Bom-Banes Restaurant

And is the table growing or are you shrinking? Things aren’t as they seem at Bom-Bane’s. The Kemp Town cafe-restaurant is a haven for those who like things quirky.

Owners Jane Bom-Bane and Nick Pynn have let their imaginations run amok, installing each table with a nifty little gadget and giving it a name.

In The Aesop’s Table you can watch black and white cartoons inspired by Aesop’s Fables; the Turntable slowly revolves; the Water Table has the intricate model of the pier inside; the 27 Chimes Table does just that and the prism-like Tablerone is made from reflective mirrors.

Nick and Jane made the tables themselves with help from family and friends. “We wanted to create something fun and interesting and the upstairs tables have given the place a lovely atmosphere – everyone who comes here seems to be really friendly and people talk to other,” says Jane.

She and her partner Nick are both professional musicians whose aim was to open an eatery where they could perform together. They will play downstairs once a month or so.

Nick is a well known multi-instrumentalist, and Jane plays harmonium. For ten years she has been performing with wonderfully bizarre mechanical hats, each representing a different song. “I make a new hat each year but this year, we opened Bom-Bane’s, which has turned into one giant hat,” she says.

A spiral staircase leads to the basement, which, although slightly more formal, is still beautifully off-kilter. Full of nooks and crannies, you can sit in the back seat of a vintage car or at a communal monastery table, handmade by a local carpenter. Jane’s harmonium sits in the corner, surrounded by her hat boxes.

A collection of Nick’s stringed instruments hang from the walls, along with interesting work from local artists.

But don’t let the weird and wonderful surroundings take the attention away from the food. Chefs Andre Schmidt and Jonny Martin have created a day and evening menu (the cafe opens late three nights a week), comprising wholesome, honest dishes inspired by homely Belgian and Yorkshire flavours.

For lunch, try a steak sandwich, marinated chicken with red pepper and almond sauce on a warm ciabatta, or own-cured salmon on fromage blanc.

A popular choice is the stoemp and sausages (served with mash and veg, £6.95), and Belgian waffles with fruit and cream look likely to become a signature dish (from £2).

Evening meals could include beef carbonnade, mussels, roasted stuffed peppers and Bom-Bane’s plate (houmous, red pepper and almond pesto, tapanade, balsamic vinegar syrup, roasted peppers, yoghurt, olives, sweet and sour cucumber, tomatoes and bread, £5.95).

All fish, meat and cheese is from local suppliers and the cafe is committed to animal welfare and full traceability. Fish is from sustainable stock and the aim is to maintain a seasonal menu.

A special promotional evening menu is in place until the end of October (and then every Thursday thereafter) offering three courses for £10.

Review by Leilah Nicola link to original article