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. 

Spicy Seabass

The European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, is primarily an oceanic fish which frequents the shores and estuaries of the UK in the summer months.  Often seen feeding with shoals of Mackerel they provide great sport for sea anglers, especially using lighter tackle.  On a recent fishing trip from Hayling Island I spotted a guy in waders fly-fishing for Bass at the entrance to the Langstone Harbour. What a great way to spend a few hours in the early morning sunshine on a beautiful calm day.

Much of the seabass we eat now is farmed. More than 100,000 tonnes of sea bass were farmed in 2008, compared to the total European wild catch of approximately 7,660 tonnes that year. Provided it is sourced from a well managed farm (check with your fishmonger), it is difficult to taste the difference between farmed and fresh although you will see a difference in price with wild being up to twice the the cost of farmed.  Wild fish vary more in size and tend to be larger. Also the flavour of wild fish is affected by their diet so that can vary depending on their location.

Seabass flesh is white, soft and has a delicate sweetness in flavour.  So, why would you want to upset this delicate balance by cooking a spicy version.  I would agree except that Meghdoots restaurant in Petworth is not your average curry house.  It is a restaurant with skilled chefs who prepare all of their dishes freshly to order. Owners Sanjay and Mili set very high standards and have never failed to impress me on any visit.  The 'special' last friday was Pudeena Machii, fresh seabass blended in a mint and spice marinade and finished in the Tandoor.  The fish retained its fresh moist texture and sweetness but it was combined perfectly with the spices to produce a well balanced dish.  Essentially this is a dry curry so I added a black lentil dal and Palak Chawal (spinach rice).  A great combination which resulted in  a light and very tasty meal.

Sushi at the Park Plaza, London

Ordered this combination plate at the Ichi Sushi restaurant in the Park Plaza hotel, Westminster.  My wife and I had stayed here a couple of nights earlier and I was so impressed that I returned there after work with my son.  Started off with Edamame beans then we had the combination plate which comprised spicy tuna and crab rolls, tuna, prawn, eel and salmon nigiri and sashimi of salmon, tuna and seabass.
All beautifully prepared and presented.  At £40 it's not the cheapest but it is worth it for the quality.

Seafood at the Leconfield, Petworth

I have eaten dinner several times at the Leconfield, literally since the day it opened, and noticed a transition with time.  The service and general ambience has improved, as it needed to, but one aspect has remained constant throughout ....... the high quality of the food.  In my opinion the head chef, Stuart Dove, is a genius and consistently produces food that tastes and looks amazing. Sarah and I went for lunch (a first for us at the Leconfield) and enjoyed a few fish dishes. 


First up was my  applewood smoked mackerel pate with horseradish cream, cucumber and Avruga caviar salsa with cumin crackers.  Sarah had the Cognac flamed seafood bisque with sliced sour dough and Sussex churned butter.  Both were beautifully presented and had great flavour combinations.  The mackerel pate was smooth and well balanced with the salsa.  Bisque was well seasoned to provide flavours of the sea with a peppery finish.  Main course was crispy fried seabass and tiger prawn tagine with roasted red peppers, coriander couscous, butternut squash and almonds.  The seabass fillet was perfect with succulent flesh under crispy skin - not easy to get as good as this.  Again great flavour combinations with the prawns and couscous.

The only negative was the lack of customers.  It is a very pleasant space for lunch and really not that expensive for the quality of the food.  We had starters and mains from the Prixe-fixe menu at £16.50 each.  So ignore Rod Liddle (Times) and early reviews of this restaurant which were more about service than food.  The service has improved no end and the food is stunning.