Bear with me...Many moons ago there was an Aussie chef named EJ who produced the most fantastic vegan/veggie roast in Brighton & Hove week in, week out...Y'know, colours that aren't beige, textures, vegetables cooked al dente etc. In the intervening 10 years, it doesn't matter how many good restaurant/peer reviews of Sunday roasts I have trusted only to find that those roast potatoes have been prepped and dunked in water the night before, with too sweet purees and gravy granules producing a baby food-like consistency, the eating of which is only possible with muliple alcoholic drinks. I don't eat meat really, i accept I'm the wrong audience.

So it's Sunday, I want to eat lunch in a pub with some mates, who like to use their teeth to eat with, where do I go?

The Urchin. The Jay Raynor readers will be in the restaurant in their pearls & Chanel and their boat shoes and pressed polo shirts ordering fish and oaked Chardonnay too loudly (it's fine, they'll be given house brewed Larrikin beers, oysters and low intervention wine instead). At the bar and outside there will hipsters and kids and dogs and house painters and Guardian readers who left their heels at home. It's fun, and friendly and accommodating and oh my gosh. TODAY my friends and I demolished the best paella we have had in the 7 years The Urchin has been slinging shellfish and craft beer. This iteration created by exceptionally talented chefs Luka and Jim i believe.

The rice. Textured. Silky with paprika and oil. The mussel shells scrubbed within an inch of their lives. The softest of squid, the juiciest of prawns and a scattering of samphire.

Next Sunday, don't listen to peer pressure. You don't need a roast dinner. You need paella (veggie/vegan options often on the Specials Board, if not, just get fries, they are delicious).

Save me a seat outside, see you there 🙏