The Seafood Restaurant

Maybe when you have been to somewhere several times you start to notice things more than when you are visiting for the first time and are slightly in awe.
We have been going to the Seafood Restaurant for several years now and have visited three times in the last year including the latest time last weekend. The surroundings are nice especially if you get one of the tables near the windows.
Based on our last three visits, service has become variable. In January 2011, it was detached and poorly executed; the young girl seemed inexperienced and badly trained. In November 2011 with the tasting menu, service was great. This last time it was friendly but slow, a large gap between starters and main and I had to start waving across the restaurant to staff to be able to pay the bill in the end. The food remains good but based on the last three visits, the chefs cannot deliver bass to the table with crispy skin. Brill with potatoes and winter truffle was excellent though. So to sum up, food is good not exceptional, service is generally good not exceptional, prices are …..exceptional. Still the place to go in Padstow, though.

This has to be on your do before you die list. Unless you are allergic to seafood, therefore it could otherwise kill you. Just can’t fault. We had the taster menu. £67 and worth it. Not scimpy either. Wife is dairy allergic. Head chef, Stephan, came out. Explained that wasn’t a problem and they varied the courses to meet the need. Service attentive but not oppressive. Food was exceptional. I don’t like artichokes. Had the artichoke soup with fois grois. I now like artichokes, bloody gorgeous. Rick may have his critics, but this one he has 101% spot on.

Known as 'Padstein' absolutely amazing restaurant. Been here a few years running with my family when holidaying in Cornwall. Lovely roof terrace where we drank pink champagne this August. Staff are very efficient and helpful. A winner of masterchef also works in the kitchen and was 'oood' by my mother which was very amusing.

Advice is to book the later of he 2 lunch services, as you are not rushed with your eating time and can really enjoy the food an scenery.

Abolutely the best place to be in Cornwall. We were not disappointed, the service, food and ambiance were all top notch. It's not overpriced when you consider the level of attendance and quality of ingredients. Next chance we get, we will be there again.

Keep it up Rick!

The Seafood Restaurant forms part of one of four restaurants in Padstow or 'Padsteine' as it is otherwise known. The conglomerate has also branched out to a pub in St Merryn called The Cornish Arms and their latest venture cunningly called Fish & Chips in Falmouth.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves people, bring it back to the food, food, food and damn I wasn't disappointed. I would have been marginally glum though had the hefty bill not been covered by a work bonus, but I digress. So I'm gonna dive straight into the starters, actually I had my eyes glued shut, body rigid with pleasure as the hand-dived scallop sashimi glided down my throat like golden elixir with an orgasmic aftertaste. Even the wasabi didn't chafe my nostrils, finally a chance to look sexy gorging on fish!

After a little healthy staff banter, we opted for the same main meal > an Indonesian seafood curry with monkfish, cuttlefish and tiger prawns served with green bean and grated coconut salad with crisp fried shallots, garlic and chilli. Each mouthful more scintillating than the last, peppered with wise Russian metaphors and an impromptu apricot cigarette whetting the appetite suitably for the 20 minute chocolate fondant cursory wait in anticipation. You know why I'm not giving it five stars, because I didn't like the lobster-on-the-table canvas sitting haphazardly on the wall. However, for many reasons it was a perfect meal and I left the restaurant borderline ecstatic, eager to walk off the post-dinner fullness with a midnight harbour meander.

Just come back from a delicious Sunday lunch there.

Pre booking is essential as we noticed quite a few people chancing to get a table for lunch but no luck.

A la carte menu is expensive for the area however the three course Lunch menu for £35 is great value.

Service is fantastic and attentive.

Food itself was delicious.

Although there's no kids menu per say, well behaved kids are allowed into the restaurant.

Would definately go back again!

Well we weren't really planning on going to Rick Stein's The Seafood Restaurant, but somehow found our way there one lunch time. Looking at the menu £35 for 3 courses though not cheap is cheaper than we thought it would be and maybe because we were on holiday we thought we'd treat ourselves and what a treat it was!!

Lobster starter, followed by Brill with seasonal veg, finished with a gorgeous vanilla pannacotta.

The food was amazing and the staff very friendly.

Would definately recommend it as a special treat.

My Husband and I visited the Seafood Restaurant for Sunday lunch, as part of a visit to Cornwall for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. After visiting Jamie Oliver's Fifteen on the Saturday night (which was just perfect), we had high hopes for Rick Stein's flagship restaurant. Unfortunately, we were left very disappointed, £100 lighter (for lunch with no alcohol or starters) and feeling, quite frankly, ripped off. The staff were cold and unwelcoming, the food was overpriced and very average. Fifteen made a real fuss due to me mentioning it was our anniversary in the email reservation, but The Seafood Restaurant completely ignored the fact. To make matters worse, the restaurant was almost empty, yet we were shoved up on bench seating with all the other couples in one cramped corner, so very unromantic!

Will definitely not visit again, unlike Fifteen, where I am desperate to eat again soon and enjoy the wonderful food, lovely staff and fantastic view.

Of course it’s expensive, but well worth every penny! While reading the wine list I was a little disapointed that a fair amount was from Tower, Stein’s own vine yard, but it’s actually very good.

I was there for lunch with my wife and kids, and the atmos was also great. It was relaxed and very unstuffy.

I don’t think I can fault the food or the service.

Three of us had the set lunch menu and one of us went off piste, a bottle of wine, some soft drinks, puds, a glass of dessert wine, a glass of port and two coffees for a little over 200 quid, so not too excesive and left there having spent a lovely FOUR hours over lunch, playing cards with the kids.

If you’re looking for the best Seafood in Cornwall (possibly the South of England), look no further than the Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. The menu is phenomenal and the 3 courses for £34 lunch time deal is actually very good value. I started with the Plum Tomato and Basil Gallette with Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and went traditional for my main with Local Hake, Chips and Tartare Sauce. Deep-fried in dripping, served with thick chips and mushy peas. Without question the best Fish n’ Chips i have ever had.

Service was attentive without being intrusive and the complimentary glass of champagne sealed the 5 star rating for me. My only negative point would be that Mr. Stein should have picked a restaurant location with some sea views! The interior is very well decorated, but there isn’t much to look at if you gaze out of the window.

I’ll be back. Oh yes, i’ll be back.

Converted from cynic to fan in one visit, I’d visited his other venues in the past, but the chance of an internet bargain was too good to miss, it was 3 course lunch for £28 in february.
The restaurant was more modern than I was expecting, very polite and efficient service, and of course it was full.
I noticed the menu we had was the same basic dishes, with a slight difference, possibly slightly smaller, but the food was excellent.
My starter was lobster rissotto, just perfect, main course was their take on Boullabaise, containing monkfish, red mullet,other fish mussells, crab,it was a delight.Unusually I ventured into pudding, a great chocolate tart,
A good wine list ,and their house wines were good and reasonably priced.
Would I go again, where the boullabaise alone would have been £28, well it’d have to be a special occasion.

This is a wonderful place to eat, with friendly service and excellent food. Fish and seafood are simply prepared, and clearly very well-sourced. It is rather expensive, but I felt that it was very good value for money. I was also pleased with the fact that there was no stuffiness about the restaurant, and that meant eating here felt relaxing. It was particularly good for lunch followed by a walk through Padstow.

This is a fabulous restaurant in a fabulous setting. Padstow is an extremely pretty seaside village, especially when the tide is out although parking is a nightmare. There is a large car park although the spaces are strangely small.

There are a lot of Rick Stein businesses in Padstow - the Seafood Restaurant, the delli and the fish & chip shop, as well as a school.

The Seafood Restaurant is a wonderful dining experience. The restaurant is spacious and the tables are a good size. So often these days you find yourself with a tiny table juggling your plates/glasses etc. This was a lovely change. The staff was largely antipodean and extremely helpful and courteous. They were there when you needed them and very friendly. The menu contained some great choices and the food, once chosen, was extremely good.

There is a good amount of space between tables so you can enjoy your conversation with your dining partner(s) without the interruption of other tables.

At the end of your meal you can take a very nicely presented copy of your menu home with you as a momento.

A number of my friends have eaten at this restaurant and all have enjoyed it.

Booking in advance is absolutely necessary, particularly for the evening.

This is Rick Stien’s flagship restaurant, and it does not disappoint. The first thing that you notice is the lovely cool interior and the space, unlike many of his contempories, Mr Stien has not crammed as many tables and chairs into the restaurant as is possible. The menu is well laid out and not as pricey as you may think, the staff were excellent, every thing we ate from the bread rolls to the salmon was amazing. The wine list is very good and not over priced. It was a very pleasurable dining experience. Booking recommended. Lots of books for sale if you fancy recreating your lunch/dinner.