PRAWN ON THE LAWN
A story of sustainable seaside-fare
Seasonal seafood, made for sharing, created by Rick Toogood and his team with a passion for punchy flavours and an underlying respect for the ocean.
During the summer, I was invited on a sustainable fishing trip, with the talented husband and wife duo – Rick and Katie Toogood - behind the award-winning, Prawn on the Lawn, Padstow, before heading back to the informal, originally-designed restaurant to cook up the days catch.
We took to the Cornish waters on legendary Padstow fisherman, Johnny Murt’s beloved trawler, to collect crab and lobster pots, left out in the Camel Estuary, only taking what was needed for the evening’s service, leaving the remainder of the pots at the bottom of the seabed.
Back at the restaurant, we watched the talented team prepare and cook up the innovative tapas-style dishes of freshest seafood and seasonal fare, before tucking into small-plates that packed a punch, including many of the restaurant’s signatures; from the Prawn-on-the-Lawn – open sandwich of homemade soda bread with fresh prawns, tossed in a chilli, lime and coriander dressing on a bed of avocado - to the deep-fried Porthhilly Oysters with Garlic crème Fraiche and crushed spiced-potatoes, all washed down with mouth-watering cocktails - a twist on the conventional – Prawnstar Martini, Thai-style Bloody Mary and a Dirty Oyster Martini - add an oyster to the latter if the mood takes you, and enjoy the hit of unique flavours, alongside freshest sharing plates.
Surrounded by the sea
So where did the love affair with the ocean begin? Rick Toogood was born on the Channel Islands, surrounded by fish. His mother trained at Cordon Bleu and her enthusiasm for food - particular fish - was passed onto Rick. With a passion for sea-fare ingrained his blood, Rick went on to manage various different sites for Fishworks, before realising his and his wife Katie’s, joint dream of owning their own restaurant.
Despite not having any formal training to speak of, founder Rick, along with his wife Katie, discovered their dish inspiration from all avenues; travelling the globe, visiting a number of diverse restaurants along the way, and spending days working free-of-charge at various fishmongers before opening their first Prawn on the Lawn in Islington in 2013.
Katie and Rick have since opened two further restaurants in Padstow, another Prawn on the Lawn in 2015, followed by Barnaby’s in 2018, with the talented duo, also seeing the launch of their debut cookbook, ‘Fish and Seafood To Share’.
Prawn on the Lawn, Padstow has recently picked up the ‘Best Seafood Restaurant of the Year’ award, 2019.
Bringing Prawn on the Lawn closer to the sea
In May 2015, Katie and Rick made the bold decision to move to Cornwall to set up a second restaurant, Prawn On The Lawn, Padstow, leaving Prawn on the Lawn, Islington in the capable hands of their dedicated team, whilst still being very much involved with the menu and its general operation.
Opening in July 2015, Prawn on the Lawn, Padstow follows a similar format to the restaurant in Islington; being a fully licensed fishmonger and seafood restaurant.
Both restaurants have been originally-designed to reflect the fact that you are eating in a fishmonger; think white metro tiles, exposed bricks, informal bar seating, white marble fish-slab and a slight industrial feel.
“The décor we have chosen, definitely helps create a more informal vibe in the restaurant,” says Rick.
Moving to Padstow has enabled Rick and Katie to form even greater relationships with the local fishermen and fishmongers, allowing them to make the most of the freshest seafood Cornwall has to offer, mostly cooking the fish over a charcoal grill.
“I’m in awe of the fishermen, and how they fuse the roots of their ancestors traditional fishing-custom, with new innovative methods. It feels like home, to be based in Padstow as we are at the heart of a historic fishing port, with a community who are invested in the trade. We’re also lucky enough to have the connection with our producers, and above all, its an absolutely stunning place to live,” Rick enthuses.
“We’re also lucky enough to have the connection with our producers, and above all, its an absolutely stunning place to live,” Rick enthuses.
Still a small operation with only 24-covers, the daily-changing menu aims to be as sustainable as possible, working with local suppliers in Padstow and the surrounding area.
Prawn on The Lawn menus are built on a daily basis, depending on the fish brought to shore from the day-boats, with the possibility of the menu changing up to six or seven times a day.
“We truly support local producers, you can’t miss the fisherman/farmers walking into the restaurant throughout the day,” says Rick.
The seafood-loving couple ensure they source only the freshest local seafood for each of their restaurants, with the help of Johnny Murt, sometimes venturing out on Johnny’s trawler, before cooking up the day’s catch, back in the kitchen.
Rick is meticulous about his plates, ensuring that the flavours of the seafood are well balanced, whilst also packing a punch.
“I make sure the fish/seafood does the talking. Each plate must have that punch of flavour, and always be well balanced - you shouldn’t ever leave Prawn on the Lawn feeling heavy and bloated, instead content in the fact you’ve tasted some exciting plates of food,” he enthuses.
The prolific flavours have seen Prawn on the Lawn Padstow recently pick up the ‘Best Seafood Restaurant of the Year’ award, 2019.
“If there’s one piece of advice I could offer fellow restaurateurs, it would be to get stuck into the community, and support all of your local suppliers as much as possible.”
As a seafood lover, Prawn on the Lawn is my go-to eatery whenever I am in the area – I just can’t get enough of the Seared Tuna with Chilli, Soy and Mirin, and Szechuan Prawns, not to mention those little salted-caramel pots, the perfect accompaniment to keeping-it-sweet at the end of an evening - pure joy to share, washed down with a Pinkster Gin and Tonic, in an informal environ, brimming with a lively enthusiasm – a celebration of Cornish sea fare, in a unique industrial-modern styled seafood bar and fishmonger.
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