A Return Visit To The Seafood Cave and Grill, Matlock Bath
Published On Sunday 12 Feb 2023 by Sticky Beak
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It’s always nice to be asked back to a venue we’ve visited before, but it’s even nicer when the owner tells you that people have mentioned that they booked following a review from us! So, thank you to each and every one of you that reads the blog, and for mentioning us when you book a table.
Our latest revisit was to The Seafood Cave and Grill in the beautiful town of Matlock Bath, at the kind invitation of its owner, Ian, to sample the Winter Menu. The lovely Courtney showed us to the Chefs Table, which was right in front of the open kitchen and pass; I certainly wouldn’t be missing a single moment of the action on this occasion that’s for sure!
For those that haven’t visited before, the only indication of the restaurant’s location is a natty sign with a Lobster on, on the pavement outside ‘The Coven’ shop. Follow the sign and walk into the courtyard, and you’ll see the Seafood Cave at the end, with its glass ‘witch bottles’ hanging in the window. The décor is fairly low-key; sturdy wooden tables are matched with textured white walls and mesmerising black, spider-like lights add to the cave ambience. The intimacy of the Seafood Cave and Grill is further enhanced by the fact that it only seats 24 covers at one time, and when the courtyard seating is utilised, it only adds another 18 covers – this is why I said last time to book ahead if you want a table!!
Courtney got us sorted out with drinks (medium glass of Malbec for me, a bottle of Poretti for The Man) and left us to peruse the menu and specials board that she’d placed on our table. Chef Ian had done us an Amuse Bouche of Salmon Gravlax, presented on dinky wooden spoons; this might have been a small size-wise, but it delivered powerfully on the flavour front. Salmon’s silky texture and gentle fragrance was amplified by crunchy Samphire, fresh herbs and a delightfully tangy seafood sauce.
For my starter I’d opted for the Hot and Cold Seafood Platter (which I think I had last time, but it’s so blooming delicious!), available for one person at £15, or for two to share at £25. His Nibs went for the Trio of Highland Bonbons; Haggis, Stornoway Black Pudding and White Pudding with Tattie Scones and Peppercorn Cream, £10. As soon as our check reached Chef he set to work and, along with his kitchen assistant, a flurry of activity then ensued.
A short while later our starters were being assembled on the pass, and finishing touches added before Courtney brought them over to us. As the massive platter sat in front of me, the memory of last time kicked in and I stealthily undid my waistband button! Where to start on this veritable smorgasbord of marine temptations?! I picked up a herb crostini and slathered the divine-smelling Arbroath Smokie (hot smoked Haddock) pate onto it, smiling as it crunched under my bite. The contrast of textures between the smooth, flavour-intense pate and the crostini is one that excites the senses, and mine were certainly that!
The poached Shetland Mussels and Surf Clams were meaty beasts, both pleasingly dense in texture with a meltingly soft, delicate taste that haunted my taste buds as it lingered on them. Verdant Samphire and mixed leaves added colour and crunch, complimenting the softer elements of the platter, and Ian’s confit Tomato was wonderfully sweet - unlike the brilliantly piquant Bloody Marie Rose sauce that bound the plump, juicy Prawns and Crayfish pieces – yummy. So good was this pastel toned sauce that I tore up Ian’s homemade Focaccia bread (made freshly for every food service) to mop it all up with!
Slices of the herb-pimped Salmon Gravlax got popped onto crunchy oatcakes, along with the Carrot and Courgette house pickles and my mouth was filled with layers of taste and texture yet again. In a separate little pot were pieces of soft, super-fresh Calamari, snug under their golden coat of crisp salt-and-pepper batter and, as I popped the last morsel into my mouth, I swear I could hear my waistband saying “for the love of god, woman, we’ve still got the main course to come yet!”.
You would think, from the description, that The Man’s starter would be a bit smaller, wouldn’t you? Let me just say that there might *only* have been three Bon-Bons, but each one was a good size and, obviously, dense in texture and high in protein and/or fat, which makes them very satiating. The Haggis was absolutely delicious and deep tasting thanks to the offal content; not being funny, but you’d expect it to be scrummy seeing as a Scotsman was making it! Mind you, being a Derbyshire lass, you’d think that I’d be able to make Bakewell pudding wouldn’t you? Maybe this is not the time to ‘fess up to being the only one in Food Tech that curdled the mix – don’t ask me how, I have no idea!! My granny was appalled at my ineptitude…
Anyhow, I digress. The Stornoway Black Pudding was an absolute treasure, it really was; very rich in flavour and with a texture to match. You could definitely taste the difference between it and the Haggis; although they both contain blood, different seasonings had been used. Different again from the Haggis and Stornoway Black Pudding was the White Pudding, so-called because it doesn’t have blood in to give it a dark colour. Where the other two bon-bons had been rich, the White Pudding had a spicier edge to it and its dense texture came from grains and breadcrumbs. Tattie scones (a mashed potato and flour dough) provided a bed on which the trio of temptation could nestle and a creamy Peppercorn sauce was a warm bath for them to relax in. It would have been easy for this, albeit textural, dish to be a bit of a plain jane but Ian added fresh salad and spheres of colourful sauces; after all they say we ‘feast with the eyes’, don’t they?
Courtney had been checking we were enjoying our food and, from his spot in the kitchen, Ian had been gauging our reactions as he plated up other diners’ orders. You’ll see from the photo that when I say “our plates were spotless”, I do mean it!
We had a little rest whilst Ian and his assistant set-to with prepping and cooking our mains: Shin of Beef (£20) for His Nibs and the half Devon Lobster from the specials board (£25) for me. Good job that The Man liked the Stornoway Bon Bon, because it featured in his main course too, alongside Herb Mash, Roasted Roots and Peppercorn jus. My choice of main came with Roasted Root Vegetables, a Shellfish Reduction and a pot of Truffle and Parmesan skinny Fries.
Dipping into the plethora of plastic tubs that house all manner of accoutrements, Ian soon assembled two plates of multitudinous colour and began to arrange them carefully. Courtney brought them over and, wowsers, the aromas had our mouths watering!
To say it was a half Lobster (sourced from Nottingham company, Fish Rich, who get the shellfish off the boats in Torquay and the Crabs from Cromer), it was still a blooming good size! The Lobster flesh was sweet and succulent, cooked expertly in wine for a touch of dryness in the mouth, and then a golden cheese crust cloaked it, adding another layer of richness to savour. I was pleased to see a seafood fork in the corner of my plate – handy for getting every last scrap of meat from the claw. The roasted roots were nicely softened, their natural sweetness coming through subtly in my mouth; however, it was Lobster Thermidor’s classic partner, Fries, that stole the show as far as accompaniments went! The super-crisp, skinny spud minxes would’ve been good enough in their own right, but zhuzhing them up with earthy Truffle and pungent Parmesan elevated them into something spectacular. As with my starter, the only thing left on my plate was the Lobster shell; oh and a smidge of the wonderous shellfish reduction.
As you know, the Stornoway Bon Bon was superb, and although its robust taste stood up well to its bovine partner, it was still eclipsed by the sheer quality of the Shin Beef, I have to say! The beef was beyond tender and melted instantly in the mouth, its incredible depth of flavour exploding over The Mans’ tongue and palate. His Nibs commented on how good the quenelle of glass-smooth mash was, too, with its clearly visible flecks of herb adding colour as well as taste. The peppercorn jus was perfect in that it didn’t have too much heat as to dominate the dish, but it imparted a pleasing warmth on the palate.
Whilst we’d been chomping merrily away through Ian’s efforts, he chatted to us about the changes that he’s made; he sold the Lossiemouth restaurant, so no more commuting between the two venues, and there’s a new restaurant manager, Emile. Staying the same though is the 5kg of fresh fish he has Fed-Ex’d down from Scotland every day to The Seafood Cave and Grill! This may seem a tad excessive to some, but it ensures that a) the Fish is at peak freshness and b) it makes the most of which fish are in season to maximise flavour.
Having devoured our mains, we had a pause in proceedings to allow our meals to digest, before tucking into desserts: Caramelised Limoncello Tart with Honey roasted Berries and Candied Lemon Ice Cream for The Man, and Irish Stout Cake with Milk Chocolate Ice Cream and Chocolate Soil for me (both £7).
You couldn’t get a pair of more contrasting desserts than ours, if you tried: there was the sunny tone of His Nibs’ tart and the nearly-black-as-night colour of my beautifully moist sponge cake! The one thing they had in common though was their deliciousness. My cake was deceptively light; its description conjures up the idea that it will be fairly dense and nothing could be further from the truth. The cocoa component of the cake was enhanced by the coffee and chocolate tones within the stout, which no doubt contributed to its moistness, and its soft folds were contrasted by the crunchy chocolate soil. Fellow gluttons will appreciate it when I say that the sumptuously smooth Milk Chocolate Ice Cream was served at a temperature that didn’t induce dreaded ‘brain freeze’ when eaten quickly!
The Man’s Limoncello tart had its lovely buttery case filled with a gloriously zesty filling that got his palate jigging with happiness, especially when partnered with the tasty berries and their honey sweetness that flirted at the periphery of the flavour profile here. Where my Milk Chocolate Ice Cream had been completely smooth, His Nibs’ Candied Lemon variety had a hint of texture within it, which made it a little different from ‘the norm’.
When we ‘d put our spoons down, Courtney came to clear our dessert plates away and brought over a couple of black coffees to conclude our meal with. The Seafood Cave and Grill at Matlock Bath do serve a lovely after dinner coffee; pleasingly rich in taste, but no bitterness at all.
Hot Wings are happily given to Ian and his team again, I am pleased to say. The Seafood Cave and Grill is closed Monday and Tuesday, open 4-10pm Wednesday-Friday, and from Noon-10pm on Saturday and Sunday. I would always recommend that you book ahead for a table, especially at peak times and weekends, as it’s a very popular eatery. Ring 01332 955151 or visit www.theseafoodcave.biz for menu details and to book online.
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