48-50 South End,
Croydon,
London,
CR0 1DP
(020) 8774 4060
The ViewLondon Review
Malcolm John’s Fish and Grill comes hot on the heels – and just down the road – of his other Croydon venue, Le Cassoulet.
The Venue
Malcolm John is clearly not a fan of Central London. His first restaurant, Le Vacherin, opened in 2004 in suburban-esque Chiswick, of all places, but he knew what he was doing and years later its one of the capital’s foodie hotspots, even attracting the likes of Gordon Ramsay. Restaurant number two, Le Cassoulet, opened up in – gasp – Croydon, a South London no man’s land when it comes to dining. His latest, Fish and Grill, has opened just down the road from Le Cassoulet, proving that the success of a restaurant isn’t dependent on the reputation of its postcode.
This restaurant seems geared for locals. Parking is scarce, the nearest train (yes, train, not tube) is a decent stumble away, and you can expect to dodge a few knots of groups dithering about outside on the street, trying to choose their dining destination. Options aren’t that varied (a Zizzi, a friendly looking Thai, a few pubs, the cheap and cheerful Little Bay at the bottom of the street) but it’s much livelier than you might expect.
Fish and Grill is currently still covered in scaffolding so you have to be on the lookout for the entrance. Once inside, you’ll find a small but nicely portioned room, divided up into thirds and decorated tastefully in dark browns and blues. Near the entrance is the bar, surrounded by low, round tables, then it’s past the fish bar, stuffed with mounds of crushed ice, red lobsters and spiky razor clams, into the restaurant. Divided by a small step, the lower and upper part of the restaurant area make the most of the space with a series of tables against booths along the wall. Depending on where you sit, you might see Malcolm John through the square window that overlooks the kitchen, calmly plating up dishes.
The Atmosphere
This is more of a small group place than a date place, as the tables are close enough together to make anything more than casual conversation slightly awkward. Despite the location, there’s nary a Croydon facelift to be found, and instead the crowd is a combination of stylishly well dressed friends and families out for a meal. There are a few couples who seem a bit out of their depth, almost as if they’re still a bit shell shocked that they’ve ventured out of their Mayfair comfort zone. Service is a bit scattered but staff are friendly and earnest. Overall it’s a laid back, relaxing place that’s still upmarket.
The Food
As you might have guessed from the name, Fish and Grill serves fish and meat, with the main courses neatly divided up into those two categories – there are no vegetarian options. The menu is a paper placemat, one of a few casual touches that includes bread in a paper bag and chips in a small metal bucket. Prices vary relatively widely depending on what you order, with mains coming in at between about £10 and £20. A whole grilled lobster (£32) and a beef cutlet for two (£36) are the two most expensive dishes.
A Plateau Fruits de Mer (£16.95 for one, £30 for two) would make a good start to the meal if you’d like to keep to fish for the starter and meats for the main. Filled with prawns, crab and other seafood, it arrives in a metal tower, filled with crushed ice almost as high as your head. A bowl of anchovies, artichokes and olives (£4.95) is more of a sharing dish than a full starter, with sharp and salty anchovies and enormous chunks of artichokes. Yellow fin tuna tartare (£8.25) is lightly marinated in lime, which gives it a light, fresh flavour. A tuft of grated white radish on top of the fish adds a clean, crunchy texture. Potted smoked Cornish mackerel (£6) is served in a little glass jar with a pair of bread slices on the side; creamy and thick, the mackerel tastes great with the crisply toasted bread.
Fish main courses range from typical British dishes (fish pie, haddock and peas) to the more international (cassoulet of octopus and ham hock, seafood fettuccine). Smoked haddock with egg, English mustard and creamed potato (£11.95) is like a fishy version of Eggs Benedict, lusciously creamy and incredibly indulgent, the subtle smokiness of the fish a good match for the soft, rich potatoes. The grill menu includes steaks, a burger and lamb dishes, such as the Southdown leg of lamb (12.95), which is juicy and cooked perfectly to order with a spicy seasoning. The accompanying side of chips (served in the aforementioned bucket) are really nice as well, crisp on the outside and floury inside. Sides are about £3, but the gratin of leeks isn’t that memorable, a bit too gooey and bland. Better to go with an extra side of chips.
There are about seven choices for dessert, including a Bramley apple crumble for £5.95. Although the apple is nice and sweet, the crumble topping is burnt on one side and not cooked enough on the other – it’s a bit too, well, crumbly and doesn’t stay well together without the accompanying custard. A trio of sorbets (£5.50) include passion fruit, lemon and mango, which are refreshing after a heavy meal. The mango is the best of the bunch, soft and rich, whilst the bittersweet lemon and sugary passion fruit (complete with little seeds) are good as well.
The Drink
The wine list, on the back of the placemat/menu, has more than a few choices and price ranges, starting for an almost astonishingly low £14.95 for the house wine, which will make you think twice about the Central London wine mark-up. France dominates the list, but other countries (Germany, New Zealand, Argentina) also make an appearance, along with some organic wines. There are quite a few Champagnes on the list, along with a decent selection of spirits, liqueurs and dessert wines.
The Last Word
Quality independent restaurants are hard to come by, much less ones that aren’t in Zone 1 (or 2, or 3…). Fish and Grill is a restaurant you can feel at home in, no matter your postcode.
Fish and Grill has been reviewed by 5 users