If you haven’t twigged at this stage I love a secret gem, a place that need not shout its prowess but rather quietly whisper it because it’s that good that it need no extra press. The Sea is 1 of those spots.
Looking back I must’ve stormed past the understated entrance multiple times & just assumed the single room fishmonger by day, seafood bar by night, were part of either of its neighbours. On entering however you are immediately warmly greeted by the attentive staff, & depending on other diners present, can choose to sit at the bar/fish counter, the long central plinth table, or the counter that wraps the wall/window. And your experience will only continue to improve from there. You can dine outdoors on the terrace from 12-9pm, or indoors 6-11pm Tuesday-Saturday.
NB - we sat at the bar & were perfectly comfortable however if you are prone to feeling cold you might not want to sit next to the exposed ice!
Is a marvel. And scene.
No truly it’s stunning. The menu is constantly evolving depending on the availability of the finest ingredients & there are additional specials each day on top of that. A single A5 sheet simplifies the selection process down for you (although you will want everything) & the chefs will passionately explain as much or as little of it as you would like to know. As everything is made freshly to order no dietary requirement is too much (vegan perhaps not so much with it being a fish restaurant) but nuts, gluten, dairy etc can all be easily accommodated. In instances where a marinade got in the way they simply offered an alternative using the fresh ingredients, or should this compromise the dish’s essence then a new one was created on the spot. Yep right there & then.
There is definitely an Asian influence but it isn’t the overwhelming theme of the menu, in fact I would go as far to say that whichever fish has been selected for a dish it’s then married with its most natural flavour profile in terms of what it then comes with. We had the sardines, cod, mackerel, trout & tuna special, each 1 was a sensory delight & we could’ve most definitely added a few more on just for sheer gluttonous joy.
As finely curated as the food in short! The wine list is curated to perfection & the waiting staff will happily guide you in a brilliant choice should you be unsure of what will pair ideally with your meal.
Or if like us you are partial to a stonkingly good cocktail they will whip you up a classic of your choice or their slightly tweaked version. We opted for the spin on a negroni (a hint of seawater I hear you day?!) with a cautiously raised eyebrow as so often the remodel doesn’t live up to the original. We were silly to be suspicious however & continued on these for the rest of the evening. A wise choice for a Thursday or not we thoroughly enjoyed them!
A truly divine spot to visit, my only mark down in terms of the health aspect is a lack of accompanying vegetables to add to the main events, but as a seafood bar this isn’t entirely unexpected. The preparation of the dishes fits perfectly with my consciousness in terms of health & nutrition, & it’s not that there isn’t anything else on the dishes except fish, but I would have enjoyed the addition of a side of something green & crunchy.
Without a shadow of a doubt however this gets an incredibly strong recommendation for a visit, we left beaming from ear to ear, & this wasn’t just down to the 4 negronis & bulging bags of smoked salmon & truffle infused delights we treated ourselves to from the shop before sauntering home…