Test Driving Lury, a seaside gem giving British produce a Sri Lankan edge

Running things solo - chef Jack Lury.

So what do we need to know about Lury?

This diminutive seaside restaurant opened last spring, by chef Jack Lury and his wife Issy Cianchi. One of its most distinguishing features is its size. The restaurant seats just 10 and Jack is the only chef in the kitchen. But don't be lured into thinking that size matters, because Jack and his tasting menu are here to prove you very wrong.

Where is it?

You'll find it in the centre of Hastings, but not the pretty touristy bit, the slightly more gritty side. It's a basement restaurant, but once you step through the doors you find yourself in a beautifully designed room, rather womb-like. Lury is only a 90-minute train journey from London, and 100% worth making the schlep from the big smoke.

A look inside Lury

What kind of food is it?

Jack is of Sri Lankan heritage, which you'll find he draws on in the dishes and the delicate spicing. It's a tasting menu-only place, and based on what's good at that point in time, whether we're talking seasonal produce or what the town's day boats have landed. There might be 14 courses; there might be 12. There appear to be some dishes that stick around longer, like the pork with milk buns, but others might change dramatically from week to week.

Without wanting to give away too much, here are some of the highlights from our lunch there.

Snacks - a lentil tuile with grilled spring onion emulsion. The tuile is made from lentil curry, which is blended and then baked to a crisp. And it tastes as good as it looks. And it's served with wild sea bass tartare with pol sambol.

Milk buns with pork and sambal, Jack's take on mas paan. The buns are filled with black pig cheek curry and served with a cardamom butter.

Venison tartare with pickled lime and smoked rapeseed oil, served with nasturtium and a wild rice cracker. 

Confit chalkstream trout with beetroot curry, avocado and a coconut sauce

Dark chocolate cremeux, with torched meringue, milk and vanilla gel, passion fruit, part-baked cookie and a nougatine tuile. Such an intricate dessert, yet all the various elements worked so well together. 

What's on the drinks list?

It's a tight and very well-priced wine list. We actually went for the house white, which was a lovely fresh vegan Vinho Verde from Quinta da Liza and a bargain at £30. Even if you're pushing the boat out here, you'd be hard-pressed to go beyond the mid £70s.

Overall thoughts:

We were blown away by the lunch at Lury. There's obviously nothing else like it in Hastings, but it would more than stand its ground in London's competitive food scene too. There's also something about enjoying the clear single vision of one chef in his kitchen that we found very compelling. Jack's delicately Sri Lankan-accented food is a very good reason to take the train to the coast the next free weekend you have.