Supper at the grill

The forecasters are predicting a September scorcher, so it would be good to make the most of it and eat dinner at tables outside. The Exmouth Grill (not to be confused with the Dollar Grill that has just opened at the other end of Exmouth Market) is an establishment where you can do just that.

Venturing inside, the décor seems to be a playful mix between camp French theatre and straight English bar. Plush velour booths line one wall, which are a tad awkward to get into but give you a good view of the restaurant, while the bar is all brown leather couches and barstools.

The menu at Exmouth Grill is — unsurprisingly - focused around a grill. What’s good about this is the food is simple and unfussy. There seems to be a growing appreciation for allowing the natural flavours of ingredients to come through these days — and perhaps it’s healthier to leave off all those heart-attack sauces anyway.

Take your pick from swordfish, marlin, king prawns, salmon, and organic meat cuts. My date did and plumped straight for the prawns. Tasty enough, but a little on the small side for his appetite. For my part, the chargrilled asparagus and wild mushroom salad with Parmesan crisps was well-dressed and fresh.

One of the things I liked about the Exmouth Grill is that you can decide how your food is cooked, with which sauce (chilli jam, salsas) and one of a dozen flavoured mashes. Being a big mash fan this was utopia. Blue cheese mash for me please, dijon for my date.

To accompany the mash, I ordered from the main menu rather than the grill and went for radiccio parcel of pan fried monkfish medallions with baked serrano ham and saffron. The fish was tender and flavoursome and washed down with a great wine (of which more in a second).

Continuing in his seafood theme for the evening my partner went for two soft-shell crabs which were ‘delicious and tangy’ - and he did love that mash too.

The grill offers something special when it comes to the wine list. The owner Fran Macmillian has taken the trouble to create a ‘single vineyard’ section, which — as you may have guessed — means the wine is made from the grapes of just one vineyard. This part is a little pricier than the rest but still starts at a very reasonable £19. We ordered the Viognier - deliciously fresh and peachy — and perfect for a seafood supper.

I'd recommend a dinner or lunch at the Exmouth Grill. It’s a good local restaurant to have on your doorstep.

Exmouth Arms
Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QL