the15milefoodie
- 3 min read

Rockfish a great catch for Poole

EAT OUT TO HELP OUT

Way back in January when the world was a very different place I attended the launch of a fabulous new restaurant in Poole, Rockfish Seafood Restaurant. A few weeks later I took my family back to try the food and the following day we were all in lockdown.

Thankfully they have reopened and to ensure your safety whilst eating at the restaurant they have a dedicated Covid monitor who is there for your safety, monitoring & cleaning the building and to ensure Rockfish remains Covid free.

During August the restaurant is taking part in the government scheme 'eat out to help out"you can get a fantastic 50% off your food and soft drinks, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday so it really is an ideal time to support the hospitality industry and try some great locally caught seafood at the same time.

Its native lobster season (until the end of August ) so you could be enjoying this dish with unlimited fries it's a great offer if you are a Champagne lover (I don't know why you wouldn't be) Louis Barthelemy is £6.95 a glass.

Bookings only online during August.

Photo credit Rockfish

Mitch Tonks now has eight coastal venues and I heard on the hop vine he has been working with Salcombe Brewery to produce their very own seafood pairings that include Rockfish Pilsner, Rockfish IPA and a Rockfish Sea Cider.

Photo Credit Rockfish

The following photos and information were taken on launch night back in January but I hope it encourages you to give them a try, you won't regret it.

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 too, 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.