Congratulation to Mitch Tonks and the Rockfish team on the opening of the new Poole restaurant today making it the eighth restaurant in the group all specialising in serving fresh local & sustainable seafood. Prior to today's opening I was invited to attend a joint blogger press evening to have a look around and sample some of the menu that will be on offer.
Situated on Poole Quay it is literally 20 feet away from the sea with views of fishing fleets, pleasure boats and the flagship dealership for Sunseeker superyachts.
The building itself has undergone quite a transformation from its previous function as Purbeck Pottery, I just love the vaulted ceiling giving the restaurant a really light and airy feel. Lots of thought has obviously gone into the layout and how people like to dine, you can choose from small booths for private dining to family rooms and of course bench seating with small tables overlooking the open kitchen, (love an open kitchen).
Director Chef Kirk Gosden was on hand to explain how the restaurant runs and some background information about where the fish is sourced and how fresh it is when it arrives on site. Obviously because the fish caught changes daily, the menu changes, your server will discuss the fish of the day and write it on you menu table covering.
The group now have their own trawler which can be spotted off the coast of Brixham, the skipper is @trawlerman-nick on instagram and he videos what happens on his trips, a sucker for a backstory I must admit to being slightly addicted to finding out how his day is going, it really is fascinating and a real insight into the hard work behind fish arriving on your plate.
Did you know we export 75% of what we catch from our seas, and import 80% of the fish that we eat like prawns, tuna, cod and salmon. Shocking statistics, I definitely feel as if I need a bit more of an education on what is caught in the UK so that I can buy more responsibly. This group of restaurants are on a mission to do exactly that. In fact if you are interested in learning more take a look at the local fish section of their website where they go into a bit more detail. www.therockfish.co.uk
Here are some examples of the dishes you can expect when you visit Rockfish Poole.
The Rockfish has its very own tins of sardines a great way of preserving fish and they taste amazing, in fact I was reluctant to share with the others.
These scallops were delicious and the bread was a real plus for scooping up that buttery sauce.
Another new one for me was this Gurnard - tasty but not an easy dish to share with a group.
Battered Pout and chips something I had never heard of but apparently is a member of the cod family, well worth a try.
Crispy Fried Salt and Pepper Squid £8.95 with a cheeky chilli dip.
For those with a taste for something sweet there is a lovely choice of desserts, in my opinion definitely not made for sharing.
Gluten free Churros and salted caramel dip
Chocolate Nemesis £6.50 chocolate cake with clotted cream and popping candy.
Winter Eton Mess apple and blackberry for a twist.
Mitch Tonks - Fish Easy £19.99
Huge thanks to Laura from the marketing team for the invitation and for the team at the restaurant for looking after us so well on the night.
Rockfish Poole
9 The Quay
Poole
Dorset
BH15 1HJ
01202 836255
01202 836255
Open every day of the week
12.00 - 9.30pm
All food and drink were complimentary, opinions and photographs are my own.