EverydayExmouth- Rockfish review
As much as I love university and Exeter, it’s so refreshing to step out of the bubble from time to time. Only a thirty-minute (and £3.30) train journey away, Exmouth is the perfect place to ‘escape’ to. Not only is it wonderful to en
joy a chilled-out stroll along the sandy beach and a healthy dose of fresh sea air, but it’s also exciting to try out some new restaurants.
My latest trip took me to Rockfish, a seafood restaurant situated right on the sea front, just a ten-minute walk away from Exmouth train station. A large glass window stretches across the restaurant’s indoor terrace, allowing you to take in the beautiful Exe estuary whilst munching on some equally beautiful food.
Unsurprisingly, the restaurant offers only the freshest seafood available. Upon arrival, a selection of fresh local fish caught that day is marked on your table cloth, and fresh mussels from the estuary are prepared by the chefs on the daily. The mussels are available in 3 different sauces and the local fish can be crisp fried, grilled or chargrilled.
The extensive- and impressive-menu made it extremely difficult to choose. The mains range from calamari steak to fish tacos, and the sides include curried mushy peas, jalapeño slaw and roasted tenderstem broccoli with chilli sauce. Don’t fear if you’re vegetarian or perhaps not a huge fan of seafood; you can choose from a halloumi or fried chicken. There’s not a huge range of non-seafood options, but it is a fish restaurant after all. However, what really pushed the boat out was the unlimited chunky chips with every main meal- the dream!
In the end I went for the traditional cod and chips which is, according to the menu, the most sustainable cod that Rockfish can find, caught in the ice-cold water off Norway where the stocks are healthy, growing in numbers and certified sustainable by the MSC. Needless to say, the fish was beautifully cooked- white, light and fluffy. The batter wasn’t too thick, although the grease hiding underneath did form a little pool on my plate. On the other hand, the chips weren’t greasy at all, and I enjoyed them so much that I managed to fit in a second round after finishing my meal and a side of crisp sourdough bread.
My friend chose the traditional mussels, which came with both chips and sourdough bread. Like my meal, it was a hearty portion. They were all good to eat and she essentially drank the sauce at the end, so they clearly went down very well. The garlic aioli they were served with also happened to be the most delicious garlic aioli I have ever tasted in my life!
The service was a little slow at times, as it seemed there were only a couple of waitresses for almost ten tables, but not to the extent that it became an inconvenience. The prices were a bit above what I would normally aim to spend on a single dish- £12.95 for my fish and £13.95 for the mussels- but I can’t say I didn’t expect it as it is a seafood restaurant. Yet, the high quality of the fish and the fact it was all fresh and locally sources definitely warrants spending a little more. It was a both tasty and filling lunch and I would be more than happy to visit again.
Overall rating: 8/10.
