It was a chilly July evening when I ventured over to Worthing seafront with my 14 year old son Sid. Unlike most of our other outings I didn’t have to bribe him into this one. The magic words ‘pudding night’ were enough to get him out of the house. And to be frank they were enough for this fatty too.
A bracing walk on the pier was called for to rustle up an appetite, after which we entered the spacious Denton Lounge which serves as a restaurant and cafe for the Pavilion Theatre next door as well as being a venue in its own right.
As we sat waiting for the evening to begin (I’m chronically early to everything), Sid and I fantasised about living in such a lovely space: we’d put the open-plan kitchen over there, my bedroom’d be this side, his that side. I used to do this at the defunct Co-op cafe in London Road and I think it’s the eternal dream of the council house tenant to actually have some space to stretch out into. With it’s close-up view of the pier and spacious outlook, the Denton Lounge makes a splendid venue and would make a super-exclusive pad.
Awaiting a night of Independence Day splendour (it was July 4 after all), we also mused on what we expected of the evening. What the hell is a Pudding Night when it’s at its gran’s? Would there be big puddings? Small puddings? Some as big as your head? Hopefully the latter, said Sid. And what sort of entertainment? Vague mention had been made on the phone of Dolly Parton and showtunes.
Tables dotted the room and the small stage had a large Mississippi river backdrop (presumably left over from a production of Showboat from the theatre next door), while the piano was draped with the Stars and Stripes.
The place was soon full (I counted 50 people) of mostly older couples, but also some younger girls on the quest for a sugar-filled, civilised night out, and the entertainment began.
An evening of songs from the American War of Independence doesn’t sound like a riveting prospect on paper but at the Denton Lounge a small band of singers and musicians – two youngsters and an older pianist doing the singing, plus a guitarist – brought the era to life. In between the folksy numbers we even got a history lesson with an explanation of the story behind the songs. This novel approach worked and made the evening feel a bit worthy (in a good way) and not just an excuse to stuff yourself with carbs.
First course was a savoury one, just so’s you could say you had a proper dinner if your mum asked. Us veggies had American-themed breaded mozzarella cheese sticks, corn on the cob and salad, while the carnivores had BBQ buffalo wings. Basic but tasty, we then had a break for more music and a bit of a chat. I gazed out the window at the tide coming in and wondered why Worthing smells of the sea while Brighton doesn’t.
The first tranche of puddings then arrived. Sid could hardly contain himself as the (plentiful) waiters stormed out of the kitchen holding silver platters full of goodness.
Worthing’s Pudding Nights are a monthly affair and the menu changes according to the theme (the next one will balance the Yank bias with an all British offering on August 8), as does the entertainment.
On offer tonight was a berry trifle, Mississippi Mud Pie, and a very light cheesecake. Heavy on the berry count, but nice nonetheless, it didn’t take long for it all to disappear. I’m no great savourer of food I must admit, but the tastes did come through nicely and nothing was too heavy which was what was needed seeing as we still had three more to come.
More music was punctuated by a berry sorbet ‘to cleanse the palate’ Sid informed me. Christ knows where he got that from! I thought his idea of gourmet food was Tesco Basic Macaroni Cheese. He must have been secretly watching Masterchef behind my back, the tyke.
Ding ding! Round two of puds. More berries, but this time in the form of a gorgeous blackberry cobbler which was beautifully tart and full of cinnamon. “It tastes like Christmas,” Sid piped up, making me realise that his last Masterchef remark had been some sort of aberration.
Also on offer was a delicious Key Lime Pie covered in coconut sprinkles which really brought it to life, and a very dense chocolate fudge cake served unusually in a stem glass. Really more of a mousse, it didn’t get to touch the sides.
The evening was nicely rounded off with some more American tunes – Red River Valley, This Land is Your Land, and You Are My Sunshine – all with unusual but effective arrangements, and a cup of coffee and a cookie. Yes, a cookie. As if we hadn’t had enough sweetness to last us till next month’s Pudding Night!
What: Monthly Pudding Night
Where: Denton Lounge, Worthing Seafront (by pier)
When: next one is August 8
Tickets: £19.50 each, which includes food and entertainment plus coffee (but no bar drinks)
More information: CLICK HERE:
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