I wrote my review of The Brasserie only a few months ago. It was a sprawling tale of Ramsgates history and architecture, it's beauty and pull. I led you to the East Pier, to the end and up the steps, into the alladins cave of culinary gems, The Royal Harbour Brasserie.
If want to go back and read that then you can do so be following this link.
It is a typical bright, but chilly winters day at Ramsgates Royal Harbour. We find ourselves wandering the marina without any intentions of dining out. We walked past the empty seats of the archway bars and eateries, around to the Ramsgate sands.
Shall we walk up the pier? Hmm I thought....
As we approached, the vacant looking fortress loomed in our sights, was it open? There was a sign on the door but from afar it couldn't be read...it looked dark and definitely devoid of life, but the word OPEN became visible and so we triumphantly charged up the steps and in through the unlocked door.
I think they need a flag or something, to create a signal or a searchlight in poor or dark weather, like the Batman signal. Yeah, definitely a Batman signal.
Anyway in we go, and I know to take a snap of the menu.
We are seated, again I find myself absorbing the room, I do like it here. The music is chilled vibes, it is warm and on a chilly day that is most welcome. The views are stunning.
I survey the menu, I know what I'm looking for. I've seen it online already, I've loved the post. Where is it? I know it is there, it must be? I needs it, my preciousss (smeagle voice)
Like one of those optical illusions it is hidden in plain sight The Seafood Meze, only it's called Brasserie Fish Meze.... Ah ha! It's on!
I'm not bothered about anyone else now, I am blissfully uninterested.
The Mrs wants something light, she went for the bowel of Mussels in cream and garlic.
Here is a picture of hers £10. She asked for fries which weren't on the menu. Handcut fries £3.50.
Lovely plump mussels, silky rich cream and garlic sauce and a chunk of bread. At first I was disappointed to see it was half a pot, but then I realised it was a starter portion, also quite a few empty shells, can't be helped. I'm only mentioning it to fill the story, I couldn't care less, yada yada..I'm not here for that, where's my fish Meze?
BRASSERIE SEAFOOD MEZE. £20.
This is what had caught my eye whilst watching food porn when the wife's back is turned, my guilty pleasure. This is what I came for. GIVE IT TO ME!
I am hoping for a glorious array of seafood treats, I am hoping to find sustainable local varieties,
I am hoping to find bags of flavour,
I am hoping it delivers, please be amazing.
My eyes track the plate on its way across the restaurant like a dog watching its owner move towards the coat hook and spotting it's leash being moved, is this the moment? My man tail thumps in anticipation.
Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, Dinner, BATMAN! (Batman isn't my theme for this review by the way, I mentioned the Bat signal, now I've got the bloody kids song in my head, sorry)
A large white plate is placed in front of me, my eyes widen at what is a chocolate box of seafood, like an old school sweetshop on a plate with everything saying eat me, try me and I want to fill my paper bag, for I have my weeks pocket money and I shall feast!
Let's get into it.
The presentation is akin to picking from a buffet: one of those, 2 of those and ooo where did you get that from? Ah one of those too, and a dollop of that. I'm happy, I'm still at the honeymoon stage though.
A delicious Tiger prawn commands your attention, it is the ringmaster, large, meaty, it is the poster boy for seafood.
Smoked rock salmon, a firm meaty fish, plentiful in local waters tinged with an intoxicating sweet smokey tar flavour.
Scallops, sweet teriyaki, 2 bits. Not on the menu but taken from the starter option, so a nice surprise, and technically free!
Calamari, crispy, well seasoned but only 2 little bits, come on give us bigger bits, and the tentacles!
Garlic Prawns. Sweet, garlicky.
Shell-on prawns, because they are more fun.
Cold smoked salmon, a thin strip but pleasingly firm. Delicious. It is an option on the starter menu.
Smoked white fish, not sure what it was, I think it was cured or civiche, not sure but a pleasing contrasting texture and flavour. Also not on the menu.
And then
Smoked salmon pate. I think I could eat that with a soup ladle and suck it from my facial hair for a week. Yum, Speared into it was a seeded crisp.
Aioli. Because it's aioli.
Oh, and a slice of bread. Oh, and some tiny little pickles and a tiny gherkin. The end.
Phew. Watch this on Instagram
HOW WAS IT?
Meeting your idol. They say it's never what you think it would be. This is a bit like that.
It really was a plate to admire like you are choosing from a box of Thorntons while people are watching.. eyes flaring, ooooo noises.
But once you dispatched the Tiger prawn which is a sticky fiddly process (finger bowl supplied), it really was a case of slow down big boy or it will be over before it began.
Ho hum, I can't knock it, I got loads of things like Scollops, Salmon, cured white fish that wasn't even listed on the menu, If I had to be honest It was missing its main elements. The squid particularly, sustainable, crowd pleasing, give a whole tube.. in fact season and cook the thing whole minus guts and cartilage...man want squid, give man squid.
WHAT WAS IT MISSING?
If this was critiqued on MasterChef, the judges would say it needed something to bring it all together. It's bits on a plate, but it needs something to connect the dots, a slice of bread doesn't really work with anything on the plate, I'm not making a sandwich, and apart from the salmon pate you won't use it to eat with any of the other items on the plate. It's just there to fill you up.
It definitely needs another colour and texture on the plate, at least some vibrant greenary, maybe a green salad with a citrus dressing. Or possibly take the aioli off, possibly the pate too, and supply a little jug of a rich glossy seafood valoute, add a couple of crispy seaherb croquettes, the idea of that drizzle of valoute over everything to create a dreamy happy ending. Mmmm.
IS IT SEASONAL, AND LOCALLY SOURCED?
Sustainability, seasonal and local are the buzz words today. Provenance on a plate is both respected and expected.
The plate is sadly missing the marks on these points. The rock salmon, or dog fish, rock, huss, rig, what ever you want to call it are plentiful around these shores (I'm surprised to see it is not classed as sustainable for their low numbers, ask any fisherman around here, there are zillions of them!), was it sourced from here? Who knows. The rest of the plate could be from anywhere..the Tiger prawn most definitely caught from the far east, prawns from the Atlantic.
What comes off the local inshore fishing boats? Can we have some of that?
Can the seafood Meze be a celebration of local sustainable seafood in this gloriously situated Seafood Brasserie?
SMOKIN!
One thing I do admire and I believe deserves the upmost credit is the curing and smoking that they do in house. This is almost a forgotten craft within a commercial kitchen, everywhere else buys it in.
IF I COULD SPIN A YARN.
This care and passion for flavour in time honoured tradition is something I would be rewriting the history books with.
THE RAMSGATE ROYAL SMOKIES
Go with me on this one, I shall say this only once.
Ramsgate Royal Smokies were the real reason King George fell in love with Ramsgate.
Ramsgates Royal Smokies were made and then exported around the world by the smack boys, and here at the Brasserie they are continuing that tradition.
The home for Smack boys is a little understood building facing Ramsgates Marina, but certainly has nothing to do with smokies, but it is believable, right?
Then again I'm not sure boys cooking or smoking smack is is a sellable story (if at all possible, but then again none of this paragraph is real) ... Anyway, then get the Rick Stein Food Hero program to run a feature and then basque in heroic smokin glory for ever and ever, amen.
You heard it here first folks!
ANY MORE FOR ANYMORE
The menu needs a few side dish options, frites, samphire etc, be a bit more ala carte maybe, because if the dish lacks something, the customer can buy extras.. I probably would have liked some fries on the side to stick in my aioli and salmon pate..
I would order this again. It is not a plate that has found its feet yet. My ever watchful White Rabbit senses sniff out things, their social media has presented these as an upgraded addition.
SMOKED SCALLOPS
SMOKED SKATE WING
My man tail is thumping again. See Instagram
CONCLUSION
It is important to remain realistic, because as dishes of food go, it is a brilliant representation of seafood and a statement on a plate.
As authentic cookery goes, it's beautiful.
As value for money goes for what you get, it is fantastic.
This is the type of plate which you are remembered for.
This isn't a but...but I need to point something else out.
I do think it needs to decide what elements are on the plate, for consistency. Then, make those elements the stars in their own right.
If the Brasserie Meze was assembled differently, re-presented maybe with a swoosh of sauce with a paintbrush, and the rock Salmon ceremoniously placed on the smoked Salmon pate, sitting plump and proud, tiger prawn resting upwards elevating the dish even more and a mere hint of garlic Prawns, Scallops dropped around the edge alongside the sweet pickles, finished with a smoked olive oil around the rim, you would say it was a thing of outstanding beauty.
But this isn't MasterChef and this isn't trying to fool you into thinking you have just savoured a Michelin standard dish, it is a plate of honest grub.
It's just (almost) perfect as it is.
ONTO THE BOOZE
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc £27. Punchy on the citrus. The wife was happy. (Cheaper wine is available) I had a beer.
A chilly day but ever so warm inside. The summer is on its way though, oh yeah!
The sea view is absolutely stunning. I could sit here all day.
Oh no, the needle jumps off the record with a screech.
The sink in the men's toilets is filthy.
Ah is it overlookable? It has everything you need by way of soap, hand dryer, sink and loo roll... But it still leaves a negative impression. And impressions count.
But when you leave on an evening like today and take in the beautiful sunset against the skyline of Ramsgates historic Royal Harbour having had a lovely meal, there really is nothing better.
East Pier, Ramsgate Harbour.
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