A couple of weeks ago we dropped into Exmouth’s newest fine dining restaurant. La Mar opened on Christmas Day 2023 after an extensive renovation and face-lift to what had previously been the function room of its sister business, The Beach pub next door.

The space has blossomed into a fine dining restaurant with a panoramic scenes inviting natural light through big windows and treating diners to good view as they look over the marina; summer will see chilled vibes and sunsets over the Exe Estuary. La Mar opened in December, with chefs Charlie Dingley and Cleo Dimoline heading up the food in the kitchen which is fully visible from the dining area.

With a keen emphasis on local ingredients and fish from just over the road, their a la carte menu is refined and unfussy, making the most of the local ingredients they use.  The restaurant is shut on Mondays and Tuesdays with Wednesday nights for dining events or special themed menus. Although this can change so it’s worth checking before you book.

We visited on a Thursday night, thankfully it was full of diners which attests to it’s popularity amongst the local community. My mobility can be an obstacle to me getting out and about, but it was reassuring to see that the entrance is fully accessible with a lift for wheelchair users or those who can’t manage stairs. The restaurant itself is for over 12s, so families are directed towards the pub downstairs.

Service was impeccable and attentive. There was a perfectly timed wait in-between courses, it felt well-oiled and smooth.

This was our menu for the evening:

~ Complimentary home made olive bread, Beetroot dusted popcorn

Starters –
~ Ham hock terrine, pickled veg, horseradish sour cream, seeded crouton £10
~ Lyme bay scallops, black pudding puree, cumin cauliflower florets £13 GF

Mains –
~ Braised belly pork, dauphinoise potato, smoked chestnut puree, tenderstem,
blackberry compote, red wine jus £22 GF
~ Local Cod, parmentier potato, tenderstem, crispy mussels, caper and lemon dressing
£20 GF

Dessert –
~ Chocolate and orange sphere served with orange sorbet
£9.50

Our complimentary aperitif with freshly baked home made olive bread, beetroot dusted popcorn, Smoked butter with pink peppercorns, chilli oil, Dukkah (toasted hazelnuts, cumin, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, sea salt). It was a creative play on the notion of bread as an aperitif. The Beetroot dusted popcorn was a first for us, it had a delicate flavour and enjoyable . With all the components on one plate we were finding different combinations with smoked butter and the Dukkah, it kept us entertained until our starters arrived.

My ham hock terrine was one of nicest I’ve had. I do not say this lightly as I’ve had a lot of them. The ham was flaked and meaty, the pickled veg interplayed really well with the horseradish sour cream. The presentation was definitely creative, it had a sprinkling of postmodernism, almost like a Kandinsky painting; colourful and lively with bold colours to match the bold flavours. Tori’s scallops were well cooked and as a plate it worked together well – we were off to a good start.

My main of local Cod, (parmentier potato, tenderstem, crispy mussels, caper with lemon dressing) was well presented with a topographic vibe to the way it sat on the plate. It reminded me of a rocky outcrop in the middle of a bay. Crispy mussels adorned it, neatly stacked on potato and tenderstem brocolli. The cod was succulent and well-cooked, the crispy mussels were salty punches of umami which I could have eaten in volume, they were very tasty.

Tori’s braised belly pork was rich in flavour and was a good size. The combination of ingredients worked well together to emphasise the flavour of the meat.

We wimped out on having a dessert each, as we had both reached our limits but glad we did manage to squeeze one in between us.  The chocolate orange sphere was a well flavoured and fun ending to a very enjoyable and good value meal.

La Mar has ambition. Soon enough we might see a restaurant with AA Rosettes, and maybe other awards too. With its newly refurbished interior and a menu that uses quality ingredients from within the region, they provide good value for those who want a dash of something special to their dining out.  If their TripAdvisor ratings continue to be so positive then I expect we’ll see more of La Mar in the future. At the time of writing they had 37 reviews and all were excellent!

A visit to La Mar is recommended. If just for an evening meal or a special occasion, I am glad to welcome another restaurant who takes their ingredients and their culinary narrative so seriously.

To book table or for more information ring +44 1395 742725
Address: Victoria Road, Exmouth, EX8 1DR, Devon

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Visit their website https://lamarexmouthmarina.co.uk/