Brighton has a burgeoning dining scene. Sea views, wealthy locals and proximity to London all help. Gourmand Gunno paid his annual visit to the south coast city to check out Murmur. Despite its curious name, the visit was a success. Not all was perfect, but with good sunshine, company and alcohol, this is a pleasant venue to while away part of the day.
Murmur’s angle is casual dining with an emphasis on local seafood. Being located in the Arches overlooking the West Pier and backed by Michael Brenmer (winner of the Great British Menu in 2017) helps to draw in the punters, both opportunists as well as more discerning diners. Although there is clearly an ample interior decked out in bright white with pastel furnishings, the main attraction – at least at warmer times of the year – is the exterior patio. On the recent weekday lunchtime when we visited, all bar one table was taken. The pre-penultimate table we occupied had a prime view. Although there were the right number of chairs for our group (four), the table was only set for two, a matter that was not resolved until our mains arrived, and only after asking. Service was friendly, but disorganised. Beyond the cutlery absence, we had to ask twice for a jug of water for the table. Clearing of empty glasses/ dishes was also haphazard at best. We were, however, able to forgive Murmur – maybe this is what they hope for – simply owing to the views and the vibe. Cynics might even argue that the food could be considered an afterthought. While it was hard to get too excited about the olives and focaccia on which we snacked at the outset, mains did undoubtedly deliver. The story is seafood, with around half a dozen starters and mains each available as well as some daily specials. I opted for a blackboard-based dish of the day, a superb piece of pink bream placed on a bed of saffron risotto. One of our other group members also took the bream, but the remaining two choices certainly got the thumbs up too. On a wet and windy winter’s day, Murmur may be a different story, but based on our visit, the venue should be raising its metaphorical voice, assuming it can also raise its service game.