Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

[david goodfellow]

New website up for Nathan Outlaw Seafood and Grill in Rock

http://www.nathan-outlaw.com/

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I see the menu is dated 1st June. Does anyone know if it is open yet? (we are down that was at the weekend).

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He's there now Phil, give it a try, let us know what its like.

[lapin d'or]

We ate at the Fowey restaurant two nights ago and I am pretty sure I saw Nathan in the kitchen.

The meal was excellent, many of the dishes we ate have already been described upthread so I cannot add much other than to say I will go back as soon as a good excuse can be found.

We stayed in the hotel and had a lovely estuary view from the room.

It was as enjoyable as Gidleigh Park and less formal which I prefer.

[david goodfellow]

We ate at the Fowey restaurant two nights ago and I am pretty sure I saw Nathan in the kitchen.

The meal was excellent, many of the dishes we ate have already been described upthread so I cannot add much other than to say I will go back as soon as a good excuse can be found.

We stayed in the hotel and had a lovely estuary view from the room.

It was as enjoyable as Gidleigh Park and less formal which I prefer.

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Sounds good as ever.

Its on my list, just need to link it in with something on the way as its a ,(very usual for me,) heck of a way away

[PhilD]

New website up for Nathan Outlaw Seafood and Grill in Rock

http://www.nathan-outlaw.com/

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I see the menu is dated 1st June. Does anyone know if it is open yet? (we are down that was at the weekend).

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He's there now Phil, give it a try, let us know what its like.

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We squeezed in a quick lunch at Nathan's new venture in Rock (Cornwall). It seems to be a soft start-up with Nathan's food coming out of the kitchen but the full launch isn't until June 1st. The restaurant is in the "St Enodoc Hotel" which is up the hill from the seafront. I understand the first restaurant is going to be simple, and the title says it all: Nathan Outlaws Seafood & Grill", and some time in the future the hotel may open a fine diner in another room.

There is a good reason Rock is called "Chelsea on Sea", I suspect there there is a check point before you drive into town that weeds out small cars ad requires all males to turn up the collars on their polo shirts. The dining room on a wet bank holiday Monday was pretty full and the punters seemed very, very well heeled, which hopefully bodes well for a successful restaurant. It is probably targeted at this market because it is very expensive for quite simple food. We had eaten at "Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 Restaurant" (in Padstow) the previous evening and every course was cheaper, significantly more complex, and far better value, especially give the very limited nature of this lunch menu. The lunch menu was short, IIRC, 2 entrees, 3 mains, 3 desserts (including cheese), maybe when it gets into it's stride this will be broadened. Service was very good, the room is simple and nice, and overall we enjoyed the meal. I would be interested in giving it another shot when it is fully up and running.

To start I chose a great watercress soup for my entree, with Nathan's signature lemon oil £6.00). It was great, the other option was Mussels in beer (I think):

Next we both chose the steak and chips (it had been a fishy weekend), it was well flavoured and the chips were in the trice cooked style. Overall I should avoid ordering steak in the UK as generally expensive and not the best cut and even though this is well flavoured and well cooked it wasn't great (£17.50). I should have gone for the Cod with crab sauce, the other option was vegetarian:

My partner had the Chocolate Tart and Clotted Cream is a very fine rendition (£6.50):

I had the Rhubarb dessert was really great, good flavours in the ice cream and sauce (£6.50):

[tony h]

Nathan Outlaw - Dinner June 2009

Hmm - have been putting off this review as I know NO has a large and loyal following on this site. However, I can honestly say I had my worst meal so far this year here last week. Actually, the worst in food terms was, hands down, at Theo Randall's - but Outlaw took just under £350 off me for a meal for three, so he gets the prize.

And i was sooo looking forward to it. Booked well before I knew he was on GBM.

The restaurant itself is lovely - understated with superb views of Fowey harbour.

The menu described the food lovingly - but the tasting menu had nothing to say except 7 course & £70.

Amuse of smoke mackerel fish balls were wonderful. We also got superb little tart of tomato jam which was equally sensational.

Unfortunately - it was downhill from here on with the exception of one dish and superb FOH staff.

A prestarter of fennel soup was truly disgusting. A drop of lemon oil and some crushed nuts (almond, i think). I have no idea what he was thinking - the baby food like texture of the puree was not at all pleasant and, as so often in this meal, quite devoid of any real flavour

Next was charcoaled quail egg with asparagus & leaves. Mine arrived eggless although I did ask for a replacement course. So - what I got was a 3 or 4 asparagus heads with some salad leaves. you have got to be kiddin'... my fellow diners got the egg but it hardly seemed worth the effort.

Lobster risotto was a triumph - full of lobster meat & cooked without that odd bitter taste some chef's can's seem to help. had interesting orange undertones. Covered in a lovely foam. v similar to a dish at LeCS last autumn although nowhere near as accomplished

Rabbit and ham was almost OK - although the rabbit was lacking any depth. I forget the rest

Think there's another course somewhere in here - but again I forget

beef which came with a barley risotto got a hang on - risotto twice in one meal double take. don't care if one is rice & one barley - that's just laziness

pre-dessert was a taste of mango - done 5 different ways. overkill really - but there was a particularly nasty cream "thing" which was quite rubbery

final pud was pineapple tarte tatin. the pastry was not cooked. Neither was the pineapple - just warmed through with a little caramel on top.

All this took over three and half hours making it about one course per half hour. with the miserly portions we all left hungry which is really unforgivable. Clearly there is talent in the kitchen - but portion size and general flavourlessness of the meal left us quite angry as it was so bloody expensive.

Saw this tweet from him on May 29 "Private Party at Restaurant and 50, yes 50 covers at the Seafood and Grill. Where is the number for the Aston Martin Garage?" can't help feeling i've paid for one the tires.

[PhilD]

All this took over three and half hours making it about one course per half hour.  with the miserly portions we all left hungry which is really unforgivable.  Clearly there is talent in the kitchen - but portion size and general flavourlessness of the meal left us quite angry as it was so bloody expensive. 

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Wow, it seems the kitchen is inconsistent. We did have a really good meal there earlier in the year. We didn't leave hungry but have vowed to avoid tasting menu's in the future as the portion size irritates.

Was Nathan in the kitchen? Now he has two places to look after and slots on TV (Saturday Kitchen?) there is a distinct danger he over stretches himself.

Good to hear the FOH staff are still good.

[food1]

All this took over three and half hours making it about one course per half hour.  with the miserly portions we all left hungry which is really unforgivable.  Clearly there is talent in the kitchen - but portion size and general flavourlessness of the meal left us quite angry as it was so bloody expensive.  

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Wow, it seems the kitchen is inconsistent. We did have a really good meal there earlier in the year. We didn't leave hungry but have vowed to avoid tasting menu's in the future as the portion size irritates.

Was Nathan in the kitchen? Now he has two places to look after and slots on TV (Saturday Kitchen?) there is a distinct danger he over stretches himself.

Good to hear the FOH staff are still good.

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Phil, I can think of one restaurant tasting menu where silly little portion sizes are completely outlawed, excuse the pun!!

P.s Unfortunately, wife and I didn't have the best of times at N.O last year. Service for us was a very mixed bag. Explained in earlier post.

[tony h]

NO was in the kitchen that night – we passed him on the way out. We were a bit too pissed off to stop & talk. He has since sent me a PM – below. Not quite sure quite to make of it.

>>Dear Tony

>>

>>I am very upset that your experience of my food was not

>>up to your expectation.

>>

>>I take all feedback, good and bad and will definatly take on

>>board your comments.

>>

>>All the best

>>Nathan

[Basildog]

Tony, maybe it's just a note to say that he's aware of your experience,and will take on board your comments?

[david goodfellow]

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw to close in Fowey.

http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/default.aspx?page=articles&ID=204174

[PhilD]

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw to close in Fowey.

http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/default.aspx?page=articles&ID=204174

When we ate at the new grill in Rock (soon after it opened) they said he planned to open a more formal restaurant there in the not to distant future. At the time I wondered how he would cope with three. I suspect the sale of the hotel in Fowey was the catalyst as wasn't he a minority partner in the place?

Padstow/Rock is now the true centre of great Cornish cuisine (with or without Rick - and Rick has opened a place here in Australia now as well).

[Basildog]

Great to have Nathan back here on the North Coast full time.