Wine, dine, and relax with quality European tapas

As the saying goes 'a change is as good as a rest' and this is perhaps how Kate Alleston and Neil Mannifield - the team behind new restaurant Market - must have felt. After nine years they have closed the popular 2AA Rosette Graze restaurant and have embarked on a new venture.

The old fashioned fusty world of fine dining has been ditched and a relaxed European tapas-style realm - where sharing and boisterous chatter is encouraged - has taken its place.

I have always been a little wary of tapas-style dining. I am far too British and greedy for all that sharing; awkward politeness and insatiable gluttony do not combine well.

For those of you who share my predicament, Market also serves traditional style plates alongside their sharing dishes. On this visit I put my personal issues aside and sampled a range of their small plate offerings.

Perched on a stool at the bar I felt instantly relaxed and comfortable. The staff were friendly and happily going about their business and the space felt like a good place to be. From where we were sat we could see the chef preparing our food whilst we casually sipped our wine; a Dao Tinto for me which was dry and packed with spice and rich fruits; a Nero D'Avola for my friend which was more subtle with red-fruit notes.

Our first dish of marinated artichoke with smoked pimentÃ³n aioli from the 'mini market' section of the menu arrived. The combination of the creamy artichoke with a lightly charred exterior and the smokey aioli was fabulous. This was followed by goats' cheese churros with white truffle honey which took things up a notch. The cheese was encased in a super light batter and lightly fried; the tart cheese with the highly aromatic honey was a delight.

From the 'Greengrocer' section of the menu we then had broccoli, kale, and tahini followed by 'crashed eggs!'. The warm salad of perfectly tender broccoli with delicately crisp dehydrated kale '“ which resembled seaweed - was a pleasant dish. The tahini dressing provided a savoury hit of sesame and raw mangetout strands a further layer of texture. More a side dish than a stand-alone one for me.

The 'crashed eggs!' came next which I had been intrigued about. A Spanish inspired dish of caramelised onions, garlic, potatoes, romesco sauce, padron peppers and manchego cheese with eggs finished under the grill. Served in a skillet it looked fantastic and, as the chef advised, was best with bread used to scoop it into your waiting mouth. I would have preferred this to be a bit more bolshie with all of those big flavours as it was surprisingly subtle.

Next up were dishes from the 'Butcher' and 'Fishmonger' respectively; venison Carpaccio, plum and hazelnut followed by scallops, wild boar bacon and honeyed parsnip. The venison was a wonderful display of excellent produce prepared with skill and respect. The meat was so tender it melted in the mouth with little encouragement. A plum sauce and slithers of plum added a tart fruity element and the hazelnut was surprisingly well matched; this is coming from someone who is not a big nut fan. On top of this the seasoning was perfect - which can be said of all the dishes we tried.

The scallops were next and as with all the dishes the food was prepared with thoughtful attention to detail and respect for the ingredients. Sweet seared scallops and a smooth parsnip puree with crisp parsnip garnish combined fantastically. The wild boar bacon was delicious and was an excellent foil to the sweet honeyed parsnip. The only element of the dish I would have changed was the accompanying venison jus. It was a beautiful jus - deep and rich in flavour with a lustrous sheen - however I felt that it slightly overpowered the more delicate aspects of the dish.

Finally we tucked into a dessert of blackberry and lemon mess with an accompanying glass of moscato passito dessert wine. The pudding was exceptional with a variety of blackberry elements including a sorbet, jam, and fresh fruit accompanied by lemon shards and curd. The mess element was provided by feather light meringue and milk curd vanilla cream. The flavours were exquisitely balanced with varied textures keeping things interesting in the mouth. The wine was a perfect match; much drier than some I've had in the past and less honeyed.Â All in all a fantastic end to the meal.

I enjoyed my dining experience at Market and would certainly return. The atmosphere is lively and engaging even on a damp Tuesday evening. The food is confident and honest staying true to the quality produce without the need for any pretentious twaddle. This would be a perfect venue for a date, meal with friends or other intimate get together where you want to chat and enjoy yourself without having to compromise on the quality of the food you are eating.

Market Restaurant and Bar

42 Western Road, Hove, BN3 1JD

01273 823707