Mmmuch more than fish at Seven Fish

Seven Fish, a Reach for the Stars enterprise, has brought a new type of dining to the heart of Ringwood.

It opened in 2008 and its traditional frontage belies the modern canteen, bar, grill within.

Clean lines, tiled and rugged floors, large open areas and comfy sofas give it a Continental feel.  There’s a conservatory; Top Deck restaurant; a private dining area; alfresco dining; and a sparkling bar.  Of note is the feature pizza oven and open kitchen.

Ben and I visited one Tuesday evening and it was busy.  Customers chatted on sofas and stools, winding down after a day at work.

Operations Manager, Shannon Wood, greeted us warmly and showed us to our table.  He served home-made brown bread and butter and chilled water.

Seven Fish aims to provide a friendly, community atmosphere and as the tables filled throughout the evening, it was clear others had dined here before.

Once we had the menu, our perception that we were in an expensive fish restaurant, changed.  A 21-day aged rib eye steak, seared duck breast, and cider soaked belly of pork all featured and the prices were affordable. 

The menu is a simple design with seven starters, seven main courses and seven desserts.  Added to these are pasta, shellfish and board specials that change frequently and a traditional roast on Sunday afternoons.

For starters, Ben chose the summer fruit and basil cured salmon with berry vinaigrette and I ordered cream of potato and watercress soup.  I am a soup lover and Seven Fish didn’t disappoint.  The ingredients combined smoothly for a forget-me-not flavour.  Fresh mint and croutons created both colour and texture.

This lovely soup did not stop my cured salmon envy though, and Ben allowed me a taste.  Just a small one, because it was “Absolutely delicious,” in his words, and he wanted it all.  The fish is cured on the premises and is superb.

A glass of Chilean Andes Peak Sauvignon Blanc complemented my soup and Ben enjoyed a refreshing glass of draught Grolsch.

Now for the mains: a seared tuna steak with French beans, new potatoes and poached egg for Ben and a parrot fish on a bed of samphire, new potatoes and pea shoots from the specials board for me.

I am not sure why I ordered parrot fish, especially when there was so much pasta to choose from – my favourite.  But the exotic fish was a popular dish with diners that night.  Perhaps it was the name. 

Ben’s platter once more, was breathtaking.  An enormous tuna steak, cooked to perfection – still pink in the middle.  The poached egg on top, which I mistakenly thought was cream, just oozed goodness and the French beans added a flavour and texture worthy of any cordon bleu dish.  Can you feel the envy?  My parrot fish, though exotic, didn’t quite have the same wow factor with its appearance.  However, it was a mildly flavoured fish with a surprising amount of meat on it, which came cleanly off the bones.  The asparagus and pea shoots were simply gorgeous and I relished every last morsel and hidden amongst the greenery was a collection of tasty tiny new potatoes. 

Now for the desserts.  The local cheese platter from Lyburn Farm was a great temptation until I spotted the white chocolate, chilli and ginger cheesecake and Ben decided to try the lemon tart with vanilla cream and orange marmalade. 

He couldn’t believe his eyes when my cheescake arrived with a spun sugar creation on the top.  His lemon tart looked quite plain alongside and though I offered to swap, Ben decided to stick with his choice and after the first bite, guess what happened? His rapturous comments gave me lemon tart envy.  The cheesecake, however, was light in texture and had an amazing, crunchy gingery base, but once I managed to sneak a piece of lemon tart, with the tang of marmalade and sweetness of vanilla cream off Ben’s plate, I was in heaven.

The evening was enjoyable and the diners on the table next to us were having a wonderful time too.  They’d been before and recommended the steak – a bit too late for us this time around, maybe next time.

Before we left, Shannon invited us to a wine event.  They are held every other month in conjunction with New Forest Wines.  The evening includes five courses, with wines to match and costs £35 per head.

Breakfasts are served at Seven Fish from 10am-noon.  Lunch from 12-5pm.  An early bird menu is available between 5pm and 7.30pm Sunday to Thursday.  Half price cocktails everyday from 5-8pm with delights such as Moscow Mule, Dirty Banana and Classic Martini and evening meals are served until 10pm.

Seven Fish, with its seven platters and flexible dining is one of the most attractive, new style restaurants I have visited in a long time.  It combines excellent food and service in clean and pleasant surroundings. Perfect for a memorable occasion, or to meet with friends for a drink or coffee.

By Janine Pulford © 2010