Bite 15 - Brixham

Bite 15 - Brixham 

Brixham makes a great stop off on your way west after leaving Portland, with a sheltered wide bay, dramatic headlands at Berry Head and a choice of two marinas.

The South Coast's most productive fishing port fills up the western corner of Tor Bay, sheltered by its long breakwater, nodding over to the resort town of Torquay, with its stylish old villas punctuating the cliffs and an hourly ferry connecting the two. With its back to the west, many gardens are shaded, whilst enjoying superb views over this busy bay, awash with bright sails, fishing boats and ferries most days through our very British Summer.

 

MDL's Brixham Marina with dedicated Jetski base

Brixham's old trawlers

We arrive and are shown to a visitor's berth at MDL's marina, they also own Torquay Marina so you can decide which suits your needs, or wind direction, but I want to get over to the huge fish market, built some five years ago and dominating the right hand side of the harbour where the trawlers and smaller fishing boats take pride of place.

We arrive early so off to find a decent cup of coffee, having been tipped off that there are at least three good independents - closest is Millie and Me, then the West Country Deli, or newer kid on the block, but a bit further to walk (up Fore Street and on your left, past a really good fruit and veg shop) you'll find Bay Coffee & Cake Company, and the good looking cakes are all made locally.

West Country Deli, convivial hosts and great coffee

Millie & Me's fruity cocktail list

Sophie runs Millie and Me which is in King Street, conveniently tucked behind the recently refurbished New Quay Inn, overlooking the harbour, but bizarrely not open until 5.30pm, but locals tell us it's a good stop off for a pint or glass of wine, before heading to Simply Fish for supper - just over the street, all a gentle 10 minute stroll from the marina.

We share a bacon butty and I try the flat white, whilst admiring the team preparing for their Pink Banana event, kicking off with a barbeque at lunch time and some fruity cocktails later. Sophie and a friendly couple at the next table put me straight about where I should head next.

The fab chaps from the local branch, shucking away for the RNLI

But before I hit the deli I fancy the walk out past the marina to Berry Head, as it's still early and a glorious sunny morning. Brixham has some lovely smuggler's alleys and we sneak along Newquay Lane walking along the quay, past the marina and slap into an RNLI fundraising day - the end of a whole week I believe, God love 'em! A fab team of four are doing their darnedest to shuck two enormous tubs of scallops, to serve later on with chorizo, chilli and lime I'm told and why the heck not? Concentrate Hopkins! 

On to the little beach, with immaculate Ikea photo fit flat pebble discs, the most perfect skimming stones ever, before climbing the concrete steps up to the street that is signed Berry Head and Shoalstone Lido - which I have been watching on Twitter. 

Shoalstone Lido - a wonderful community project on the road to Berry Head

A fabulous local project to update one of our rare seaside swimming pools, with gorgeous retro imagery and a cracking view as you plough up and down to keep warm - yes, it's refreshing, and I note it's the hardy mature mermaids in their cossies and the kids in wetsuits!

 

We can't linger. Berry Head Hotel beckons, with it’s magnificent views out to sea and over Tor Bay to Torquay. This makes a delightful lunch or dinner date, as you have walked just far enough to tackle the local Moules Mariniere, or possibly the smoked haddock and Applewood Cheddar fish cake whilst enjoying the Mediterranean view from the terrace.

The terrace at the ideally positioned Berry Head Hotel

Did you know?: The hotel was built at the start of the 1800s as a military hospital, serving the Napoleonic forts at Berry Head, later Henry Francis Lyte lived here, and wrote 'Abide with me' just four months before his death in 1847, inspired by his surroundings and perhaps suspecting something was up?

The hike: Our old mate the SW Coastal Path runs along these wonderful cliffs and you can go all along the River Dart if so inclined. We rounded Berry Head, passing the somewhat squat Lighthouse before wending our way back into Brixham, bacon butty walked off, but too early for the hotel’s high tea, served between 2.30 and 6.30, mental note to re-visit.

Back in Brixham the dilemma is lunch. I have three recommendations; Simply Fish, at the base of Fore Street, across from Millie and Me, with a lovely big parasol which would make lunch outside possible as the sun is streaming down, Bistro 46, family owned and producing some creative and unusual cooking from a tiny kitchen, but I didn't really fancy the lunch menu so will come back one evening soon, and as I still hadn't managed to get into the Fish Market - and neither was I - I'm whizzing along to Mitch Tonk's Rockfish before you can shout salt and pepper.

View over the fishing harbour from Rockfish's deck

The review

This lovely light barn of a room, with open rafters and gleaming copper bar is my sort of a place. The big deck wraps round the building, so plenty of room, choice of sun or shade and looks out over the fleet of working boats to the heritage sailing trawlers, ferries and leisure boats. A feast for the eyes, but what shall I chose for my plate?

 















Gosh - Rockfish Fritto Misto - red gurnard and monkfish filets with calamari and prawns too?

Then I saw tempura fried oysters and by now you might know that I have to have these little crisp gobbets of sea fresh phlegm whenever I see them on the menu. Rockfish serve them sitting atop their shell which is filled with a vibrant green cucumber relish; it really works and is fresh, not fiery and also a good dip with the chips.
 

My pal has a very generous portion of super fresh, plump, cod goujons with unlimited chips, for just £7.95. The neighbours had the Fritto Misto - great to share as a starter if you want to try a few other specials, like the salt & pepper prawns, calamari or scallops, straight off the boats below. You get a choice of three or four fish of the day that you can have cooked very simply with not a hint of batter; today we had Dover or Lemon Sole and plaice.

Good choice of wines, nice to have a small pichet when you order just a glass, can recommend the Muscadet. A couple of decent local draught beers and Rockfish Sea Cider goes down well with the older teens.

Top tip – visit the loos and listen to an interesting twist on the Shipping Forecast, my favourites being Lundy, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Rockall - sod all! Indeed.

Now I still need to visit West Country Deli and am so glad I did as I load up with great local cheese and eggs and have a quick cortado whilst reading the menu. This is a great quick lunch stop and the platters look tempting. Very friendly couple Jo and Mark run this outfit and have chosen their own blend of organic, fair trade and Rainforest Alliance Certified beans – try it. If you’ve hiked out round Berry Head you may well wish to try their Devon Cheese Tea?

Onwards to Dartmouth – see you in September.

Info

Brixham Tourism - englishriviera.co.uk

Rockfish          www.therockfish.co.uk

Simply Fish     01803 883858             they do a full take away service too   

Bistro 46          01803 858936

Berry Head Hotel         01803 853225

Millie and Me                01803 858488

West Country Deli      01803 855775

Brixham Harbour Office 01803 851854

Fishstock 5th September fishstockbrixham.co.uk tickets £6, under 16s free

The fish market opens its doors and celebrates the local bounty - try and buy. Great SW chefs cook for you, live entertainment, look round the trawlers - all in aid of the Fishermen's Mission 

Brixfest – 28 May – 1^st June 2016.