Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

After making waves with his eponymous restaurant in Fowey, Nathan Outlaw upped sticks to Rock (from whence he started with the Black Pig) to set out his stall in the stylish St Enodoc Hotel. First off the blocks was the all-day Seafood & Grill, which 'does what it says on the tin', serving Cornwall's supreme piscine produce in an unbuttoned ambience with watery views and a sublime terrace from which to soak them up. Hot on its heels came the opening of his full-works flagship restaurant. Done out in neutral tones offset by tasteful art, the venue goes for an understated minimal look with an edge of metropolitan chic - tasty, but nothing to distract from the creative and intelligent work that leaves the kitchen. The concept behind this intimate operation is to let the top-class Cornish materials speak eloquently for themselves, helped along, naturally, with high-flying technique and an innate sense of what works with what. Choosing what to eat is easy: since most diners see this as something of a foodie pilgrimage, there's just a single fish and seafood-only tasting menu, plus a veggie alternative. First up, mackerel is marinated with beetroot, and comes with apple and beetroot salad; lemon sole teamed with crispy oyster and horseradish follows on, demonstrating an entertaining play of texture and flavours. Elsewhere, sea bass is subjected to a sort of deconstructed kippering that delivers sea-fresh fish in cured and smoked formats with piccalilli, while superb, perfectly-timed brill is partnered with oxtail, and potato and celeriac dumplings. Flagging yet? Well keep calm and carry on, as there is an optional cheese course ahead of desserts, yes plural, two of them: Camel Valley rhubarb trifle, then bitter chocolate fondant with yoghurt ice cream, pistachio and blood orange, both distinguished by clear flavours, and perfectly in tune with the rest of the meal.