A few weekends ago, for mine and my fantastic boyfriend’s anniversary, we went out for lunch at Chesil Beach’s Crab House Cafe.
I didn’t know what to expect, apart from great food after being told to go there my so many friends, and it being featured by Rick Stein, The Michelin Good Food Guide, The Independent, Countryfile and many more reputable food critics.
As the saying goes, first impressions are always your last impressions. If this is the case, The Crab House Cafe could not be further from the truth:
The restaurant itself is situated on the southernmost tip of Weymouth, just where the A354 transports you into the portland peninsula, along the beautiful and Jurassic Chesil Beach. Certainly a really very idyllic positioning for such a themed eatery.
However, when driving into The Crab House’s drive, I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a pang of anxiety and even wondered if we were at the right place!
I had been promised this amazing seafood restaurant right on the beach, but what I was presented with, after driving through was seemed like an iron monger’s yard, was a carribeanesque one story wooden shack with outside tables fully equipped with tropical pink Hawaiian-grass like umbrellas and I couldn’t quite figure out if this was to my delight or disappointment.
Nevertheless, on entering the restaurant itself, I knew instantly that it was to my delight: As a child it was drummed into me to not judge a book by its front cover – the same principle certainly rings true when judging The Crab House Cafe.
Once inside there are two dining areas, one in front of a cooking area where the chefs cook completely openly in plain sight and conveniently in situ to a glass counter exhibiting the most vibrant looking and clearly the freshest catch of the day that was celebrated so modestly through simple transparency: You are invited to watch and see the whole preparing, cooking and serving process.
The second room, where we dined, was the tank room. Here, The Crab House Cafe’s namesakes are kept in order to ensure they can be the freshest they can be. The nautical decor inside was both fun, clever and charming and really tied the whole thing together in a wonderful air of jollity.
Once sat down and indulging myself in the menu I suddenly got what this place was all about. The first thing I read was that “we write our menu up to twice a day depending on the fresh catch brought in each day by local fishermen from local boats, weather permitting.” You know that when you find a restaurant that changes its menu sometimes twice a day – and one which supplies a hammer as standard cutlery – you know you’ve found somewhere very special indeed.
The extent of the freshness of that catch was perfectly illustrated when we were alerted to the fact that the restaurant owns its own oyster beds being only 30 metres out the window – quite literally a-stones-throw-away.
“no boasting of sustainable fish in order to qualify ostentatious pricing”
Something else that really struck a chord with me was that there was no boasting of sustainable fish in order to qualify ostentatious pricing nor any flamboyant wording on the menu: You knew it was sustainable, you knew it was fresh but there was no boasting, no showing off. It is what it is and that is what was so completely charming about the whole experience.
To start with we had a traditionally dressed crab, oriental fish fritters and the best crunchy farmhouse loaf I have had in a long time! You really could taste the difference in both of these dishes, and the freshness of the fish and crab almost sent ripples through your mouth. Both were just bursting with the sea.
The fritters were lightly heated with enticing satay undertones that served to complement the fish even further. And the bread was spectacular – crunchy, warm, soft and nutty all at the same time! It really was a perfect starter to which I didn’t think any main could match up — oh but how wrong I was…
The for the main course – again we chose the same thing – consisted of a pollock fillet, black pudding and bread crumb, aubergine puree, sous-vide egg, fennel and tomato
The pollock was cooked to perfection and was light, flakey and just so juicy. The black pudding crumb was inspired and the rich, salty and earthy strokes that this added resulted in a fantastic depth of flavour. The puree and fennel were clever counterparts and gave extra dimensions to this dish being both creamy and fresh. Again, another perfect dish that was beautifully presented as was just topped off with the oh so gooey egg yolk.Unfortunately, I had to decline pudding even after seeing the hugely tempting options on the menu and it really was with a heavy heart indeed.
“The whole experience is honest; tasty and real, just how it should be.”
What the Crab House Cafe offers and truly delivers is mouth waveringly delicious and delicate food but without all the unnecessary pomp and circumstance. It is stripped back. The whole experience is honest; tasty and real, just how it should be.
The food, and more importantly the local produce is the leading lady. Even out the front there is a delightful herb and vegetable patch in old rowing boats.
This really is a beach shack that delivers above and beyond and one by which others should be judged
*Featured banner photo taken by: Luke Woods
A little Tasty 