On an unseasonably warm and sunny March day, Nick Mosley headed to Eastbourne for a spot of lunch at Mirabelle restaurant.
There are certainly plenty of places to eat in Eastbourne but destination fine dining doesn’t really spring to mind. When I think of the town, its old-reliable traditional family-owned Italian, Turkish and Greek sat side by side with more than a smattering of fish and chip shops and ubiquitous cafés. Sure there are a couple of destination venues – The Port and the always brilliant Journeys – spring to mind but for anyone erring towards the finer end of the dining spectrum, then your only option in town is The Grand Eastbourne.
The Grand hotel celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and I have to say the grand dame is looking mighty fine. A lot of investment has been made in recent years and it really shows.
Other than the sheer grandeur of the building – the clue being in the name – the one thing that always strikes me is the quality of the service. From the door team to housekeeping, everyone is quick with a greeting and smile.
Queries and requests are dealt with knowledgeably and promptly. There is quiet efficiency rather than the all-to-common fraughtness that is all too common in hotels. And uniforms are pressed to perfection with not a hanging shirt tail to be seen. Now once upon a time things like this were a given in hospitality but unfortunately – outside of London and the big country house hotels – they are seldom all seen in unison in our neck of the woods.
That can certainly be attributed to hotel owners Elite who are clearly very proud of the hotel’s credentials as being one of only two direct seafront 5* hotels on the south coast. But its also down to the experience and passion of the senior team who understand what hospitality is… and how to deliver it with aplomb.
I’ve dined at Mirabelle – the signature restaurant of The Grand – numerous times over the years but I hold my hands up and say I haven’t visited in the past twelve months or so since Alex Burtenshaw took the helm as head chef. In Sussex, Alex is familiar face on the restaurant scene having cut his teeth at the likes of Drakes, Hotel du Vin and Harbour in Brighton. Although the modern European kitchen that we all know and love is at the heart of his repertoire, he’s never been afraid to take inspiration from further afield. Hence I was excited to see how he’d bring his culinary skills and creativity to Eastbourne.
The Mirabelle dining room is effortlessly sophisticated combining contemporary touches to a heritage space with floor to ceiling windows that even on the greyest of days flood uplifting light across the tables. It was also great to have long-time maitre d’ Ronnie welcome us; a steady, knowledgable and unfailingly friendly hand on the front-of-house tiller.
The lunch menu is perfectly formed and impressive value at £25 for two courses or £30 for three, with all major allergens identified on the card. Whilst – as you’d expect – seasonal and local ingredients are at its heart, there is a consistency to whats on offer; boundaries are gently nudged rather than pushed.
To start, there was only one option for me; the Chalk Stream trout which has – to my knowledge at least – always been on the menu. To my mind – and palate – gently smoked trout knocks boring old salmon out of the ball park; I prefer the texture with the taste being more refined. Still a fatty fish, Alex beautifully offset with well-considered tartness and sweetness provided by welcome textures of pickled cucumber, apple and kumquat.
My dining partner – Argus editor Arron – opted for the aforementioned soup. Although considered a staple of the classic French kitchen, this chilled soup of potato, leek, onion and cream was actually popularised by New York’s Ritz-Carlton hotel at the start of the 1900s. Bringing it bang up to date, Alex combines a flavoursome tarragon and blood orange cream and crispy shallots adding a luxurious touch and a smattering of crunch.
No matter where I’m dining, I’m a sucker when I see fish of the day on a menu. We’re so lucky on the south coast that our inshore fishers have access to some of the finest and most varied flat fish in the world so lemon sole more than floated my proverbial boat. Despite being a delicately fleshed fish, the sole had been gently poached and rolled before presented on a moreish creamy mussel chowder with salty samphire fingers and a smattering of salty pancetta. Combining cured pork and the lightness of sole might not spring to the mind of every chef but this was a sublime combination.
For my guest, I heartily recommended the pork belly and black pudding, primarily because I saw the magic words: Dingley Dell. Perhaps bizarrely, I first met farmer Mark Hayward in a harbour-side bar in St Lucia and ever since then I’ve been a huge fan of his high-welfare pork products that can be found at the best restaurants across the UK. A rich and hearty dish, the compressed pork belly had a delightfully thin crisp skin – with just the amount of ‘chew’ – alongside a beautifully layered, almost mille-feuille, of apple and celeriac with a drizzle of cider gravy and the elevating addition of a savoury macaron.
For dessert, a simple yet perfectly executed rhubarb palate-cleanser for me with Arron managing room for white chocolate cheesecake, again with rhubarb and crumb of ginger. Refreshing and light, both desserts were perfect full stops to a memorable lunch.
The Mirabelle has always been a go-to destination restaurant for those in the know in Sussex. With the undoubtedly talented chef Alex Burtenshaw now rattling the pots and pans, I predict that things will only get even better.
Nick Mosley
The Mirabelle restaurant, The Grand Eastbourne, King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne BN21 4EQ
01323 412 345 • www.grandeastbourne.com
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