The Seafood Restaurant

It should be easy enough, but it clearly isn't or everybody would be doing it. Maybe it is the location right on the harbour. Maybe it is the personality and determination of Rick Stein. And what is it? It is serving the very best seafood in an uncomplicated way, never following fad or fashion but not standing still either, cooking the freshest fish and shellfish with passion and still managing to, after nearly 35 years, give an experienced inspector the best piece of brill she's ever had. Every coastal town should have a restaurant like this...few do. The entrance by the quayside is via a conservatory with a distinctly designer look, hinting that behind the brick and granite façade is a restaurant of real class. The centrepiece of the room is a mosaic and stainless steel-topped circular bar counter. It's a smartly unpretentious space, with linen-clad tables and splashes of colour coming from contemporary artworks. The menu isn't exactly cheap, but the produce (as discussed) is spot-on and, if you really want to push the boat out, there's a tasting menu, too. Shrimp and samphire risotto is a dish that relies on much more than sparklingly fresh seafood, and it is a triumph in the art of risotto making: just the right degree of bite and creaminess and wonderful flavours and textures. Turbot with hollandaise (on the bone) is simplicity itself, served with some mixed vegetables, while braised fillet of brill is given an earthy richness in a dish with black truffle, mushrooms and truffle oil. Desserts are not neglected (pannacotta with rhubarb compôte) and the wine list does great justice to the fruits of the sea.

Follow signs for town centre. Restaurant on riverside
Nearest station: Bodmin Parkway

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