The Seafood Restaurant
Padstow, Cornwall
Rick Stein gets a lot of stick for transforming Padstow into Padstein, but no one has done as much to persuade Brits to eat the fish hauled from our native waters rather than exporting it all to mainland Europe. True, what was once recognisably a Cornish fishing village is now a chi-chi tourist destination with a Stein venue for every mood and budget, from the casual Rick Stein Café to the dearest of all (in every sense) – his flagship Seafood Restaurant. Long before the TV producers came calling, Stein was a practising seafood cook, who opened this place with his then wife Jill in 1975. These days, the kitchen is overseen by son Jack (whose brothers Charlie and Edward look after wine and interior design respectively), which explains why it still has the feel of a family-run, family-friendly operation, albeit one that must be booked months ahead and saved up for. Some dishes seem inspired by Stein senior’s globetrotting TV career: mussels masala with coconut, ginger and green chillies, say, or an Indonesian seafood curry of cod, bass and prawns. But the best dishes are the simplest and allow diners to appreciate not only the quality of the produce (reassuring, given that most mains cost upwards of £40) but the skill of the cooking. Roast turbot is a signature here, firm white fish encased in a layer of crisp skin and with a delicacy of flavour that makes the citrussy hollandaise redundant; save it instead as a dipping sauce for thin-cut chips. Elsewhere, the menu changes depending on the catch from the boats morred up on the quay opposite. To start, snacks might feature some fresh seafood on ice: a Porthilly oyster with Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar and shallot dressing, say, or a fleshy langoustine tail to dunk into fresh mayo. Flakes of snowy-white crab are paired with intensely savoury brown meat and a saline wakame salad, while another gently Asian starter matches scallops with soy, ginger and spring onion. An 8oz steak is the lone meat option, though vegetarians fare rather better, with a dedicated menu showcasing veg sourced from the nearby farm of former Stein chef Ross Geach who, like so many of the suppliers – and customers – is a local with a long-standing relationship with the restaurant. Wines have been chosen with care, although prices rise rapidly from £30.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Separate bar, Wheelchair access
Riverside, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8BY
01841 532700
