Recipe for success
Andrew Kay visits The Townhouse Kemptown to find out what makes it such a popular restaurant
I t’s a chill autumn afternoon and the streets of Kemp Town are fairly quiet. A few stragglers are braving what have been told is the tail end of hurricane Sandy and I am amongst them, making my way to The Townhouse restaurant by the New Steine at the top end of St James’s Street.
Outside may be cold and blustery but inside it’s warm and welcoming, and despite it being a grim mid-week day and after the conventional lunch hour it’s pretty busy. People are dining and people have stopped for teas and coffee. I have an appointment to meet the general manager but it’s clear that I am going to have to wait, and with an excellent coffee I am happy enough to do that.
Spotting a friend, Mike, I join him in the window; he is a regular here and can be spotted in his usual seat most days drinking tea or having dinner. I take the chance to find out what he likes so much about The Townhouse and apart from the obvious convenience (his business and home are close by), he enjoys the food, the drinks and above all the friendly community atmosphere. It’s a glowing testimonial.
As things quieten down, general manager Denise McGrenra has a chance to sit and talk to me. It’s not without interruption as she keeps a watchful eye on the remaining guests, making sure they have everything they need.
Denise clearly loves her job and is full of enthusiasm about the restaurant. Of course, I am clearly interested in the food, and before visiting I have studied the menu. I ask her about the kitchen and the chef, and Denise tells me it is still Musa, the man who has been behind the food since day one, with only a short gap when he went over to their sister restaurant, The Gallery, to help out.
His food is good; he is inventive but he can also handle classics and the menu reflects both talents. I have eaten there and thoroughly enjoyed both styles of his cooking, but what really impresses me is that his food, whilst stylish, is also robust. It’s a trend that is emerging as a backlash against the tiny portions of fine dining and one that is proving to be popular.
Denise agrees: “I think a lot of people come here again and again because the food is not only good but it is satisfying too. You’re not likely to go away hungry. And we do have a lot of regulars, we have people that come here for a drink on a Friday evening and then are back for breakfast on Saturday and again for a roast on Sunday. That does create a community spirit. We are very lucky that lots of the local businesses, the small hotels, will recommend us to their guests. On weekends the hotels that do not offer breakfasts send their guests to us.”
So are locals the mainstay of the business? “They are certainly very important and valued, but we have lots of other visitors too,” says Denise. “It’s amazing how well we do from day visitors, international tourists and the conference business that comes to town. I think what people enjoy is the relaxed informality of the place, and we work hard to keep that mood. I am very proud of the team that work here both in the kitchen and front of house, and we like to keep things up-beat.”
“We want our diners to enjoy the music but also to be able to hold a conversation”
Spotting the white jazz piano I ask if that is part of the deal. “It is, live music is part of the mix every day. We have a pianist some evenings, jazz, vocals, soloists and groups, it gives the place a real buzz but we make sure that it’s never overwhelming either. We want our diners to enjoy the music but also to be able to hold a conversation.”
The interior of The Townhouse is a cool loft style with lots of exposed beams and bare brick with quirky lamps to add atmosphere. The space is broken up to into several spaces. “We have a private dining room in the basement that seats 12 and is ideal for private parties. It looks great and you have total privacy there. We also have the snug to the right of the bar area which is really popular. You can book it for parties, either a seated dinner or just for drinks. Some of the bigger local businesses like American Express come here for drinks in the snug on a Friday evening or for a weekday celebration. They have become part of our community feel certainly, regulars like Mike.” Mike is on his second pot of tea and they wave to each other across the room.
The Townhouse is celebrating its second birthday, an achievement in a difficult market, but one clearly achieved by giving their market what they want, and when they want it. At the moment they are open on saturday and Sunday for breakfasts from 9am to midday and for lunch and dinner every day of the week. “Our Sunday roasts are always popular but the Sunday menu will always include plenty of alternatives that Musa and I will choose from all our other menus to make it interesting. We have also reintroduced set menus with lunch at £11.95 for two courses and £14.95 for three courses, available from Monday to Thursday 12pm to 3pm. The dinner menu is available from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at £14.95 for two courses and £18.95 for three. On weekdays we close during the afternoon but on Saturdays and Sundays we are open right through, and on Sunday we tend to close early evening or when the last of the Sunday lunchers drift away.”
I like the feel of The Townhouse, the relaxed vibe, that it can be lively or intimate, the fact that you can make of it what you wish. I also love that they make good cocktails and you can pop in just for one of them or a beer or glass of wine – with no obligation to dine. Right now I’m taking a look at their loyalty card which offers generous discounts for members and wondering why there isn’t one in my wallet.
Denise and the team are certainly getting things right and that is no doubt why they can celebrate two years of successful business and the prospect of many more to come.
The Townhouse Kemptown, 81–82 St James’s Street, Kemp Town, Brighton, BN2 1PA, 01273 693216, www.thetownhousekemptown.co.uk
