Food Review: Curve, Marriott West India Quay

REVIEW

They are the latest visitors to the Wharf from Scotland. But sadly for these lobsters, and thankfully for the seafood lovers of Docklands, they are not leaving.

Curve, the idyllic restaurant based in the ground floor of the Marriott West India Quay, is in the middle of its six-week lobster season and it has gone crazy for the snappy ocean-dwellers.

Staff are bringing the shellfish in from Billingsgate Market daily and claim to be serving two to three dozen of them a day.

As I've always found at Curve, the waiting team are very friendly and attentive and always happy to advise and recommend.

The restaurant itself has recently been closed for refurbishment but it's certainly a subtle touch because the changes are not really noticeable.

Not that there was much wrong with it before.

The restaurant is not that big and has an intimate feel.

The kitchen in full view is always a reassuring sign and the huge windows absorb a lot of light.

I've never found it bustling at lunchtime and it has a very relaxed feel.

It's not a great place if you want a quick bite at midday, but for entertaining or a leisurely Friday lunch it's a good place to be.

For a starter, to get us into the shellfish mood, we had blue swimming crab with avocado tian and a mango and chutney sauce.

At £11.50 the price is fair and as a dish the crab is fresh and light and the sauce works perfectly.

A raspberry sorbet to cleanse the palate and then the main event.

Now if you are fond of Larry T Lobster of Spongebob Squarepants fame - maybe ask your kids - then look away now.

Seriously, if you are worried about how the lobsters met their demise 20 minutes or so before they hit your plate, Chef Jolly can reassure you that they are "put to sleep" with a half-hour stay in the freezer before being cooked.

Another plus point is the kitchen only uses male lobsters to help keep the lobster population in the Scottish waters thriving.

Among the specials on offer are the thermidor with its creamy cheese sauce, (£21), lobster risotto or linguine, or the option of making your own with a choice of sauce including red thai curry, at £19 for a 1lb beast.

I went for the "make your own" with a steak butter sauce. The sauce was very good and the lobster was beautifully cooked.

You can see why it's proving to be a winner.

The thermidor was also delicious, cheesy, warm and satisfying.

Both dishes were ordered with a superb, fluffy mash potato at £4.

Less of a success, but still tasty was lobster ravioli with its saffron fish sauce a little too strong.

However, the lobster and peach salad with nectarine wasabi dressing was another hit, and a fresh alternative to the more weighty dishes on offer.

For dessert, a platter of sweets to share between three proved an excellent solution for indecisive groups at £15.50.

The pavlova was a particular favourite, just pipping the creme brulee to the top spot.
There was just enough in quantity and variety to please all of us.

To sum up, Curve's lobster festival runs until the end of October, so if you're a fan of this snappy crustacean there's ample time to pop over the green bridge to West India Quay for some cracking seafood.

HEALTHY OPTIONS

If the full baked lobster is a bit daunting and the thermidor a little too rich and creamy, then the lobster and peach salad with nectarine and wasabi dressing is the option to go for.

It is easy to convince yourself you might miss out with the leafy option but turn your back and chances are you will find you fellow diners poking a fork into your plate.

The huge hunks of claw meat and piles of soft sweet peaches may challenge even the heartiest lunchtime appetite.

Then and only then should you relinquish a bite.

WHARF VERDICT
Curve Restaurant & Bar
22 Hertsmere Road,
West India Quay,
E14 4ED,
020 7093 1000,
marriott.co.uk

RATINGS
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Conveniece: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

GETTING THERE

Go to West India Quay DLR, down the stairs and walk along keeping the quay on your left with your back to the station. Curve is on your right

WHAT THEY SAY:

"The food alone isn't quite strong enough to warrant a special trip."
Timeout.com

"The staff were very polite and friendly and took time to explain the meals and specials."
London-eating.co.uk

"A seafood aficionado's dream, Curve has taken advantage of its location to secure and source top quality produce."
Viewlondon.co.uk

ALTERNATIVELY:

Mudchute Kitchen
Pier Street, Isle of Dogs, E14
mudchutekitchen.org

"As well as riding the horses on the Isle of Dogs farm you can pop into the cafe and munch on homemade bread, baked beans, jams and ice lollies."

Memsaheb
65-67 Amsterdam Road, Docklands, E14
memsaheb.net

"The upmarket Indian restaurant is popular with many Wharfers. And the kitchen team get all their fish from Billingsgate."

Docklands Bar and Grill
Royal Victoria Dock, E16
docklandsbarandgrill.co.uk

"The Excel diner's head chef Oliver Ruiz prides himself on using locally sourced fresh ingredients to create British and European grill-based dishes."