The newest arrival in the Regent Street food quarter, FishWorks, will need no introduction to some. A success story beginning in Bath and to date comprising of several award winning restaurants, the reputation of the specialist fish eaterie preceded its recent Swallow Street debut.
For this notoriously choosy RSO editor, it was a particularly welcome addition. Back in the days when I was even more selective about my food then I was about my men, I lived on tuna fish sandwiches, my kitchen cupboards crammed full with every possible variety. These days, I’m glad to say I’ve branched out a bit food-wise, yet a dish of the fish variety is still high up there on my list of favourites and so I jumped at the chance to carry out this review.
Who to take as my date however was a slightly trickier decision. Given that my horizons (expectations) have yet to broaden (lower) in this area, I opted to play it safe and take my flatmate instead. Unfortunately, I invited him on the one week of the year he decided to diet, forgoing all alcohol and anything resembling a carbohydrate. Was I going to have to eat the entire menu alone just to write a broad, fair review? Wonderful, I thought, making a mental note to join him on said diet immediately after the meal…
I needn’t have been concerned, with FishWorks offering a menu made up of deliciously healthy dishes… as well as the odd sinful option I was only too happy to try in the name of research. From the glass of Prosecco Rustico NV Nino Franco which I devoured upon arrival, to the Red Harvest Pinot Noir that accompanied my dessert, everything was simply exquisite. My 'date', I was told, also very much enjoyed his water.
And the food? Oh yes… alcohol aside, my plate of Clare Isle Smoked Salmon to start was simply perfect – simple being the operative word, for – in keeping with the FishWorks philosophy - no fancy adornments or dressings were employed to distract from the delicious flavour. My dinner date opted for the FishWorks Starter Platter, a selection of favourites from the menu I was assured was equally delicious. Not one to watch my own waistline, I confess I pinched a piece of the cod when he wasn’t looking and so can heartily agree.
Next up was the main course, consisting of Argentine King Prawns for myself and the Mixed Seafood and Shellfish Grill for the health conscious one (I love how when men diet, they still manage to go for the largest dish on the menu every time, all in the name of protein). At this point, the carbs arrived on the table in the form of buttered new potatoes, along with sugar snaps and fire roasted Mediterranean vegetables. Obviously, there was no fight over who consumed the potatoes, yet I was tempted once or twice to reach across the table again, after all, this time there was tuna involved… Of course, I quite rightly had to take what I dished out and so may have lost one or two of my prawns, yet I successfully managed to hold on to all of the garlic and parsley butter sauce which accompanied them - along with a speech about the calorie content of a mere spoonful.
Speaking of calories, dessert was next on the menu. Going with mantra that if you’re going to do something, you may as well do it right, I wholeheartedly embraced the sinful option of Baked Chocolate Pudding with the aforementioned Pinot Noir. Warm, crisp cake with a perfectly goo-ey chocolate centre made my slimming friend regret his health kick for the first time of the evening, yet whilst I basked in the delight that I could finally make him jealous, I had to admit his bowl of seasonal fruits did also look rather inviting.
Joking about my date’s diet aside, FishWorks is a restaurant I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. In fact, upon reflection, this was the ideal opportunity to test the appeal of such a restaurant, with my now able to say that the menu at FishWorks is perfect for all, whether you are into your wellbeing, or simply being wicked.
The restaurant itself is atmospheric, reminiscent of a more sophisticated Carluccios, complete with adjoining fishmonger, where the aforementioned ‘wicked’ among you can buy extras to take home at the end of the night. Being a warm summer’s evening on this particular visit, the large windows were all open, allowing a cool breeze to flow through the restaurant, along with a sense of al fresco dining without the threat of British summer showers…
As I thanked the hostess for a wonderful meal, my flatmate's evening was given the cherry on his invisible cake, when informed he was the image of Hollywood star Jesse Metcalfe. I, on the other hand, could only conclude that given the choosy palette of a so called ‘Hollywood star’, perhaps my plan to take my male model friend to the next review was something to reconsider…
To make a reservation at FishWorks, call 020 7734 5813, or email reservations@fishworks.co.uk