The Finest Mediterranean Cuisine
FOOD+DRINK
On a hot summer’s evening back in July, my three guests and I ventured to the very trendy and vibrant town of Beckenham, with its boutique shopping parades and delectable eateries to visit the well established Sea Salt Sea Food Restaurant. As we entered the restaurant we were all very impressed by the attractive décor, from the black chic ?oral wallpaper to the well-set tables and ?ower arrangements. The restaurant can comfortably seat up to around 80 covers, and also offers al fresco dining at the front of the restaurant, and a good sized function room upstairs with its own bar area – ideal for private parties or large group bookings. BY ADAM READY
We enjoyed some olives and warm bread with butter while our eyes wandered over the extensive mouth-watering sea food and grill menu. From the starters I ordered the scallop viali, Shetland king scallops wrapped in streaky bacon with garlic butter & spring onion. They were tender fresh and big in size with roe attached – this was a starter for kings. The battered deep fried calamari rings were served with lemon and a very creamy homemade tartar sauce and salad. Not being one to say no to temptation, I just had to try one of my guest’s Norwegian mushrooms ?lled with salmon, crumbed then deep-fried and served with a chive mayonnaise. They were absolutely delicious and my guest was very lucky that I was more than an arm’s reach away from her plate to snatch some more. After our starters were cleared and the restaurant began to ?ll with hungry diners, we were treated with four gigantic fresh rock oysters. I had the honour of the ?rst one and squeezed some lemon juice and touch of Tabasco before downing the oyster and passing on the bowl. For one of my guests, it was the ?rst time she had tried an oyster and this was the perfect opportunity.
The grill selection at Sea Salt has something for all – from sirloin and rib-eye steaks, pork chops with apple cider & cinnamon marinade, to sea bass to the bunless burger. Two of my guests opted for the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth ?llet steak served on a wood board with hand c ut chips, grilled mushroom and tomato. A choice of green peppercorn, Béarnaise or blue cheese sauce was also available to accompany the steaks. From the ?sh dishes I had a tough decision to make between cod, halibut, monk?sh and salmon – all with interesting sauces to make any ?sh lovers’ taste buds race! I was drawn to the halibut, a steak topped with a herb crust, roasted on a bed of aubergines and served with a sweet pepper coulis. The colour and look of the dish along with the ?avours were sublime and had my guests’ eyes on my dish as it arrived in front of me. The last meal to hit the table was the chicken scallops operette: king scallops and chicken breast pieces sautéed in white wine, mushroom, onions and cream sauce. Side orders of fresh vegetables and sauté potatoes completed the mains, all cooked with a very Mediterranean
in?uence and along with the warm summer evening, it felt like a meal abroad – especially with a glass of red to wash it down with. The meaty halibut, along with trying all the other dishes, had ?lled me to capacity, so the ice cream selection was the most I could manage. It was left to my guests to order some of the spectacular desserts on offer, including the white and dark chocolate terrine with a shortbread biscuit; the apple tart tatin with a cinnamon ice; and the panna cotta with berries coulis. After the meal we chatted the evening away, and all agreed that we would most de?nitely return to dine again. A Sunday roast menu is available and offers 3 courses for £16.95 or a main course for £9.95. Next stop: Sunday at Sea Salt! Sea Salt 2 Southend Road Beckenham BR3 1SD 020 8663 0994 [email protected] www.seasaltbeckenham.com
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