THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
243 Pavilion Road, London, SW1X 0BP
The Sea, the Sea is a Booker Prize winning novel by Iris Murdoch. Her inspiration for the title is credited to an ancient Greek army returning from war and shouting in exultation at the sight of the Black Sea. Now one might hear the same jubilant shouts at the sight of the restaurant on Pavilion Road!
The original fishmonger and seafood bar was founded just up the road in 2019 by Alex Hunter. His reputation for quality, ethically sourced fish and seafood catapulted him to the wholesale market, supplying high end restaurants which, in turn, led to these new digs with Head Chef Nick Marsden. The two share a love for and commitment to The Fish, The Fish!
The dozen or so al fresco tables on the pedestrian street were packed to the gills (sorry!). Perfectly understandable on a lovely summer night, but with the unfortunate consequence of missing out on the upstairs dining experience. The Room, The Room! It's the epitome of simple elegance. The M-shaped roof, terrace, terracotta banquettes, cappuccino chairs and blonde wood have the understated, rich and relaxed quality of a place by the sea.
A refreshing Gin Mare with Schweppes tonic and lemon (£15) and a glass of '23 Dolcetto D'Alba Roagna from Piedmont (£13), fruity with cherry, got us started. With that, The Bread, The Bread! Coombeshead Farm Sourdough, perfectly charred, with scads of cultured butter (£6). My idea of heaven.
2 fried seaweed and lobster dumplings (£6.5 each) went down the hatch in a flash. Crispy, sweet and creamy inside and topped with shards of seaweed.
Salmon sashimi (£19) melted in my mouth. Silky fish, served with aged soy sauce and pickled kohlrabi, an innovative substitute for the usual ginger and an equally good palate refresher!
Among the catch of the day were 2 of my favorites. Monkfish (£58) came with girolles and a deep caramel colored crab apple puree with a balsamic-laced reduction. The fish was cooked to translucent perfection; the apple and sticky sauce balanced sweet with acidity. A hit of salt would not have been amiss.
The tranche of turbot (£22 per 100g) was sublime. Beautifully charred, it just flaked off the bone and was served in a gorgeous white asparagus sauce split with (I'm guessing) dill oil. My Brazilian guest declared it the best fish he'd ever eaten. I would have to agree!
A glass of '23 Chablis Vieilles Vignes Paul Nicolle (£16.50) was buttery happiness.
Now...potato ice cream, pine and smoked eel (£9)??? Yes. For dessert. Of course I had to try it. After my first bite, I was not convinced. By the end, I was licking the bowl. The potato ice cream worked surprisingly well. Not in the least grainy, it was creamy and sweet. Dark caramel with pine offered a hint of bitterness and the flakes of dried eel an interesting hit of fishy salt. 5 stars for innovation.
Living The Dream, The Dream!
