Restaurants

By Charmaine Mok

‘If you’re not yet a Croydoner’, chef patron Malcolm John once told us over the phone, ‘You soon will be.’ This playful prediction was not without weight – John’s second restaurant, Le Cassoulet, astounded us when it opened in late 2007, and it went on to win our Best Local Restaurant accolade in the 2008 Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards. That alone is good enough reason to hop on that next train to South Croydon.

While John’s decision to launch a fine dining establishment in the suburbs might have seemed overly optimistic, it seems the gamble paid off – the area’s denizens seem only too happy to swap southern-fried chicken for coq au vin, and greasy chips for steak-frites. But will Croydoners swap fish and chips for Cornish line-caught sea bass at his new Fish & Grill restaurant?

The answer appears to be yes. While the menu does feature classic beer-battered haddock with peas (purée, not mushy), the new venture is a smart one – both figuratively and literally. The attraction is simple – locally sourced fresh seafood and meaty grills served in a sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere. The exposed brick walls and soft leather banquettes lend warmth to a room of dark wooden furniture, smoked mirrors and oak wood floors. While the paper menu placemats are more fast food than gourmet grub, the food speaks otherwise.

The seafood platter was formidably large – we had to ask twice if it was really meant for a single diner – consisting of fat handfuls of mussels, clams, periwinkles, prawns, whelks, three shimmeringly fresh Irish oysters and half a meaty crab. Other starters were also tempting – a neighbour’s three fat scallops in the shell with a creamy spinach gratin made us question our own choice of yellowfin tuna tartare with ginger, lime and shredded radish, but what came was flavour-packed with sharp, refreshing nuances and sweet, tender fish. A fine choice.

Main courses can also send diners into a decision-making deadlock. We debated over the octopus and ham hock cassoulet; Cornish hake with a saffron mussel and potato broth (sold out, we were later told); beef cutlet (for two), served on a wooden slab with big, chunky marrow bones (unfortunately, sold out as well). But no regrets surfaced as we dug into salt-roasted seabream (whole and on the bone), perfect with a squeeze of lemon and nothing else; halibut with crayfish butter and parsley mash was perfectly cooked, with a handsome golden crust and firm yet flaky meat.

A last-minute decision to go for the hand-diced Angus beef burger was rewarded with juicy meat, meticulously crafted. Fat chips, served in rustic mini metal buckets, were exemplary. Twice-cooked, with an overnight chilling process between fryings to dry out the chips completely, results in the ideal contrast of crispness and fluffiness.

Some things are slightly odd, however. The bread, while boasting the provenance of Dulwich’s esteemed Born & Bread bakery, was served at the table in a crinkled corner shop-style paper bag. And the service needed more of the polish and professionalism the team at Le Cassoulet displays. We didn’t appreciate the eye-roll in our waiter’s voice as we were told, after enquiring after the wine list, that it was on the flip-side of our placemats; and we were not impressed by the impatience displayed when confusion arose over how many starters we wanted. Other examples of curt or amateurish service were too small to make a fuss about, but enough to make us seethe through our shellfish. It seems a real disservice to an otherwise fantastic local (and any potential Croydoners).

Time Out London Issue 2005: January 22-28 2009