Sea Garden is bringing a breath of sea air to Brixton

We’ve been to Sea Garden & Grill before, and we’ve loved Sea Garden before. But we can never resist checking in with one of our favourite seafood spots to try a new menu item and indulge in their incredible cocktail list. The Brixton location was where we headed this time, though the original spot is in Tooting’s Broadway Market. The restaurants were opened by the triple threat team Jimmy Luttman, Stacey Clifton and Natalie Birbeck with Jimmy and Stacey taking on kitchen duties and Natalie creating a cocktail menu good enough for a standalone bar. The restaurant is inspired by the coast of Cornwall; a theme that runs through the core. From the freshly sourced produce that comes in from Celtic Fish & Game every morning, to the signature cocktails like the Seadog martini, Sea Garden really is a breath of fresh coastal air in the middle of the city.

As always, our experience at Sea Garden in Brixton Village was a fantastic one. We headed down on a Sunday evening and were treated to the Brixton Village resident DJ serenading us whilst we ate. If you are at a loose end on a Sunday we couldn’t recommend this more. It was the definition of ‘laid back sexy vibe’ and the Sunday scaries were quickly forgotten. The service was quick and professional- the ever-unflappable team were efficient with taking our order and delivering drinks, something we will always appreciate.

We kicked off with a round of drinks. A ‘Passion under the sea’ and the classic spiced pineapple margarita. The first was a take on a pornstar martini, this version came with the classic Prosecco and passionfruit, but was made with spiced rum and a fragrant cardamom and clove syrup. The showstopper part was the deliciously fruity edible mango bubbles- it was made with some kind of dry ice theatre at the table and tasted as incredible as it looked. Being purists when it comes to a marg, the pineapple margarita was a little bit of a hard sell to us, but one sip in and we were converts. The sweetness of the pineapple reduction vs the spicy hit was a perfect pairing. Lesson learnt: trust in the skills of Natalie.

For mains we went for four of the sharing plates. First up was the incredible fresh fish platter which might be one of our favourite dishes of the summer. Tuna tartare, sea bream ceviche and gin-cured salmon were all the zesty, fresh and delicate flavours the hot weather begs for. It came beautifully displayed in seashells on a bed of dry ice, a real table centrepiece. This was a real winner for us; each part of the platter worked really well together, it was clearly carefully and thoughtfully curated and really put a smile on our face when it was put down in front of us. Next was the crab bun. We are talking tempura soft shell crab, pickled carrot and kohlrabi for extra crunch, a tangy mayo, oyster dressing… what a texture and flavour journey! The chips that came with it were real zingers too- literally. We opted in for the powdered vinegar to sprinkle on top… It sounds strange but is, in fact, genius. The triple cooked chips dont go soggy and you still get some tingly vinegar flavour. Our chef!

We kept it seasonal with some perfectly cooked grilled asparagus, pimped up with the Sea Garden’s own mouth-watering hollandaise sauce to accompany, garnished with small cubes of beetroot and herbs. A lovely palate break from the fish if you can tear yourself away. The grilled king prawns are another must order. These boys were absolute whoppers and came marinated in a chilli oil, alongside a sweet chilli oil to dipping, pickled samphire and some fresh avocado fruit. A perfect plate to share… but we can easily imagine getting a little carried away and ordering another round. The panna cotta was a lovely note to finish the meal on. Orangey, creamy, luxurious- what could be nicer.

Sea Garden did it again. It’s such an impressive spot that serves up a calibre of seafood that makes us love it more every time we go. And you should go- they’ve got deals on most days of the week that will make you fall for them hook, line and sinker too. Wednesdays is 2-4-1 on their surf and turf, Thursdays it’s one of those gorgeous fish platters and 2 glasses of bubbles for just £27 and Sundays get spicy with bottomless king prawns and spiced pineapple margaritas! Which ever day you go, you’ll have a really, really delicious time.