The Sea, The Sea Chelsea
Chelsea, London
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*Chef Leandro Carreira is leaving at the end of March 2024 but the restaurant will continue to operate as normal.*
On an appealing pedestrianised road a short distance from Sloane Square, The Sea, The Sea (inspired by a poem by Paul Valéry and a novel by Iris Murdoch) opened in 2019 as a fishmonger-cum-restaurant. It's a tiny, inviting room with plenty of contemporary touches (marble-top counter, ash-wood flooring) and the bonus of tempting displays of fresh seafood. At lunchtime, seating is limited to wooden stools at the fish counter or at tables outside (perfect for people-watching). In the evening, the counter is removed to accommodate 20 covers. The kitchen is headed up by executive chef Leo Carreira who has devised a daily changing menu full of surprises. Expect attractive small plates (too small, according to some reports) of sparklingly fresh seafood: octopus with a sticky aromatic glaze infused with fennel seeds, anise and garlic; crisp skinned trout, dry-aged for a firmer texture and deeper flavour, set atop a piece of daikon over a clear dashi broth; a pair of tiger prawns served with a warm broth thickened with almond and amaranth and heady with fresh coriander. There is just one dessert, perhaps vanilla cream with rhubarb and jam, while cheeses are from London Cheesemongers across the road. Service is friendly. Fish-friendly whites (from £36) dominate the wine list, with eight offered by the glass.
