SIMPLY FISH, BOXPARK REVIEW

As a self-proclaimed carnivore, it's only on a very rare occasion that i will order anything other than meat when I eat out at restaurants. I've always liked fish but it never really gets my appetite going in the same way as a bit of steak, so when I was invited to review a fish-only restaurant, I thought it was the perfect opportunity for our fishy friends to take center-stage and change my mind.

 

My best friend A and I set sail across London to Simply Fish, based in Shoreditch's trendy Boxpark. Located up on the roof terrace, Simply Fish serves drinks out of a bar in the front window while music plays to the crowd gathered on the terrace outside - it's the perfect place  to enjoy a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon and we couldn't have picked a better weekend!

 We opted to sit inside and the lovely Nico greeted us to explain the concept and talk us through the menu. The idea really is as simple as the name suggests - you chose a fish, cooking method, sauce and accompaintments - meaning you can create a completely bespoke dish. Whilst it might seem a bit daunting if you have no idea about fish/flavour combinations - the friendly and knowledgeable staff are on hand with recommendations to keep you on track!  

First up A ordered the pomegranate and peanut salad to start whilst I went for the Chili Salt Squid. I can't recommend this dish enough...it comes served up on a wooden board with a wedge of lime and a saucer of soya and coconut dressing. The lovely Nico explained that you squeeze the lime, pour on the sauce and then mix it all up to eat....I diligently followed his instruction and fell in love with the result! The squid was cooked perfectly - not rubbery in the slightest - and all the juices mixed together to give you a spicy and really flavorful sauce. I would have licked the bowl clean had I been alone...!

For the main course, both A and I opted to order off the DIY menu. I went for the baked seabass with a thai coconut sauce plus Pak Choi and steamed jasmine rice, whilst A went for tempura battered prawns with a sweet chilli sauce, sweet potato wedges and a mixed side salad. 

My sea bass was delicious! It was delicately cooked and flaked away perfectly in the thai coconut sauced which had a nice clean heat – somewhere similar to a thai curry. I have to admit that I didn't miss meat being on the menu in the slightest so will certainly be giving fish a chance in future and I'd highly recommend Simply Fish - not only for the delicious food but also for the lovely staff and atmosphere which they've created. They have a second branch over in Camden and to celebrate their second birthday, they have launched a home delivery service allowing you to order their delicious menu straight to your doorstep. You can check out the wesbite here: http://www.simplyfish.com/