings were delicious, with a slightly spicier, crispy outside and succulent meat that fell off the bone making the whole processes effortless, a sign I think of a darn good chicken wing. Next came fried plantain with a spicy side sauce, much to my dates delight and fresh hand cut sweet potato chips. Both piping hot, it gave a sweet ending to a delicious lunch, leaving us full of yummy healthy filling food, and a feeling you can only you get from eating your mums home cooked food. All in all a beautiful meal, which was packed full of flavour and as cheesy as it sounds, it was packed with love. Their drink menu consists of rum cocktails with a twist, exquisitely presented, popping with colour and exciting flavours.
Although the food is truly impeccable, what makes this place special are the people that run it. After our meal, both George and Brian (the other brother that makes up this fantastic duo) came over to our table and spoke to us to explain the background of their brilliant idea. It is clear to see how much love and thought went into every single detail, to create an inclusive, friendly food bar that in my opinion is just what Brighton is looking for. Both professionally trained chefs, George and Brian know how to cater for all their costumers, telling us how important it is for them to make sure they speak to costumers in order to understand their preferences in the spice and flavour combinations. Ladies and Gentlemen this trait is what makes the SoulFoo Food Bar incredibly special, they make sure that no one leaves feeling anything but wowed and looked after.
After hearing their plans for ‘Sunday Throwdowns’, a twist on the traditional Sunday meal, allowing the residents and visitors of Brighton to experience traditional Zambian/ Zimbabwe food, I cannot wait to go back again and again and watch as, possibly could I say one of my top restaurants in Brighton, becomes the raging success it deserves to be.
