Review on The Seafood Restaurant
Rick Stein is now famous as the man who put Padstow on the gastronomic world map, but it was a long time coming. He set up the Seafood Restaurant way back in 1975 and the stone-walled, harbourside venue (actually a prestigious hotel) remains his flagship – although it leads a growing fleet of local places with the man's name above the door.
Freshness and simplicity are the watchwords, and a great deal really does come direct from the local boats to the kitchen door. What can't be procured locally is sourced from elsewhere: oysters from Galway and the coast of France, langoustines and salmon from Scotland, for example. The simple touch shows in grilled scallops with hazelnut and coriander butter, roast tronçon of turbot with hollandaise, or Dover sole with olive oil, lemon and capers. More complex treatment is applied to mackerel, which might be stuffed with a chilli masala, while monkfish often ends up in a Goan-style curry with pilau rice, chutney and cumin puris on the side.
Just one token meat dish is always available – perhaps roast rack of Cornish lamb with crushed potatoes and caramelised garlic – while desserts look to Europe for pannacotta with baked plums or red wine poached pear with crème brûlée ice cream. The wine list is a star turn and a near-perfect match for the food on offer, with classy whites very much to the fore and admirable house selections if you are on a budget.
The Seafood Restaurant is also featured in: Michelin Guide
Rate this RestaurantCuisine
Seafood
Chef
Pete Murt
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 - 3.00pm
Dinner: 6.30 - 9.30pm Sun-Thu (6.00 - 9.30pm Fri & 6.00 - 10.00pm Sat)
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card
