Some people reading my writings about food might think I’m a bit of a food snob. I can see how that might be misconstrued, so here’s something that might redress the balance.

I’m not someone who dines out on the finest haute cuisine and the finest vintage wines every night of the week. I just enjoy good food. I enjoy good food a lot. Good food to me is honest food that tastes how you want it to taste and is prepared with passion; or at least an attitude that says that the cook wanted to give me something I’d enjoy. What really gets my goat & makes my blood boil is fake food. You know, those big chains of outlets who promise great quality fabulous tasting food which is actually fetched out of the freezer, stuck in the microwave and chucked onto the plate with about as much panache as a Pedigree Chum cannery. I can’t stand food that pretends to be something it’s not. It’s like lieing with food, and food is so precious to me that I really don’t want it corrupted in that way.

So, all that having been said, allow me to introduce you to my food hero of the month: David, and his amazing A27/A270 Link Road Burger Bar at Benfield/Portslade/Hangleton, Brighton & Hove (“I must think of a better name” he says). Just look for the van parked in the west-side layby at the top of the road near the A27. I’ve had the pleasure of watching David prepare my breakfasts twice now, and once for my colleague Joel, and every time it’s even more of a pleasure eating the result. Sure it’s not haute cuisine, that’s obvious, but let’s look instead at what it is.

The bread is lovely and fresh and crusty. The bacon is thick and tasty is clearly a quality product because it comes in big meaty rashers that don’t shrink during cooking to a quarter of their size amid a pool of scummy water. The eggs are tasty and freshly cooked, and David even has the experience and attention to detail to ask if you’d like the yolks broken to avoid that most hazardous of eating activities, the burst runny egg yolk spurting over the business suit. Even the tomato ketchup is unadulterated Heinz. The burgers & sausages look good too.

The only thing Joel & I thought could be improved was Dave’s selection of cold beverages… perhaps some good quality English apple juice and some decent orange juice?

Dave reports that he has been there for seven months now. Business is variable, some weeks better than others. So, if you’re driving in the vicinity of Portslade/Hangleton and fancy something honest, wholesome and freshly cooked, give Dave’s A27/A270 Link Road Burger Bar a try. And if you can think of a better name for this institution, answers on a postcard please.