It is said that a leopard never changes its spots. The same cannot be said for restaurant menus, where seasonal switch-ups are very much the trend.

Regular readers may well remember my rather glowing review of Worthing’s Ami if they cast their minds back to February, when the multi-award-winning establishment re-launched in style following a refurbishment.

Despite being widely overused, the phrase ‘hidden gem’ sprung to mind on my previous visit. As such, the news of Ami’s new seasonal menu launch was as though Christmas had arrived eight months early. And what better day for it, the sun shining as me and my dining companion strolled through the town centre, en-route to our evening of culinary exploration.

Our waiter kicked us off with some cocktails. While my last trip to Ami had seen me take the role of designated driver, this time I had blagged us a lift, and I intended to make full and proper use of it. As the proverb goes, great minds think alike, and we both chose a mango and peach mojito, a fragrant combination of mango spiced rum, peach schnapps, fresh lime, mango puree and mint. The rum was potent in all the best ways, with the peach and lime combining to produce a heady sweet and citrus combination. What a way to set the tone for the evening.

The starters menu had already piqued my attention, and my eyes had been drawn towards the unfamiliar placement of the word ‘cheesecake’ on a page that was not entitled ‘desserts’. The goats’ cheesecake, a mixture of goats’ cheese whipped with cream cheese and chive served on a puff pastry and black onion seed base, sounded positively delicious. This I had to try.

The Goats’ cheesecake, with red onion chutney, pickled beetroot, cucumber and balsamic glaze (Image: NQ)

I was not disappointed. Topped with sweet red onion chutney, my cheesecake was creamy and tangy, while the addition of pickled beetroot and a balsamic glaze provided a much-needed shot of acidity. The pastry and seed base was crunchy and texturally superb. At £12.50 this was one of the more expensive starters but certainly delivered on its price tag, a feast for the senses all-round.

My dining companion had gone for an intro of warm ciabatta which came with balsamic dipping oil. A sign of a good restaurant in my opinion is an ability to nail the basics, and there was more than enough here that the two of us could have comfortably shared.

The starters were cleared and the mains arrived. After much careful deliberation, I had plumped for the Jerk chicken, which consisted of a supreme of chicken marinated in traditional jerk marinade, served with escovitch salad, rum roasted pineapple, coconut rice and a jerk ketchup. I had been reliably informed by both the menu and our waiter that this dish was of the “spicy” persuasion, but those who know me well will be familiar with my tendency to live on the wild side and I was excited to get stuck-in.

Jerk chicken supreme with escovitch salad, rum roasted pineapple, coconut rice and jerk ketchup (Image: NQ)

Chicken can be so easy to get wrong, and the breast in particular I often find can be a rather dry cut if it finds itself in the wrong hands. This however was anything but, perfectly moist and well-spiced, with warming spices that delivered heat but were kind enough to not blow my head off. The rice was well cooked and the pineapple added a nice touch of sweetness. The highlight of the dish for me however was the escovitch salad. A spicy, tangy assortment of pickled vegetables, I could have happily polished off a plate of it on its own.

My dining companion had opted for the steak dish, a 7oz fillet served with seasoned fries and creamy black pepper sauce. I’m about as far away from a steak connoisseur as humanly possible, but we both remarked at the generous portion size; so generous in fact that I was lucky enough to sample a tasty morsel myself. Tender, melt-in-the-mouth, and served with enough glossy sauce to float a small boat, it had both of our seals of approval. Coming in at £36, the fillet is the priciest main on the menu, but who can put a price on such a well-cooked piece of meat?

7oz fillet steak served with seasoned fries and black pepper sauce (Image: NQ)

I was pleasantly full by this point, although not so much that I couldn’t squeeze in a sweet treat. The dessert menu provided the greatest challenge yet for my perpetually indecisive mind, and I very nearly opted for a panna cotta with rhubarb compote, in honour of my colleague Steve who had recently provided me with a bountiful crop of ruby-red stalks from his allotment. However, the peaches poached in prosecco won out the heavyweight fight, arriving served with warm berry compote, raspberry sorbet and a vanilla tuille biscuit.

The titular fruit was the star of the show, soft and boozy, and well complimented by the tartness of the raspberry. The tuille was a particularly welcome addition, adding a touch of bite, and I perhaps could have done with another to balance the softer textures if I’m being really picky, but as a passionate pudding scoffer I felt overall there was very little that could have been done better.

Peaches poached in prosecco with berry compote, raspberry sorbet and vanilla tuille (Image: NQ)

My dining companion had gone for the mango sorbet. Tropical, fresh and “one of the best I’ve had” to use a quote. A clean plate in record time spoke volumes.

So how did round two compare to round one? Well it’s difficult to surpass your own standards if you’ve already set the bar so high but Ami continues to impress. A seasonal menu should feel fresh and new, and the restaurant has delivered that in spades, with each dish I enjoyed providing something I hadn’t seen before. Ami is fast becoming one of my favourite dining destinations and my latest visit only served to affirm that the restaurant has honed its position as one of Worthing’s best.