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The North Lanes is packed full of unique boutiques and galleries for all to enjoy and last week I discovered another reason to venture there, Breeze on Trafalgar Street. This modern European eaterie opened late last August bringing with it some much needed sunshine to the quieter lower end of Trafalgar Street.

The brainchild of an experienced Brighton restaurant man who's eye for design is clearly evident in this open plan space, with attractive juxtapose details such the oversize clock on the wall and miniature trees adorning shelves.

The menu is interesting, with dishes from more continents than just Europe but with a clear emphasis on Italian cuisine. Bread and olives were served before the starter, a nice accompaniment to the perfectly chilled bottle of Pic Poul de Pinet Terre de Neptune. A light and dry French number, just perfect for the fish and chicken dishes we chose.

My friend Michael went for the bruschetta, which arrived with the usual fresh, juicy, chopped tomatoes topping, infused with basil and olive oil but with a surprisingly generous slab of fresh mozzarella covering it. A tasty starter choice and reasonable at £4.50.

I opted for smoked salmon rolls, filled with prawns and topped with a Marie Rose sauce, which really hit the spot – a good size portion, assembled using the best ingredients (£6.75). I wondered whether the salmon was local, as it is often is at many Sussex restaurants but there was no indication.

Breeze certainly believes in customers going away satisfied and portion sizes are ample – we could have easily shared my main course – Chicken Breeze. I love this combination of chicken on pasta. The chicken breast was massive, coated in a deliciously crispy crumb, sitting beneath a blanket of tomato and mozzarella, on a bed of linguine tossed in a tomato and cream sauce (£10.95).

Michael’s salmon risotto was well received indeed, though not quite what he expected. The creamy risotto, rich with mascarpone cheese, dill and parmesan, was surprisingly light, with ample chunks of salmon roaming free throughout the dish.

It was busy when I visited last Wednesday, illustrating that the word has already spread. The high ceilings and sheer roominess of the place makes it a great option for large parties, with no fear of them encroaching on smaller groups. The night I dined there, there was a table of eight – normally a group large enough to generate noise enough to disturb you but not so in the case of Breeze. It’s also a good spot for ‘dinner a deux’, of which there were plenty of examples of when I dined.

We were too full for dessert, which shows just what value for money Breeze is. Open from 9.30 am until late, the restaurant caters for breakfast (serving a wide range of English and French classics from scrambled eggs and smoked salmon to croquet monsieur), lunch and dinner so whatever time hunger strikes, if you’re in the area, pop in and fill your tummy.

98 Trafalgar Street, Brighton. Tel: 01273 693 377

www.breezebrighton.co.uk