Nathan Outlaw is perhaps the biggest name in seafood in the UK right now, having the country's only two star seafood restaurant, located in Rock, Cornwall. In fact, at the St Enodoc Hotel, Nathan operates two restaurants, the more casual Seafood and Grill, and the fine dining offering, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw. Now he's opened his first restaurant in London, Outlaw's Seafood & Grill at The Capital, located within another hotel, The Capital in Knightsbridge. Naming the restaurant in line with the more informal of his Cornish eateries suggests that the offering here is going to be about great ingredients, simply, but brilliantly done.
This is however a big challenge for Nathan, not only because he now has to divide his time between Cornwall and London, he's based in London two days a week we believe, but also because his Rock restaurants are very much a reflection of the local catch. Recipes and techniques do seem to have travelled up from Rock intact while the restaurant has remained faithful to Nathan's focus with little compromise for those who are not fish fans. Diners have the choice of an a la carte menu or a tasting menu which is essentially a selection from the a la carte dishes.
With three people around the table we are in a position to see much of the offering. We start of with a scallop sent by the kitchen, beautifully presented on a watercress purée Here, as we'll see elsewhere in the meal the textures of the ingredients are wonderfully preserved in the cooking process and it's in dishes like this where Nathan's affinity with seafood simply shines.
This is however a big challenge for Nathan, not only because he now has to divide his time between Cornwall and London, he's based in London two days a week we believe, but also because his Rock restaurants are very much a reflection of the local catch. Recipes and techniques do seem to have travelled up from Rock intact while the restaurant has remained faithful to Nathan's focus with little compromise for those who are not fish fans. Diners have the choice of an a la carte menu or a tasting menu which is essentially a selection from the a la carte dishes.
With three people around the table we are in a position to see much of the offering. We start of with a scallop sent by the kitchen, beautifully presented on a watercress purée Here, as we'll see elsewhere in the meal the textures of the ingredients are wonderfully preserved in the cooking process and it's in dishes like this where Nathan's affinity with seafood simply shines.
Scallops & Hazelnuts, Watercress & Smoked Oil
The ordered starters are equally excellent. A lemon sole fillet with crispy oyster and cucumber is perfect with the clean cut lemon sole, the freshness of cucumber and the naughtiness of the crispy crunchy fried oyster proving another dish where relative simplicity completes the dish more than complexity ever could. Lobster cocktail too is a masterpiece, amazing depth to the lobster sauce and real flavour and again texture in the lobster cocktail itself.
Lemon sole , crispy oyster, oyster sauce & cucumber
Lobster cocktail, orange & basil, lobster sauce
Peppered venison, beetroot & English truffle salad cream
Mains arrive with a vivid splash of colour across the plates, not least the vibrant red-orange of my crusted cod. If the complaint arising from many a fish served up in a restaurant is that the fish/skin is not cooked properly, it is simply never a concern at Outlaw's because fish is what they do, all they do, and where years of experience at doing it go on to every plate. Playing to this, the plates are definitely ingredient led with the fish up front and centre, while there are no fancy foams or 'out there' concepts: it's fish, veg and a sauce.
Wreckfish, a meaty fish that we first enjoyed at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has made the trip to London with him it seems and comes with a perfectly crisped skin and a potato and anchovy gratin. Cod with scampi is just that and no less wonderful for it. As a point of interest, we later learn that the shellfish are cooked together with some of the vegetables on a Josper grill. Finally there's a mackerel dish, here as a main rather than starter which, as you'd expect from Nathan, is top quality.
Wreckfish, a meaty fish that we first enjoyed at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has made the trip to London with him it seems and comes with a perfectly crisped skin and a potato and anchovy gratin. Cod with scampi is just that and no less wonderful for it. As a point of interest, we later learn that the shellfish are cooked together with some of the vegetables on a Josper grill. Finally there's a mackerel dish, here as a main rather than starter which, as you'd expect from Nathan, is top quality.
Cod with scampi & rosemary butter, crispy courgettes
char grilled mackerel, smoker mackerel, paprika and soured vegetables
Wreckfish, red wine tartare dressing, anchovy & potato gratin, squash
Desserts are comfort style offerings with a treacle tart (that needs to be pre ordered as it takes 30 minutes) ordered and a chocolate sponge that was almost fondant like, served with a personal favourite, peanut ice cream.
treacle tart
chocolate sponge, peanut ice cream, lime curd
Given Nathan's talent, experience and reputation, there are two things that are a given when dining at one of his restaurants: first, that the fish used is of the best quality available, and second, that it will be cooked to perfection, with both of these factors reflecting the depth of experience of not only Nathan himself, but Head Chef Pete Biggs, who has worked with Nathan for over a decade.
Currently, the offering is, as noted, ingredient led and relatively straightforward, though style might change in time as the restaurant has already found that some things that work well in Cornwall are not as well received in Knightsbridge; this is however, still very early days. Accordingly, as the restaurant beds down, it will certainly evolve, and given the talents of the team behind it, the outcome will be fascinating to watch, especially if there's eventually convergence with Nathan's two star offering from Rock.
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Outlaw's Seafood & Grill at The Capital website
CC post on Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall
Currently, the offering is, as noted, ingredient led and relatively straightforward, though style might change in time as the restaurant has already found that some things that work well in Cornwall are not as well received in Knightsbridge; this is however, still very early days. Accordingly, as the restaurant beds down, it will certainly evolve, and given the talents of the team behind it, the outcome will be fascinating to watch, especially if there's eventually convergence with Nathan's two star offering from Rock.
Return to homepage
Outlaw's Seafood & Grill at The Capital website
CC post on Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall
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