OM RECOMMENDS: The Hook & Line, Royal William Yard
Plymouth Gin Cocktails
26th July 2022
OM RECOMMENDS: Bengal Flavour
26th July 2022
The Hook & Line, located within the bustling area of the Royal William Yard serves a delicious variety of locally caught fresh fish, seafood with veggie and vegan options. The team at OM were kindly invited to a meal at the Hook & Line last month to sample their menu and experience the restaurant for ourselves.
Situated in Plymouth’s waterfront destination of Royal William Yard, The Hook & Line is immediately in a prime location. The Yard can be reached by car, foot, bus or even boat from The Barbican or Cornwall. An easy escape from the bustling city centre to experience great food and drink in a picturesque, romantic setting.
We were fortunate enough to experience the restaurant at one of its quietest times of day which meant we could appreciate the interior to its fullest. As we walked into the restaurant, you immediately notice the natural industrial feel of the Royal William Yard which has remained untouched and enhanced through their choice of furnishings. The original floors, brick walls and high beamed ceilings offer the perfect backdrop for the sustainably sourced wooden tables and upcycled lighting. The bar area is backlit by neon signs which light up the array of spirit and alcohol bottles on offer. Through the door frame to your left is the kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook and plate up their divine dishes.
We were seated by the owner and founder of The hook & Line, Steve Page, who kindly offered us the biggest table in the restaurant. Our waitress for the evening was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. As it was Bring Your Dog to Work Day, we made sure Bella, Stevie and Shiloh, our office dogs, got to experience the restaurant too. They brought the dogs a water bowl without hesitation along with a tailored dog menu which they were, of course, over the moon about.
As we found our seats, the main menu was brought out along with an extensive cocktail and drinks menu. This was the tricky part, choosing what to order!
Drinks first, I was the designated driver, so I opted for a watermelon Mockito (Mojito non-alcoholic cocktail) which was by far the best one I have ever tasted. Myles, our Managing Director, Edward, our Sales Manager and Emma our Accounts Manager all went for their signature IPA, called Hook, Line & Sinker.
Food next, we decided to share some starters which consisted of artisan bread & mixed marinated olives as we didn’t want to ruin our appetites for the main dishes. When I tell you, this was the best toasted artisan bread with olive oil dips I have ever eaten, I am not lying!
Myles wanted to try the fish & chips which arrived beautifully presented with tartare sauce and mushy peas. The fish was delicate and flaky, and the batter was light and perfectly seasoned.
I heard raving reviews about their fish tacos before visiting so I had to see what they were all about. I ordered these with a portion of sweet potato fries which arrived on a waved rack with each taco placed in-between the waves. The flavours of these tacos were delicious, well balanced and fresh with guacamole and soured cream drizzled on top.
Emma was delighted to find out they offer vegan options so she chose the vegan fish & chips, and she couldn’t believe that it wasn’t fish. They had apparently worked on getting their vegan fish just right for months before adding it to their menu, so they are very confident in it.
On their ‘Set Sail’ menu, there are halloumi skewers consisting of grilled halloumi, red peppers, pineapple and chili jam. Edward opted for this which he thought were sweet, full of flavour and the halloumi was perfectly grilled.
Steve kindly brought out a bottle of Bollinger for us all to share which went down a treat.
No meal is complete without dessert! Edward and I chose the chocolate brownie, which was gooey, rich and indulgent. Myles ordered the chocolate mousse which was light and airy, and Emma opted for the vegan chocolate tart served with a vegan coconut ice cream.
Our experience at The Hook & Line was one we would love to repeat again very soon. With great food, a sustainable attitude and an independent, local spin on the Royal William Yard, this restaurant has everything you could wish for.
