Eating out on a Saturday night in Brighton can be a stressful experience - lots of people (many none too sober) mean a tight squeeze in most restaurants. We wanted to escape the bustle and enjoy a romantic and chilled night out. After some searching we found Manangerie in Hove.
Hove is just down the road from Brighton, but only locals tend to go out there. As a result it's much calmer. We caught a taxi there from the central taxi rank, but we were told later that there loads of buses going down Church Road.
Managire is tiny, but tables are well spaced out so it didn't feel as if we had our neighbors at our elbows. I find French restaurants can sometimes be quite stuffy and snobbish, but Managire was more like a bistro/café, with pine tables and simple white plates. Something like a cross between a pub and a chic Internet café.
The food was fantastic and cheap- we had a three course meal for £16. The menu was quite limited (only 2 pages of starters, desserts and mains) but it represents a broad range of classic French dishes. We had stellar smoked salmon, French cheeses, trout with almonds, chocolate mousse, and crème brûlée that left us feeling full and satisfied. Other main dishes included steak and stuffed peppers.
The only real hitch is that the restaurant operates without a liquor license - which means you need to bring your own wine and alcoholic drinks. You have to pay a "corking charge" for them to decork your bottle, but it was only £2 per bottle of wine. If you add up how much wine can cost in restaurants that is quite a saving. There's even an off-license next door.
Most other customers were couples so it was the perfect spot for a romantic candlelit meal.