Hooked on the Rocks, Swanpool, Cornwall

Hooked on the Rocks, Swanpool, Cornwall

Hooked on the Rocks is a quick walk away from the bustle of Falmouth overlooking Swanpool beach with views across Falmouth estuary and over to Pendennis Castle.  They focus on fresh fish and shellfish with an emphasis on sustainability and local produce.  There is a rustic feel in Hooked, which is reminiscent of the superb fish restaurants in southern Portugal. It is not difficult to abide by the displayed house rules of  'relax, relax, relax' ! 

We were there for a light lunch and enjoyed 1/2 dozen local fresh rock oysters accompanied by a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to start.  This was followed by an equally fresh and tasty dressed crab with fries and salad on the side.  

Good food and good service.

Lewinnick Lodge, Newquay, Cornwall

Lewinnick Lodge, Newquay, Cornwall

Lewinnick Lodge Room with a View

Located on the Pentire Headland, with views to the open sea and back towards Fistral Beach, is the Lewinnick Lodge.  They describe themselves as a boutique restaurant with designer rooms, superb food and a view to take your breath away.  How can I argue with that as the Lewinnick has become our first choice place to stay when in Cornwall.  My perfect day is breakfast including Eggs Neptune (poached eggs with fresh crabmeat and Hollandaise), body boarding at Fistral (or Crantock) and a superb dinner at the Lewinnick restaurant - always with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean. 

Their extensive menu offers, as you might expect, a range of seafood options, most of which incorporate fresh local produce.  Indeed it is the freshness and quality of the food which scores it very highly in my book.  

I will describe the some of the seafood options here but I can recommend first hand also some of the other dishes sampled including the flavoursome Cauliflower Cheese Soup and juicy Sirloin Steak (a steal at £19).

Cornish Sardines

Scallop Ceviche

One of the starters on the 'specials' menu was Scallop Ceviche.  Four raw fresh scallops which had been marinaded with chilli, red onion, smoked garlic oil, rocket peppers, coriander and lime. Presented with pomegranate seeds this light and succulent dish had subtle delicious flavours.
Another starter was the Grilled Cornish Sardines served with fennel, orange, grapefruit, pine nuts and salsa verde.  The citrus fruits cut nicely through the sardine oil in these beautifully fresh fish.  The sardine fishery in Cornwall has increased significantly in recent years probably as a result of sea temperature rise due to climate change.  Cornish sardines (Sardina pilchardus) is a pelagic (open water) fish which is classed as fully sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. 

For main course which we enjoyed Pan Fried Cod Fillet with elderflower cream sauce, shallots, samphire, gnocchi, peas, clams and blackberries.  Translucent cod with crispy skin - it doesn't get any better. 

If you are looking for seafood (or meat) which is expertly prepared and served with a smile this has to be on your list.  The overall experience in the restaurant and rooms is second to none - friendly, helpful and great quality.

The Crab Shed, Salcombe, Devon

The Crab Shed, Salcombe, Devon

The Crab Shed in Salcombe

This rustic-style restaurant, situated near to the Fish Quay in Salcombe, has only been open a year but has already established a good reputation for fresh seafood, in particular crab and lobster.  This may not be surprising as the restaurant is perched over their own crab factory where they produce hand picked fresh crabmeat.  They also source fish and shellfish directly from the local boats.  As always, the key to the best seafood is freshness and quality and in these respects The Crab Shed hits the mark.




Whole fresh crab was an obvious choice here and we were not disappointed.  The large crab provided had been caught and cooked within the previous 24 hours.  The crab arrived prepared and on a bed of crisp, fresh mixed salad.  A side order of fries completed the meal !  At the Crab Shed they remove the brown and white body meat from their crabs and mix together before pressing back into the shell.  The claws are intact and contain the usual high quality white claw-meat.  This ensures that all the crabs served are of consistent quality and crammed with a generous portion of the freshest crabmeat. An alternative dish which we tried was the crabmeat on fresh bread with avocado and salad.  Again the emphasis was on quality and freshness of all the ingredients. If you want an unbeatable fresh crab experience then head down to The Crab Shed in Salcombe - you won't regret it.

South Sands Hotel, Salcombe, Devon

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. 

Fish Curry Takeaway from Meghdoots

My favourite Indian restaurant is Meghdoots in the picturesque West Sussex town of Petworth.  This restaurant is no 'run of the mill' curry house.  Proprietors, Sanjay and Milli offer authentic cuisine, derived from regions of India, all prepared fresh to order. First impressions are good with contemporary decor and a friendly welcome.  This continues with helpful service from the staff and plenty of advice on the best combination of dishes.  One great advantage of fresh preparation is that you can choose how 'hot' you would like your curry.  

We have enjoyed many a superb meal at Meghdoots but on this occasion we opted for the takeaway service.  Sanjay recommended the 'Chef Special' fish curry which comprised Tilapia, Squid and Prawns in a mild sauce with carefully blended spices.  To accompany we had Dal Palak, an unusual blend of spinach and yellow lentils, saffron flavoured Pulao Rice and a Roti bread.  A superb combo which was a great way to wind up the week.

Seafood at the Almyra Hotel in Cyprus

Infinity pool at AlmyraSpa

In pursuit of some winter sun at the end of our UK winter we ended up in Cyprus at the Almyra Hotel in Paphos.  This was our first visit to Cyprus but it ticked all the boxes having temperatures around 20C and less than 5 hours flying with Easyjet and a small time difference (+2 hours).  The Almyra Hotel offered good facilities including a well appointed spa, gymnasium, pools and sporting facilities all situated next to the Mediterranean Sea.  The cuisine on offer was promising with several restaurants available at this hotel and the neighbouring sister Hotel Annabelle.

Fishing Boats in Pafos

Cyprus is situated in the eastern end of the Mediterranean where the water is not particularly rich in nutrients and so the fish stocks are not highly abundant.  However local fishing boats, like those based in Paphos, do bring a regular supply of local produce including Picarel (a type of whitebait), Dorado, Mullet, Cuttlefish, Squid, Tuna and Swordfish.  Farmed fish in Cyprus include Gilthead Bream and Seabass. The inshore fishing is carried out from small wooden boats using long lines or nets.

Char-grilled Fresh
Calamari

Local fresh squid (Calamari) is abundant and makes for a tasty dish.  This whole squid was scored and grilled over barbecue coals at the poolside restaurant, Notios. Beautifully prepared with local olive oil and lemon juice it was tender and juicy.  It is important to 'score' the flesh of a squid before cooking as it helps to tenderise the squid-meat during cooking.  Other notable dishes at Notios included Seared Salmon and Seafood and SeaweedSalad.

Sushi by the Sea

Seafood & Seaweed Salad

The Almyra also specialises in Japanese cuisine and offer a range of dishes to order from the menu or even especially prepared after discussions with the chef.  These plates of Sushi and Sashimi were expertly crafted from the freshest ingredients.  The dishes included Salmon and Tuna Maki rolls, Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi, Seabass and Squid Nigiri.  Accompanied by a highly palatable Sauvignon Blanc from the Tsiakkas Winery, this made for an very pleasant lunch.

Jumbo Prawn with Rice

A lunchtime alternative was the Ouzeri restaurant which has a rustic appeal and is situated at the edge of the sea. Fresh fish was always available. One of the most popular dishes was the charcoal grilled Jumbo Prawns with rice - absolutely delicious ! Again a good choice of cocktails and wines (local and international) were on offer but we opted for the Tsiakkas Merlot which again was extremely good.

Paella

Mosaics, Almyra’s main restaurant, caters for all tastes with modern Mediterranean and International buffets.  Much to our (pleasant) surprise the evening meal in this restaurant was complimentary and the quality of the food and wine was very good indeed. From a simple salad to swordfish kebabs, a wide range of wines and good service made this a regular favourite.  The Almyra'a adjacent 'sister' hotel, The Annabelle, offered the same deal also with themed nights which included 'Mediterranean', Italian and Oriental cuisine. The image shows Chef Gary, at the Annabelle, preparing a Paella to order, overseen by Executive Chef, Alexandre Geffroy.

Flame seared Sashimi Salmon

Miso glazed Black Cod

 There were fine dining options at the Almyra which more than met the mark.  'Flavours' is an elegant restaurant situated around the fireplace at the far end of the foyer bar.  Offering a combination of Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine the menu was varied and interesting.  The Flame-seared Sashimi Salmon with Italian white truffle oil and Gremolata was delicate and the Miso Glazed Black Cod with pickled vegetables and Yuzu Miso dressing (made with a Japanese citrus fruit) was flavoursome. Flavours also offered an impressive selection of international fine wines to complement the excellent food.

Pan fried Sea Bream

Sauteed Prawn

More formal fine dining was provided at Amorosa in the Annabelle Hotel next door. It is a sophisticated restaurant which specialises in contemporary French cuisine. I opted for the four course set menu which at €28 was a bargain but was even more amazed when I learned that our meal plan reduced this to a ridiculous €15.  For food of this quality I would expect to pay four or five times that amount.  My choices included Sauteed Prawn with Green Beans, Potatoes, Black Olives and Lemon Butter Sauce followed by Cauliflower Soup with Olive Tapenade Crostini. For main course it was Pan Fried Sea Bream with Spinach Mash, Ratatouille and Champagne Sauce. Then to finish, Dark Chocolate and Orange Crepes with Orange Zest Confit and Pear Sorbet.  All prepared to perfection with fresh ingredients and served expertly with fine wines on offer.

In summary, I would highly recommend the quality of the seafood at these 2 Thanos hotels. I am told that a third hotel in the group, Anassa, is also good so here's to my next visit ! 

Sydney Fish Market

If you are in Australia and love seafood then the Sydney Fish Market is a 'must-visit' venue which provides a feast for your eyes and for your stomach ! Here is a pictorial record from my recent visit ….

Mud Crab

Oysters

Rock Lobster

King Crab

Octopus

Spanner Crab

Blue Swimmer Crab

Razor Clams

Langoustines

Snapper

King Salmon

Stone Crab

Seafood Mix

Eagle Ray Wings

Sushi Bar

Grilled Barramundi

Slurping Oysters

Sydney Fish Market

Seafood Platters