Showing posts with label mussels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mussels. Show all posts

Thursday, 19 November 2015

Brittens Guildford


I first visited Brittens in March 2014, about 6 months after it had opened.  I was impressed then and I am even more impressed now. I was lured back in a couple of weeks ago by the amazing lunch offer (2 courses for £11.95) and the food quality was so good that we decided to eat dinner there last week after a visit to the cinema. 

We enjoyed starters of 'Cured Salmon with dill, capers' and 'Chargrilled Mackerel with pickled beetroot and orange'. The salmon was beautifully cured with a firm texture and delicate flavour.  Its pale orange colour gave a clue that it was sourced from a high quality fish farm.  The fresh mackerel was amazing with crisp skin and not too oily (a sign of freshness). This had been expertly fileted as there were no bones, the pin bones having been removed using the 'V'-cut method. The acidity of the pickled beetroot and fresh orange cut nicely through the natural oil of the fish.

For main we had the Cornish Pollock with mussels, cider cream and spinach. Again cooked perfectly, the fish was succulent and tasty with juicy mussels adding interest. The addition of the cider cream was genius as it lifted the overall flavour of the dish. Pollock is commonly found in UK waters and is a considered a sustainable alternative to Cod or Haddock. Its natural flavour is a little more bland than its cod family relatives so sauces, such as the cider cream here, can be used to enhance it. The UK species (Pollachius pollachius) is a distant relative of the Alaskan (Walleye) Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) which is one of the most important commercial fisheries in the world.

Daniel Britten is a highly accomplished chef and has honed his skills as a restaurateur since he appeared on Masterchef in 2008.  The Guildford restaurant is elegant with great food and service.  His dishes are interesting but not over elaborate and above all he uses fresh (often local) ingredients in combinations where the flavour of final dish is more than the sum of the individual parts.



Friday, 30 October 2015

The Wheelhouse, Falmouth, Cornwall




If you love unadulterated, fresh-off-the-rocks shellfish, get yourself straight down to the Wheelhouse and it will not disappoint. Make sure you ring up to book first as this is a 'must-visit' destination in Cornwall and they only open Wednesday to Saturday.  Despite having no website, no twitter and no email they can be booked up for months ahead; especially in the Summer.  It's fame all comes down to word-of-mouth recommendations, which have to be the most reliable sources of real-life opinions when you think about it.

So, what is all the fuss about?  First and foremost it's the quality of the shellfish which is mainly locally sourced (apart from the prawns), extremely fresh and beautifully prepared.  Secondly it is the welcome. This is a restaurant with a surreal, almost storybook-style, tea party atmosphere run by enthusiasts and enjoyed by seafood lovers.  None of your pastel greys and minimalist lines here; the eclectic decor features floral satin wallpaper, illuminated seashells, golden painted cherubs clutching candles and shelves adorned with hats from all walks of life.



We were a large party of 13 hungry tummies and opted for a set menu as recommended by the owner Tina Hopton.  She welcomed us to a table in the centre of the small 'living room' and recommended their modestly priced but very drinkable white wine to accompany our meal.  It took little encouragement for us to try on the various hats for a group photo as the homely, relaxed vibe encouraged our fun loving fan-fare to get stuck in. Having said that there are quieter corners of the room for those wanting an intimate setting to sit and savour the shellfish delights.





Sailors Mussels
Thai Prawns
Our set menu was a bit of a mystery, although exciting, as we had no idea what was to come.  First to arrive were copper bowls brimming with plump and juicy mussels under a blanket of steam, like delicious smelling mist over a moonlit millpond. Some were served Sailor style with white wine, thyme, cream and garlic, others were Thai style with chilli, lime and coconut.  This is very much a hands-on eating experience, as it should be with shellfish, and sharing is the order of the night.  No flimsy napkins here, messy hands is obligatory, but they do provide large bowls of hot water and lots of kitchen rolls to clean yourself up as you go.  


Bowls of skinny fries and tasty could cous cous salads arrived regularly, accompanied by water and of course the wine.



Garlic Prawns
Fresh Crab
Next course was sautéed prawns, again split into two flavour combinations; Garlic Shell-on Prawns and Spicy Peeled Prawns with ginger and chilli.  All the ingredients were fresh so the garlic and chilli really played their part in making these dishes burst with flavour. 


By this point we began to wonder what palate pleaser could be next and we were not disappointed when the waitress arrived, arms bearing copious amounts of meaty whole fresh crab. Prepared in fresh garlic butter and herbs, they were presented (overflowing) in the now familiar copper bowls. Plenty of claws to extract juicy meat from as well as the white and brown body meat which led to intense concentration as our ingenuity was tested to get the most out of these crustaceans. Always a challenge to get the entirety of the crabmeat out but no worries as they boxed up the rest for us to take home.




For the grand finale, we were blessed with pearly scallop shells encasing their sweet meat, vibrant coral roes attached. These had been lightly seared to perfection with an intense citrus butter which included lemon peel. The flavours were intense but mellow and buttery all at the same time and each scallop had been cooked just enough to seal its flavour yet maintain a soft, pillowy texture (something not easily obtained by any means). 

We sensed a slight Portuguese influence at The Wheelhouse with the copper (cataplana) bowls, the fresh high quality shellfish, and all round enthusiasm.  This was further reinforced by the presentation of complimentary Port tasters at the end of the meal.  It turns out that Tina has spent some time in Portugal and was impressed by the way they do this sort of food - who am I to argue?

Monday, 17 August 2015

C-Bay Cafe/Bar/Bistro, Crantock, Cornwall





If you are staying in the Newquay area of Cornwall take a trip along from Fistral beach to the Pentire headland and walk down Riverside Avenue. Next to the cafe you will find a footpath which winds down through the mediterranean vegetation to the Gannel Estuary.  At low tide you can walk across the river (at high tide there is a small ferry) and on to the impressive expanse of yellow sand which is Crantock beach; voted Britain's best beach in 2014 by the Sunday Times.  Every kind of beach activity happens here from surfing to kiting to volleyball to hiking but the beach is large enough to accommodate everyone, with room to spare.  



For a nice lunch wander up the hill on the southern side to the C-Bay Cafe.  With amazing views over the beach and beyond they offer a wide range of meals and snacks in the daytime and evening.

We enjoyed their crispy crumb coated, smoked haddock fishcakes which were light and fluffy with a good flavour.  The moules mariniere were prepared in the traditional way with juicy, plump mussels in a tasty broth with white wine and fresh parsley. 

A very pleasant lunchtime. 




Tuesday, 11 August 2015

South Sands Hotel, Salcombe, Devon


South Sands view

Pan seared scallops
This contemporary boutique hotel is situated right next to the beach in South Sands Bay just over a mile from Salcombe. 

The beautiful beachside restaurant serves fresh local seafood expertly prepared and presented.  An emphasis on local produce ensures freshness and quality in their flavoursome dishes. 






For starters I opted for the pan-fried scallops with minted pea ketchup, Parma ham crisp and lemon pea dressing.  The lightly seared scallops were fresh and succulent and melted into the subtle flavours of the pea and lemon

Pan fried turbot

River Exe mussels
For main courses we ordered the River Exe mussels and the 'fish of the day'. The mussels were described as 'mariniere style' and the chef certainly produced a delicious variation of the French classic dish.  The sauce was creamy, almost Béchamel in texture, and packed with flavours of garlic, ginger and herbs.  The 'fish of the day' was pan-fried Turbot with a sweet chilli chutney.  Always a favourite of mine this did not disappoint.  The meaty fish was white and moist with a  crispy skin which was a tasty treat.





Fish sharing tapas plate

Grilled sardines
Other dishes worthy of a mention included the beachside sharing tapas fish dish which comprised calamari (in a light batter), smoked salmon and char grilled prawns along with the grilled Cornish sardines with tomato chili and lime dressing.  Both superb as starter, main or just to share with a beer or glass of wine.







These are just a few examples of the wide range of excellent seafood dishes on offer at the South Sands Hotel.  We look forward to returning to enjoy some more of them. 









Monday, 11 March 2013

Steamed Seabass at Cau Guildford



Argentinian Beef

CAU Restaurants has earned itself a high reputation for steaks being themed on the pampas grass fed Argentinian Beef.  In fact, director Charlie McLean and creative director, Patsy Godik have both worked with, amongst others, Gaucho restaurants. 




However, not so much has been written about the fish options at CAU so here are my experiences from a visit to the Guildford restaurant yesterday.  We were celebrating Mothers Day with some of our (not so young) kids in a party of 5 people.  Our booking (originally for 6) was dealt with very efficiently over the 'phone and when we arrived one person short, the staff were not put out in any way.  


Steamed Seabass
We were served at our table on the mezzanine by Katie who was extremely helpful and friendly.  As one of our party cannot eat oil there was a bit of discussion with the chef via Katie on what we could have.  This was resolved perfectly when Alessi, the Head Chef, came to our table and offered to fillet a fresh Seabass and steam it without oil. A perfect solution which is not always possible in larger chain restaurants where most items are prepared to formula.  The 'normal' Seabass option was baked 'en papillotte' with lemon thyme, cherry tomatoes, fresh orange and curry leaves and was delicious too. 


Seabass 'en papillotte'
Other seafood items which we enjoyed included Salt and Pepper Squid which were dusted in flour and topped with sautéed garlic and chili and accompanied with Chipotle Mayo.  We also shared the Steamed Mussels in a creamy Coconut and Coriander sauce. Extra bread was required to mop up the delicious juices.

Some of us had meat dishes which were excellent but the seafood options are far from second best and combined with the good service and buzzy atmosphere resulted in a really pleasant outing.