The Man Bird and I had a jam-packed schedule for our recent trip to the North-East of England, but there will ALWAYS be time for a tasty supper at Riley’s Fish Shack! Knowing how generous the portions are, though, we decided to have a wander around the town of Tynemouth first, to work up an appetite.
We had been pretty fortunate with the weather thus far but, as we know, all good things must come to an end, and so it was that the mist and murk came rolling in off the North Sea: cue foghorns blaring in the distance! Tynemouth sits on the north side of the River Tyne and is one of those trendy, bohemian areas that have a plethora of independent boutiques, shops and cafés to scout around. Luckily for His Nibs, we arrived just too late for me to indulge in any buying...next time, buddy, next time.
Surfers can often be found on Longsands beach, as it’s widely regarded as one of the best and most consistent spots in the area to catch a wave or two. Tynemouth also boasts another beach, King Edward’s Bay, that is located right below the historic Tynemouth Priory and Castle. On previous visits, The Man and I have witnessed the local wild swimmers taking a dip here, but there was no chance of that on this particular night.
The Man led the way down the steep steps to King Edward’s Bay and the pair of converted shipping containers that make up Riley’s Fish Shack – a rustic beach bar and grill. Riley’s permanent beach venue opened in 2015, and His Nibs and I have been going since 2019...back in the day before the iconic fire pits on the beach made an appearance! We have experienced all sorts of weather and timings: siling down rain, mist and murk, blazing sunshine, peak season, and the final full opening nights, and can honestly say that the food remains bloody amazing whatever. In fact, the only changeable things are whether the weather allows for deckchair and fire-pit relaxing on the beach, or if certain draught drinks have run out.
Anyway, having survived the descent of those steep steps, His Nibs and I were greeted warmly and shown to our inside cabin table, which we’d sensibly booked ahead after looking at the forecast for the local weather. If you want to be indoors-but-outdoors, the other side of the sliding cabin doors has bench tables and seating (complete with overhead heaters), and there are numerous mustard- and coral-coloured throws for if you need another layer. The drinks and food offerings are written on blackboards, so then all you have to do is decide what you want and your server will get you sorted out.
We’d got a cracking view of the chefs at work and the flaming grills, so appreciated the aromas wafting our way as we sipped at our drinks: Sea Salt Negroni (£12) for me, [plastic] glass of Muscadet (£10.50) for The Man. To start, we ordered the Chilli Fish Empanadas with Caper Dressing and Salsa Verde (£12), and Brown Crab Soufflé with Crab Bisque (£13), followed by Bang Bang Monkfish with Pav Bhaji, Raita, Onion Salad, and Mixed Leaves (£29) for me, and Cod a la Plancha with Mixed Sides for His Nibs (also £29).
It wasn’t long before a bowl containing my soufflé and Riley’s trademark cardboard box with The Man’s empanada were placed on our wooden bench table. I will admit that my choice wasn’t going to win any style awards but, my god, it was incredibly tasty! Light in texture, you certainly got the rich taste of brown crab flooding over the tongue, and the bisque was even more intense; this soufflé was proof that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!
In contrast, His Nibs’ Chilli Fish Empanada and accompaniments were picture-book pretty – and every bit as delicious. The empanada was charred and doughy, stuffed to the rafters with a spicy fish mixture, whose richness was tempered by the tangy caper dressing and herby salsa verde. Both dishes were filling, and would make perfect light supper dishes in their own right, but we had gone all-out and ordered mains, too.
‘A la plancha’ simply means the fish has been cooked on a searingly hot metal plate to produce a crisp skin and maintain the moistness of the fish, cod in this case. Mission very much accomplished is all that needs saying! The cod was juicy and soft in the mouth, with its trademark sweetness oozing over the palate. Ramping the taste stakes up were the Caper and Fennel Salad and Riley’s iconic Hot-Plate Potatoes – the cardboard box may be smaller than a dinner plate but it certainly punches above its weight in terms of how much taste and texture the chefs can pack into it!
Bang Bang by name, and Bang Bang by nature! The firm, meaty monkfish chunks were skewered and then cooked over the grill until beautifully moist and tender. Tempering the spices was a nicely chunky raita and crispy nibbly bits like you get in a Bombay Mix…but posher, obvs! The Red Onion and Tomato Salad, along with the Mixed Leaves, added a fab pop of texture, and my taste buds were chattering in happiness at the tang of the tamarind sauce. Yet again, Riley’s proved that fish certainly isn’t boring.
Both mains had slapped: satisfaction warp-factor 10!! However, we had both spotted the Basque Cheesecake with Spiced Plums, Lemon Curd and Pistachios (£8.50) – we can never resist a good dessert, though did opt to share a portion between us. Turns out, this was an inspired decision. The cheesecake had a beautifully baked, dark brown crust that hid perhaps the most decadent body we’ve tasted in a long while. This could’ve been revered by itself, but the halves of jewel-toned, spiced plum were flipping amazing and popped against the creamy dessert seamlessly. Zingy lemon curd added another fruity wallop to proceedings, and some welcome texture came via the crunchy, shelled pistachios.
Riley’s always delivers on [seemingly] simple dishes that really pack in the flavours and textures. To the uninitiated, the prices may seem a bit higher than you’d expect but, believe me, you aren’t going to get fresher, tastier food in a more incredible setting, anywhere. Yet again, Hot Wings very happily awarded to this unique Tynemouth eatery – bloody love you guys!!
Riley’s Fish Shack is at King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth, NE30 4BY. For bookings, seasonal opening hours and the latest information, visit www.rileysfishshack.com or call or WhatsApp 07934 410093.
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