I ate at the best restaurant in Sussex – it completely surprised me

So when I heard the Ferring staple had been named Best Sussex Restaurant at the BRAVO (Brighton Restaurant Awards Vote Online) Awards, I knew it was finally time to try it.

The team at the restaurant, located in Ferring Street, invited my husband and I to do a review last week. But we couldn’t believe how quiet it was when we arrived. This is Sussex’s best restaurant, and there was nobody there. It didn’t make sense…

And then, we were led out of what turns out to be the bar area into a Tardis-like space around the back. From the street, I’d always assumed Andalucia was just that front room, but it’s so much bigger than I’d realised. There are two decent-sized rooms in the main restaurant space. Plus a new elegant private dining area with its own bar that has just opened upstairs, allowing Andalucia to host birthdays, weddings and events.

We weren’t, in fact, alone. We we seated in the middle of several others tables of diners in a light and bright room with an ‘olive tree’ in the middle, where huge skylights opened above our heads to let in a gentle summer evening’s breeze.

Our server, Jimmy, was friendly and attentive, and talked us through the menu. He made recommendations, which was useful because everything sounded amazing.

He suggested we aim for three to four dishes each, and then decide if we wanted to order more. So we perused the menu while enjoying a delicious glass of white rioja and a pint of Alhambra Especial lager.

In the end, we plumped for: Aceitunas (marinated olives) and Pan solo (bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar), Costillas (pork belly ribs), Pollo al Andaluz (Chicken with Andalusian spices an mojo picon sauce), Monkfish (from the specials menu), Berenjenas con miel (crispy aubergines with organic honey), Patatas ali oli (potatoes with garlic mayonnaise) and Pimientos de padron (Padron peppers with sea salt).

I’m being completely honest when I say everything was incredible. The meat and fish were tender and juicy, the vegetables full of flavour, and the spice levels in everything were so well-rounded.

If I had to plump for a favourite, it would be the meaty monkfish or the chicken, but honestly I could and would eat everything again. Plus, I want to try so many more things from the menu.

The instant the dessert menu was laid down, my husband saw the Crema Catalana (a Spanish take on crème caramel) and was sold. This one is flavoured with cinnamon, orange and lemon and was an absolute delight (you’d better believe I tried some).

On recommendation, I had the vanilla and passionfruit cheesecake with coconut ice cream. It was so flavoursome and I’m still dreaming about it.

It was suggested I pair it with a shot of Licor 43 (which I gladly did) – a golden Spanish liqueur crafted in Cartagena with a vanilla and citrus flavour. It was warm, but didn’t blow your head off with alcohol flavour as some liquors do.

You could argue it was the perfect end to a perfect night of incredible food and hospitality. And I certainly would! It’s easy to see how Andalucia was voted the best restaurant in our county. I can’t wait to go back.

For more information, or to book a table, see https://andaluciasussex.co.uk/