A la Colthard /Murmur
The sea front at Brighton has had something of a makeover and is no longer its tawdry self. There is the Harbour Restaurant with its excellent Jetty restaurant , the i360 Watchtower, Shelter Hall, a Victorian Palladian sea-front shelter is being restored and there are now two ‘go to’ restaurants. On the front there are Riddle & Finns and the recently opened Murmur which is in the arcades which have also been restored.
Murmur is the sister restaurant of Michael Bremner’s 64 Degrees, a great fave of mine. I read a complimentary review of it by Tom Parker Bowles. He liked the starters more than the mains so I followed suit by ordering 4 starters, Lobster croquettes, tagliatelle in egg yolk, asparagus in ricotta and a meat carpaccio. As with 64 Degrees they succeed in combining varied ingredients to produce satisfying flavours. For pud I had a banana parfait to die for. It’s right on the beach adjacent to the Watchtower so you have fine views out to sea too. With a Negroni and glass of fragrantly floral German Riesling the bill came to under £60.
There is a two course menu for £16, like The Ivy in the Lanes they are offering a good lunch deal to attract punters. It has the great advantage of space over 64 Degrees which can sit 18 max and half of them at the bar as inside and outdoors Murmur can take triple that.
The only criticism I would make is the choice of name. I would have given it a name more reflective of the location. Ivy in the Lanes accentuates the brand and the location. How about instead Underneath the Arches?
The great thing about Brighton is that there is always something happening.
The fringe festival is now ending. In the city and on the front the restaurants are lively and the street life of musicians playing vibrant.
It’s a great place to live and comes into its own in summer. Murmur will only enhance the city.
