Sugarvine

In short this is a great restaurant and competes with the best in Cornwall and also London. We live in surrey but spend as much time as possible in Cornwall. earlier this year I took a friend down to Cornwall and we embarked on a eating extravaganza for 4 days, eating every lunch and dinner at cornwall's best restaurants:- including The abbey, Rick Steins "seafood restaurant", Coastguard hotel in mousehole, jamie o's fifteen. At the end of our stay our decision was simple the 3 best dishes were as follows. Scallops at Bistro deLa Mer also the steak at bistro de la mer. The third dish was a starter at fifteen. In short Bistro de la mer is fantastic. Not only is the food great its also run by what appears to be a lovely family

We visited this restaurant the last time we were in Falmouth, back in 2005, and went there on our first night after an 8 hour journey down and we possibly didn't appreciate it as we were so tired! All we knew that it was gorgeous, and we always hoped that the next time we make it down to Cornwall it would still be there and be just as good.
Last Thursday, we made it back again! It was just as good as we remembered, the first time there was only one portion of the day boat fish left which my now husband had and made me so jealous, so I knew I'd be definitely having it this time, and I was not disappointed. Well, I was a bit when I was told that one of the fishes quoted were being replaced by prawns, but as soon as I'd taken a bite was I glad they had been! They were by far the best part of the trio for me, so much so that I wished I'd ordered just the prawns! My husband's highlight of his meal was the creme brulee - still raving about it a week later.

Great service as always to go alongside the fantastic food.

Thanks again for a lovely meal - we will be back, but hopefully before another four years!

we found this restaurant after reading reviews on the net. I must say it didn't disappoint ,in fact it was one of the most enjoyable dinning experiences I can remember.

I decided to eat here whilst on business in Falmouth after reading their entry in the 2008 Michelin Guide. The menu offered a good selection and the wine list was short and functional. I chose a Marlborough Sauvignon i had not heard of before, Wild Rock,this was as good as it gets. My scallops with boudin noir, warm apple puree, cold raw apple, sage and rosemary was very similar and as well executed to a dish i had in a 2 star Michelin establishment in Cheltenham. Speaking to Tony the chef and owner after my meal he said he is a big admirer of David E-M's cooking, the influence shows. My main of the bistro classic "steak frittes" was perfect. A well hung slab of refectly cooked and seasoned rib-eye, top quality fries and rocket salad with a watercress and tarragon dressing,10/10.I then chose my favorite and bech marking dessert, creme brulee. Now i have eaten this dessert a 1000 times over, all around the world, and i have to say this was the best ever.Flavour wise it was toffee and banana and it was served with shortbread and a guava sorbet. The falvours complimented each other so well, every taste of the incredibly smooth sorbet clearing the palette fot another hit of the brulee. I again spoke to Tony about this dish and how he got the to have the taste and texture so right. The brulee is not baked in a bain marie in the typical way but cooked in a Thermomix, a special blender,mixer,that has the ability to cook as it blends. The mixture is blended then heated and is kept at 78 degrees for 8 minutes then poured into moulds and refrigerated. The sorbet was made in a Pacojet ice cream maker, i have seen one of these in action at a trade show in Switzerland, it is the Rolls Royce of ice cream machines, the sorbets produced are the perfect temperature and texture with no flavour loss.Tony confirmed the prime reason for using new equipment and cooking techniques, sous-vide etc is to retain as much flavour as possible in the top quality produce he buys.
Michelin have found a gem in the Bistro de la mer.

We ate here on 1st Aug - our Wedding Anniversary, after being recommended by friends. What a fabulous meal, trio of day boat fish was outstanding. The food, the staff and the atmosphere all made this a very special meal. We would definitely eat here again, can't wait! The Pinot Grigot was also excellent.

Superb restaurant, the food was fantastic, Cornish sea bass with the caviar and lemon dressing was sublime. the creme brulee was the best i have ever tasted. we will be going back

The de la mer does exactly what it says on the tin. Tony and Alison set out their stall three years ago and have not deviated or looked back since. Consistency is the name of the game here, always excellent quality food, always good service, time and time again. You can't go wrong paying them a visit!!!!

My husband and I went to this restaurant on our Anniversary 12.04.07 and had a lovely meal. However, the service was a little disappointing( no wine cooler for example) as the lady serving us seemed more attentive to the 3 people sitting next to us who were talking loudly about food and wine.
Unfortunately, we felt rather overlooked as a result of this, which is a shame, because the food was very good.

my wife and i ate at the bistro on valentines night. a four course menu at £27.95 a head was very good value, the food and service was excellent. what amazed us however was the music. a blend of cheesy french classics, accordion music, and... top quality ibiza chillout, full on balearic beats. if this restaurant was on the north coast facing the sunset, serving the food that it does, served by those three lovely ladies.... aaay, one can only dream. fantastic night, thank you.

Its not often you eat in a restaurant that deserves Rosettes or a Michelin recommendation and doesn't actually have them. This place rocks and the food is quite simply fantastic - standards that are way above the usual "foodie" haunts of Cornwall. Non-pretentious, locally sourced ingredients and a wine list to match - Well Done Guys!!

I visited Bistro de la Mer on a Wednesday - I was surprised by the number of people in there for a week night in the winter! The service was excellent, the food amazing and so was the champagne served. We waited until later and had a chat with Alison and Tony - and was really impressed with how they run the place. If you are in Falmouth - this restaurant is a must!

After a not very good experience at a restaurant that shall remain nameless but said to be staffed by 15 students (snooty service, gritty scallops, overpriced) we ate here the following evening. Again we had the scallops, this time however they were perfect. Plump, caramelised with translucent centres and diligently seasoned. As per usual the friendly unhurried service was much appreciated. Do yourselves a favour, if you visit Cornwall make sure you visit the bistro de la mer.

We must thank the gastro tourist for his review as we are always on the look out for something apart from the norm. How refreshing it was to read a menu that made no mention of sweet chilli dipping sauce, coconut lime and coriander and the ubiquitous fried squid, with garlic, chilli and ginger. Do all these places shop at the same Asian warehouse? What we had here was honest, intelligent cooking. Top quality, fresh food cooked with care and empathy, the flavour additions there to enhance the main ingredient not mask it. I must also mention the linen napery, cutlery and crockery all top quality and spotless and then the crowning glory, Riedel glassware, different glasses for red, white, and water. These are the touches you expect in establishments with serious credentials, Hardens, Michelin etc etc. A wonderful experience and thank you to you all.

We chose to eat here on what we thought would be a quiet Wednesday night and the restaurant was full by 8.30. The service was excellent, with the waitress able to answer all our questions and still tell us more. the meal was unhurried and perfectly cooked, the trio of Cornish was incredible. Three different fish, cooked three different ways with exceptional presentation. The menu features some old classics, all done with Tony the chefs twist and some "experimental" dishes which sure do surprise... a creme brulee of passion fruit and mango served with a passion fruit and mango sorbet and blood orange shortbread was an explosion of flavour like i have never tasted and the chocolate and lavender cheesecake, served in a martini glass was heavenly. i cannot express how good this place is but if you get food and service like we did you could only give them 10 out of 10.

I get very excited about the prospect of eating here. The food always surprises, Tony the chef is confident and accomplished, he's not afraid to play around with ideas and experiment with dishes. I went for lunch and had a de-constructed gazpachio with a centre piece of a tian of crab with avacado ice cream---fabulous straight out of the Heston school of thought. I should have stopped there but couldn't help myself and followed this with two large fillets of line caught Bass which were dusted with Spice of Angels (fennel pollen) on a bed of fennel and orange. I was in heaven and didn't need the trio of homemade sorbets and ice creams, what gluttony!

One of the best meals we have ever had. Four of us had different starters, mains and sweets, the cooking was assured and consistent with a great balance between taste, temperature and texture. The house wines are also very good as was the service.

This place is fantastic. The cooking is superb, the quality of the food is exceptional and the wine list is well priced. If Tony and Alison opened in London they would be one of those places were you could not get a table for weeks.

c'est magnifique.

Everyone has heard someone say; 'I used to go to a bistro where the food and hospitality were the best they had ever had' etc.etc. Stuff of urban legend, because we had never found that elusive holy grail of a place, here or abroad. Well I think I've just found one! Tony and Alison have got something very right, attitude, passion, effortless zeal.
Just dont tell everyone.

If you are ever in Falmouth, Cornwall even, pay this place a visit. A bistro only by name, it is by far the best restaurant to eat at in Falmouth. We ate our way around the town on our two-week holiday, not going back to anywhere twice. On the Thursday night we chanced upon the De La Mer, we ate there the following two nights aswell. The food is incredible, the flavours of each ingredient enhancing the main aspect of the dish. The trio of Cornish fish, roast vine tomato and tomato water vinegairette was perfectly cooked; the pistou-crusted rack of local organic lamb with thyme jus was again cooked to perfection. I could go on for hours but you need to find out for yourselves. Excellent value all round even if it does look a tad expensive on arrival.

We ate here after reading an article in Cornwall Today magazine about Tony, the chef/proprietor, his food and what he is trying to achieve. As the article said his mussels were the best I have ever tasted, so good in fact that instead of a dessert, I had a starter portion of the same. My wife had the piri-piri king prawns, 12 huge prawns, grilled in their shells and served with very, very good French bread to mop up any remaining oil. As we live in Australia we can't just pop in any time, but when we are back in Cornwall in 2007, I hope Tony and Alison haven't changed a thing.

We were turned away on Friday 7/10/05 as they were fully booked. We couldn't even get a late table, as they don't turn tables, so booked for the following evening. We arrived to find the restaurant 3/4`s full and people again being turned away. The food was very well cooked and the portions very generous. There are also some very good wines on the list at reasonable prices. The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial with our adjoining table of locals joining our conversation and enlightening us about where to go in Falmouth. We had a fabulous evening here and can see why the locals book in advance, you won't be disappointed.

The best fillet steak I have ever tasted and as a rep travelling the length and breadth of the country, that's some going. I'll definitely be going back.

Just a great night out all round. Great food, wine and service and a very nice vibe sat downstairs amongst many other people enjoying themselves as well. Cornwall needs more places like this, relaxed, informal but with all the right touches. Nice decor, linen napkins, beautiful crockery and amazing toilets. The attention to detail of every aspect is taken care of.

You must eat here if you are ever in Falmouth. The staff have excellent knowledge of the food and the wine list, the steak is the best i have ever tasted and my partner had the most perfectly cooked lemon sole.

Living in London and eating out on a regular basis we are used to paying top whack for sometimes lacklustre, sometimes plain substandard and occaisionally exceptional food. The Cornish Fish soup here is a masterpiece. A thick velvety crab bisque over various local fish and shellfish, including monk, red mullet, sea bass, chunks of lobter, mussels and a giant king prawn. The crab salad is also truly wonderful, crisp salad, smooth home made mayo and the most succulent white crab meat my wife says she has ever tasted.
Our starters of ceviche of seabass, with mint yoghurt, fines herbs and herb oil and a baked local goats cheese on beetroot galette with pistachios and maple syrup were also expertly presented and tasted fantastic.
Places like this restore your faith in British cooking.
Thank you and well done.
Mike and Annette Hackney London

You know that horrible taste left in the mouth after the presentation of a bill for £50/head and not having enjoyed the meal ? Our bill for 4 people at this place was £292.50 (£73.12/ head) excluding service and I don't begrudge them a single penny. As a non-fish eater at a place that specialises in seafood the selection was excellent, fillet, rib eye, lamb and duck. The roast duck breast with balsamic glazed beetroot, watercress and tarragon puree and star anise red wine reduction was as good as I've tasted at three times the price. The three fish eaters also enjoyed their meals immensely. The wine list is as good as you will see anywhere with all tastes catered for, but the champagne list is where things really shine. There is an outstanding selection across houses and vintages at prices that tempt you to spend that little bit more and have something really special. A wonderful night without the attitude that sometimes seems derigeur in places this good

Excellent Dover sole, perfectly cooked trio of Cornish fish, and two-creme brulee. Bottle of crisp house sauvignon and two liquors £70 including service (which was very good). Rick Stein food without the price tag.

I was looking for a nice restaurant in Falmouth as my fiancée and I were visiting for a short break. Having read the reviews here I decided to book. The pictures available here do not do it justice, it's a lot nicer inside and has a really nice ambience. The food was really good, they do a good mix of seafood and steaks. Both of us cleared our plates for our mains and the serving staff were cheerful and friendly. Be aware though that this is a Seafood restaurant, and it isn't cheap - I'd go so far as to say that it's a wee bit overpriced for what you get, but having said that we had a great time and I would definitely go again if we are ever back in town.

We were customers of Mike and Connie, the previous owners for ten years and were sad to see them go. However, having eaten at the bistro four times in the past year, I felt it was time to put pen to paper as it were. Each visit has been with different people sometimes as guests and others as hosts and every time Alison, whom after only two visits four months apart, greeted us with a smile and a warm welcome remembered our names. The food is outstanding, the wines superb and the service just gets better and better. If this place doesn't put Falmouth on the ''foodie'' map, I don't know what will. 10/10.

On arrival, once seated and our coats taken away we were informed of the specials and told champagne was also served by the glass. We promptly ordered two glasses. The Cornish crab soup with toasted crouton and rouille was fantastic, finished with a swirl of what Tony the chef and owner told me was lemon and dill oil. My wife's starter of seared foie gras, sauternes and apple jelly and toasted brioche was outstanding. The obviously homemade brioche and the jelly being the perfect accompaniment to the perfectly cooked slab of the goose liver. After another two glasses of the house champagne our mains arrived. Wow, my wifes lobster peri-peri although rustic in presentation was huge and perfectly cooked. I must say for £23.95 this represented excellent value being assured it was a local beast, laned in Hayle the previous evening. I had the sea bass. This could have been straight out of a Ramsey cookbook. The presentation was incredible, the fillets of seabass crisply cooked, the sauce of champagne, smoked caviar and creme fraiche inspired and the garnish of spring onion, chive and the aforementioned lemon oil completed this dish perfectly. A total triumph. I could not manage a sweet but my wife had a star anise and basil creme brulee, which she enjoyed. We finished with two Irish coffees and a chat with Alison, Tony's wife and co owner of the Bistro who gave us some interesting history on the Drapier house champagne and their philosophy of using local ingredients. All round a fantastic evening, superb service, relaxed atmosphere and perfect hosts. Keep up the good work, oh and Alison, " nice pen!! "

Fantastic menu, superb wines, amazing cooking and relaxed and unobtrusive service. The best dining experience I've had this year. S. Tregenna

I took my Team here for the Christmas Party and were extremely well looked after. All the food arrived at the same time and was excellently prepared. Great night.

We enjoyed a memorable evening to celebrate my birthday. The service was quick, efficent and friendly.
The food was exceptionally good quality and filling without the the cost.
The ambience was relaxed and friendly, they made our evening something special to remember.

This place, really captures the feel of a true bistro. Nice staff and excellent food. upon leaving this restaurant for the second time, i promised my wife we should return again next year. Must try the seafood thermidor.

Very good food at a very good price, good quality of seafood.