A Visit to Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac

We last visited Restaurant Nathan Outlaw Port Isaac 7 years ago on our honeymoon. Few restaurants offer full fish tasting menus so this meal really stood out for us. A few things have changed since then, including the location of the restaurant itself and the structure of the menu, however what hasn’t changed is the quality of the food and the excellent service.

Port Isaac has been the home of 2 Michelin starred Restaurant Nathan Outlaw and his fabulous team since 2015. The whitewashed building sits on the clifftop, overlooking the rugged Cornish coastline. We visited in the evening so didn’t get chance to take in the panoramic views but not to worry, the food more than made up for this.

The four course menu is a masterclass in seafood cookery. The fresh, seasonal ingredients are served simply and beautifully throughout.

From a well thought out and accessible wine list we have a super bottle of Albarino from New Zealand- the perfect accompaniment for the seafood menu.

We get started with a small selection of snacks. All are delicious and packed with flavour. The crab served on a little herb scone is delightful, the bass is vibrant with a lively chilly dressing, and the sardines with a hint of lemon are a great show case for this underused and underrated fish.

The Fish:

A superb lobster salad starts the main part of the menu. Sweet lobster with fresh carrots, leaves, and a sublime lemon, garlic and shellfish dressing. A luxury ingredient given the star billing that it deserves.

Red mullet topped with salty crisp bacon pieces next. This is served with a pickled onion, filled with a silky-smooth mushroom puree. A great combination of flavours.

Poached bass with an unctuous peppercorn sauce is a warming , almost hearty plate of food. The fish is expertly cooked. Braised Stonehead cabbage is a great partner and adds a little bit of bitterness to this excellent dish.

Dessert:

For our sweet course, we are served a set Earl Grey custard which is packed with flavour. Paired with perfectly cooked and flavoursome poached pears, and a light, fresh cider ice-cream. The shortbread crumb adds a crunchy yet crumbly texture. Once again, fresh, clean, strong flavours that combine perfectly to produce another outstanding plate of food.

We finished with a coffee (mint tea for Mel of course!)and petits fours- a delicious chocolate truffle and a scrumptious red currant amaretti biscuit. Just wonderful.

Nathan Outlaw in Port Isaac:

We had our second sensational meal at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw Port Isaac. The front of house staff are so welcoming and friendly and this only added to the experience. A truly exceptional kitchen, cooking world class food. A real ‘must visit’ when in Cornwall. Let’s hope it’s not another 7 years before our next visit!

We were lucky enough to also try Outlaw’s Fish kitchen during our trip.

For our other restaurants for special occasions recommendations.