A Flock Dinner At The Old Boat House, Amble
Published On Wednesday 26 Oct 2022 by Sticky Beak
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When you’re feeling a bit glum because it’s the final evening of your holiday what cheers you up? A local Northumberland Gin, that’s what! The Old Boathouse in Amble does a cracking selection, so Fledge had Newcastle Pink Gin, I had Laidly Wyrm Alnwick Gin, and Mummy Bird had Holy Island Gin in celebration of her first visit there. His Nibs decided to tread his own beverage path and went with a pint of Tyneside Blonde, which he said was lovely.
Having got our drinks sorted, we turned our attention to the extensive menu on offer, and the laden specials board; needless to say, with all this magnificent choice, it took us a while to whittle down our selection but Vicky (our server) was on hand with recommendations to help us out.
To start proceedings off I had a single Oyster (served on ice with a wedge of fresh lemon and a bottle of Tabasco sauce to add as much or little as you like,£3.50) knowing that my fellow diners would wrinkle their noses in disgust – I know, my bad, but I couldn’t squish the devilment inside me that night!
The starters ‘proper’ were Salt and Chilli Squid from the regular menu (Fledge, £9.55), then Smoked Haddock and White Bean soup with Herb Oil and Crispy Leeks (Mummy, £9), Roast Scallops with Curried Leek Puree and Battered Scraps (His Nibs,£14) and Potted Hot-Smoked Salmon Rillette with Mixed Salad and Crouton (me, £9) from the specials board.
Since the last time we’d visited The Old Boathouse there had been a few changes: the venue had got bigger in size and the decor had changed a bit (still with a marine theme though), but the service was still as efficient and Chef had lost none of his skill. We didn’t have long to wait for our starters to come out and they were all beautifully presented, tempting us to come get them! With the obligatory photos taken, we all dived in and a hush descended over our table.
Fledge’s Salt and Chilli Squid rings were plentiful, the seafoods’ fragrant, tender flesh coated with a marvellously crisp batter that elicited an audible crunch when bitten into. Chickadee quite likes coleslaw anyway, but she particularly enjoyed the colourful Asian style ‘slaw that came with her Squid dish; the tangy, homemade Chilli sauce went down a treat, too – top marks to Chef!
Though it was a relatively simple dish, Mummy Birds’ soup wasn’t boring, presentation-wise, thanks to the artful Crispy Leeks on its top and the swirl of herb oil. The smoked Haddock pieces were scrummy, and Chef had been skilful in his seasoning to take into account the saltiness that the smoking process can impart to the fish. Including White Beans meant that it was a more satiating beast, with fibre from them giving added oomph and bulk once in the stomach. The crisped Leeks added a gorgeous caramelised note to the flavour profile of this dish, as well as a bit of texture, and Mummy Bird soon cleared the bowl, testament to its yumminess.
My Salmon Rillette was smoother than I’d been expecting, but then my reference point was a superbly coarse Pork Rillette from near Le Mans in my teenage years on a French exchange programme! Saying that, the fish morsel before me wasn’t completely texture free; I could see the contrast between the smooth base and flakes of Salmon that had been preserved in the mixing process as I spread its rosy tones onto the toasted bread. A mixed leaf salad gave some welcome colour contrast and more taste to this lovely starter.
In terms of inventiveness, it was his Nibs’ combination of sweet, plump, opalescent Scallops and dark, curried Leek purée set off with golden, crunchy scraps of batter that won the award for most intriguing starter! This composition worked marvellously well, combining sweet, salty and earthy flavours with soft and crunchy textures, ensuring that the senses were well and truly stimulated – bravo, Chef.
The serving team had been checking back on us at regular intervals, checking that we were enjoying our food, and we’d had some water and glasses brought to the table whilst we tucked into our first courses too. Vicky came to clear away our used plates and cutlery, coming back with a finger bowl of water and claw cracker and meat removal tool for my main course, as well as bringing fresh napkins out for us all. For our main courses we went for Langoustines, Whole Seabass, Whole baked Plaice, and Chicken Supreme.
My fresh, Amble-landed Langoustines (£22.95) were satisfyingly large in size with some of them clearly having their (delightfully vibrant coral hued) roe nestled on their undersides, and I greedily scooped the teeny tiny eggs into my mouth and crunched them between my teeth. Now, I know a lot of people will have grimaced at this description but it really wasn’t that dissimilar to popping candy really, just with a saltier tang to it! I made my way through the roe-laden females, and then began to remove the claws from all the Langoustines, eating all the sweet meat from them. Having done that, I was free to remove all the heads and body shells and begin the pleasurable job of savouring the sweet, intensely fragrant fresh within. The perfectly piquant Garlic and Chilli butter was really all the accompaniment this seafood delicacy needed, other than the fresh bread that I used to soak up every last millilitre of it!
Mummy Bird had opted for whole roasted Seabass with a Prawn and Rocket Salad and twice-cooked Chips (£21) for her main and, although it sounds fairly simple, its presentation certainly wasn’t! The contrast in colour between the verdant Rocket and the rosy tones of the Prawns gave a beautiful visual impression, matched by the distinct difference in taste: fiery, peppery vegetable notes and sweet, seafood delicacy. Thanks to it being a firm-fleshed fish, the Seabass kept its integrity when Mummy Bird removed its head, skin and spine, leaving a recognisable fish shape on her plate, whose buttery, mild flavour she savoured with every bite. The homemade, skin-on chips were the perfect partner with their earthy, nutty tasting inners and golden, gently crispy outers.
The Man Bird had chosen Plaice with Clam and Samphire Butter and Heritage Potatoes and when his plate arrived I genuinely thought my luck was in as I spied whole Clams in the shell proudly displayed there. Nope, he tried one and decided that he actually liked them; next thing you know he’ll be saying that he likes Mussels! The whisper-soft sweetness of the Plaice was buoyed and lifted by the subtle salt tang of the Clams, whose soft flesh wasn’t dissimilar to squid, actually. Both their supple tissues contrasted against the crunchy Samphire and its ozonic bite that was tempered by the rounded character of rich butter.
Bucking the trend (story of her life!) was our Fledge; she’d completely bypassed the marine dishes, opting instead for the classic dish, Chicken Supreme. As you may have gathered, the Chef at The Old Boathouse likes to put his own spin on things and here it came in the guise of a Chorizo Potato cake. Not content with a basic, cream-enhanced roux for his ‘supreme’ sauce, Chef had pimped this up into a Wild Mushroom and Spinach temptation - Chickadee was certainly in for a top-notch gastro experience, make no mistake! The Chicken was supremely (pun intended!) moist and tender, its intrinsic mild taste allowing the other elements to pirouette with it skilfully and add their own subtle notes within the sauce that bathed it. Contrasting amazingly with the creaminess and sweetness of the sauce was the confident, smoky Chorizo that zhuzhed up the Potato cake. This dish had definitely lived up to expectations, making Fledge smile with delight at her non-fish and seafood choice.
Throughout our main course, Vicky and her team-mates had checked we were happy with our dishes and that we were supplied with refreshment as-and-when we needed it – honestly, we didn’t want for anything. Having had such a stunningly good meal, and a very satiating one, we didn’t want to spoil things by over-stuffing ourselves with dessert; I know, don’t faint with shock at our restraint! Our total bill came to just over £160 (excluding service charge) which, given the quality and quantity of the food and the fact we’d all had alcoholic drinks, we were more than satisfied with. Hot Wings certainly given to this superb Northumberland restaurant, it’s one that we will definitely return to time and time again when we’re in the area!!
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