Simon Whiteside goes it alone with first solo seafood restaurant

Simon Whiteside will launch 32-cover Roe in Pop Brixton on 7 November, serving a menu of sustainable seafood dishes with Irish influences. 

The restaurant will offer small plates ranging in price from £4 to £9, including the likes of ink and Guinness soda bread with seaweed butter and mackerel pate, whipped smoked cod’s roe or house smoked salmon with horseradish; grey mullet ceviche with cucumber and lime; cuttlefish and ink arancini with pecorino foam and monkfish carpaccio with a roasted cauliflower puree and pickled shitake mushrooms.

Larger dishes, with prices starting at £14, will include ray wing with Jerusalem artichoke and wild mushrooms; confit sea trout accompanied with sea greens and an oyster and sorrel emulsion; spiced ling with fermented lentils, roast onion squash and chard; and a daily whole fish special.

Desserts will include sea salt and brown butter blondies with pistachio clotted cream; and British and Irish cheeses.

Spirits will all be sourced from the sustainable spirits company, and will be used in cocktails such as a honey and pear margarita; a plum and thyme prosecco smash; and a ‘G and Tea’ made with gin and earl grey tea.

Décor will be understated, with communal tables made from reclaimed wood and an open kitchen.

“My wife Cairene and I have been talking about the Roe concept for a while now and we’re looking forward to opening and serving up tasty and affordable food,” says Whiteside on the opening.

“Opening a place without investors is daunting but it will give us the freedom to do so much more than before”.

Roe will be the third fish concept that Whiteside has launched, after the aforementioned Hook, and Irish fish and chip concept Bia Mara, which now operates sites in Brussels and Antwerp.

The Irish-born chef takes his experience from working under Don Alfonzo at two Michelin-starred restaurant Don Alfonzo 1890; Robin Gill at Saunterelle at The Royal Exchange; and Raymond Blanc.