For an island nation, it's often said that we're not really a country of fish eaters. Since the closure of Fish at 85 a few years ago, Cardiff no longer even has a dedicated fish restaurant. And it's rare to find anything more exciting on the average UK restaurant menu than salmon, prawns, scallops, tuna or seabass.
Nathan Outlaw's pair of restaurants in quaint Port Isaac are an exception to the rule. Both Michelin-starred, he serves an eclectic range of first rate Cornish seafood and treats it with confident simplicity.
Nathan Outlaw's New Road, which is situated on the outskirts of the village, serves a single no choice menu for the entire table for £80 a head. Whereas some tasting menus take a marathon 4 hours, each service at New Road lasts a well timed couple of hours. Service is also first class - knowledgeable and slick yet warm and friendly.
During dinner, we tucked away excellent wines by the glass including sparkling and still Camel Valley Cornish rosé, decadent oak aged Godello, super drinkable Hungarian MA'D Tokaji fermint and a hellishly good chocolatey Uruguayan dessert wine.
During dinner, we tucked away excellent wines by the glass including sparkling and still Camel Valley Cornish rosé, decadent oak aged Godello, super drinkable Hungarian MA'D Tokaji fermint and a hellishly good chocolatey Uruguayan dessert wine.
Crisp and buttery pastry sticks were studded with intense sweet and savoury tomato and anchovy whilst treacle twanged soda bread was lush slathered with creamy smoked mackerel paté topped with a cleansing mustard seed flecked cucumber chutney.
A pair of raw fish dishes saw their meaty centrepieces accompanied by contrasting yet equally flavour-packed garnishes.
Discs of cured monkfish were topped with a sweet pea and mint dressing, crunchy sweet peas and blobs of tangy yoghurt. It was a beautifully summery dish.
Discs of cured monkfish were topped with a sweet pea and mint dressing, crunchy sweet peas and blobs of tangy yoghurt. It was a beautifully summery dish.
Slices of raw bass were draped across sweet and fragrant tomato slices dotted with a vibrant and punchy green herb sauce.
A soused fillet of mackerel was cooked beautifully. Served cold it was partly poached and partly cooked in a delicate pickling liquor studded with crisp onions and celery. A thump of red chilli, crunch of walnut, and light garlicky courgette gazpacho all added extra complexity.
Main course was as good a piece of fish cookery as I've had in a long time. A stonkingly good sweet and pert fleshed dover sole teased away from the bone with the merest nudge. It was bathed in toasty brown butter and seasoned with anise twanged fennel seeds, coriander seeds, citrus and thyme.
A bowl of mixed veg always risks boredom in the wrong hands, but not here. Tender spuds and crisp beans and carrots were generously bathed in garlicky butter.
Onto pud, and a classic flavour combination saw a smooth, wobbly and creamy set raspberry custard topped with a dry champagne jelly. It was paired with a tart raspberry sauce, whole berries, vanilla-fragranced creme fraiche and crunchy almond crumb.
Finally, a couple of pieces of smooth, boozy and chocolatey whisky fudge completed the meal.
Outlaw's New Road serves first class produce in a lovely setting and I can't recommend it highly enough.
After dinner we strolled down the road and watched the sun set too. Bliss.
After dinner we strolled down the road and watched the sun set too. Bliss.
The Details:
Address - 6 New Rd, Port Isaac PL29 3SB
Telephone - 01208 880896
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