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.
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| MDL's Brixham Marina with dedicated Jetski base |
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| 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.
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| West Country Deli, convivial hosts and great coffee |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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 – 1st June 2016.
