When you’re tasked with writing an honest review, you want to complain about at least a few things to avoid leaning into advertorial-like drivel. When Sumas asked us to come down and try out their menu, of course we said yes – who would refuse a leisurely lunch at what Ben describes as “the epitome of Eastie fine dining”? But as anyone familiar with the quality of seafood served at Sumas will know, finding fault with the cuisine or dining experience is incredibly difficult. I found myself desperately inspecting the cleanliness of the veranda in search of something that wasn’t up to scratch.
The atmosphere at Sumas is impeccable. “You feel like you’re winning when you’re on that balcony,” Ben said. “Toby liked it, and he wasn’t even there.” With the backdrop of boats, palm trees, and a literal castle, it’s easy to feel like a king amidst a seafood banquet in the sun. Our absent 10 Minden Street inhabitant was nothing short of forlorn when he realised his client meetings clashed with our reservation. “Any time you miss a day at Sumas is a bad day,” Toby expressed, his voice dripping with melancholy.
Our lunch started excellently with a top-notch selection of drinks. Laura thoroughly enjoyed her Fruit Punch, despite the fact that Paul Dufty – the restaurateur – was considering taking it off the menu. Riddled with indecision over the extensive options, I was close to ordering the same before Paul nudged me towards trying the Cucumber Cooler – a drink composed of lime, cucumber, elderflower, and Harry Howe’s Elixir – with the option to add local Sea Level gin if preferred. The citrus zing didn’t overwhelm the cucumber, and the drink was so delicious it got passed around the table. In an inspired moment of poetic brilliance, Ben claimed it tasted like “a holiday in a place I haven’t been to.” Having acquired an esteemed spot as nothing short of a muse, this mocktail was definitely a highlight.
You know the meal is going to be good when you’re already impressed by the table bread. It was homemade with a crispy, salted crust, whilst being soft, light, and airy in the middle. “I always judge a venue, whether I’m paying five or fifty pounds, by what they bring in terms of bread or a side dish to start,” Ben said. “It defines the meal. The quality and speed with which Sumas presented the bread made me putty in their hands from the start.”
To begin, Calley ordered the Hand-Dived Scallops, paired with carrot purée, bacon, and basil. “It was phenomenal,” she said. “The scallops were just like butter to cut into, and had a really fresh and delicious taste. I dream about those scallops.” Laura claimed, “never has a pea velouté been more welcome” than the one presented to her above the coast of Gorey. Ben ordered the Crispy Squid, garnished with lime, saffron aioli, and crunchy salad. His only complaint was that it could have been marginally crispier, to better suit his personal preferences. The Sumas Fried Chicken with hot honey, spring onion, and crème fraîche was succulent, with the perfect sauce-to-substance ratio. The aroma was so good that Ben couldn’t stop himself from giving it a good dose of eye contact.
In hindsight, when ordering mains, three out of four of us probably shouldn’t have chosen the same dish. But in the daze induced by soaking up vitamin D on a leisurely Friday afternoon, reason was thrown to the wind and we ordered three fillets of the locally caught sea bass with wild abandon. The dish came with Jersey Royals, cauliflower, samphire, and mussels in a curry sauce. “I don’t particularly like mussels,” commented Calley, “but these were in a green Thai sauce and so good. The fish itself honestly could have been swimming earlier that day – it tasted fresh, flaky and juicy.” She added that the skin was delightfully crispy, confirming she would “100% order it again.”
Ben, ordering last and thus pipped at the post with the sea bass, opted for the rib-eye to secure a shred of variety. “As somebody who doesn’t eat a great deal of red meat, I was really into it,” he said. “Ordinarily, when ordering steak, I’d always go rare, but this one came much better done and crispier on the outside. I really enjoyed it. It was salty and indulgent.”
I don’t typically order dessert – save for the odd occasion when I’m tempted by a good tiramisu. But considering the quality of the previous courses, and the fact that dessert extended time spent in the sun rather than at the office, we opted to stick around and try a couple. Laura ordered the affogato, and when asked to comment, said: “It’s pretty hard to mess up coffee and ice cream, but this is exactly as an affogato should be.” Paul recommended we try the lemon tart, complete with clotted cream and raspberry. The fruits perfectly complemented each other, and the break on the bottom layer of pastry could have attracted a smile of approval from Mary Berry herself.
Overall, the service from start to finish was amazing. Calley, after a few glasses of wine, proclaimed: “The tide was out, but the vibes were in.” If nothing else, the quality of the experience can be testified to by the fact that Ben put his child into after-school club last-minute to stay for dessert and soak in the rays a little longer. Finding time and an excuse for a long lunch at Sumas is definitely a win.
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