Would you eat fish from the River Thames? If you’ve ever looked into its murky waters the thought is not a particularly appetising one, especially for a river once declared biologically dead back in 1957, caused by various pollutants. But that was then, and although still murky due to silt and mud, it’s no longer heavily polluted and is abundant with life with – surprisingly – over a hundred different types of fish happily living in it.
Chef Phillip Cooper, Arno Marsman and Andrea Britton from Coopers Restaurant Consultants have launched a new food event, #Riverfood, which champions ingredients sourced mainly from Rivers across the UK, including the Thames Estuary. And what fitting way to host it than aboard one of the oldest boats on the Thames, the MV Royalty.
With the emphasis on getting there no later than 1.15pm, my friend Georgina and I arrived at 1.05pm, to make sure we didn’t ‘miss the boat’. But we were told we wouldn’t be boarding until 1.30pm and that it wasn’t going to be cruising the Thames, but will be staying moored to the pier instead. It was a gloriously hot summer’s day and feeling dehydrated in the heat, we were a little tetchy at having to wait 25 minutes, only to then find out the disappointing news of the boat not going anywhere.
Oyster Shucking
On board it was a little rocky as the water was quite choppy, this started to makes us feel queasy (we were delicate anyway, from nursing slight hangovers, so not just blaming the boat here) – the next few hours ahead were not looking good. However, with a couple of greeting cocktails, a generous cup of cockles and wonderfully fresh oysters, things began to turn around. It got even better when there was a sudden crank of the engine and crank of some tunes, as we surprisingly started to set off down the Thames, which thankfully steadied the boat and our tummies.
Waiting staff precariously zigzagged across the boat serving very fine samples of river sourced goodies. Some dishes stood out more than others, like a delicately flavoured Pike Sausage that had a fluffy, mousse-like texture. And although I’m not great with raw/cured seafood, I’m OK with oysters – mostly because you don’t have to chew it and can knock it back like a tequila shot. Overall, the food was a nice example of what can be rustled up from the Thames.
Hollowshore Oysters with Green Tabasco Jelly
Cockles
Pike and Green Peppercorn Sausage with Puy Lentils
Estuary Smoked Kipper
with Clarence Court Egg and Cress
Rainbow Trout with Avocado and Samphire
Zander with Smoked Bacon and Onions
with a dollop of Sriracha Sauce
Cruising up and down the Thames totally made the event – spotting all the iconic buildings along the way was fun. The boat was a little bit shabby, and not in a chic way. But the food was served on vintage plates, and this attention to detail added a very nice touch.
The #Riverfood event changed my perceptions of eating fish from the Thames and it was good to eat produce so locally sourced – I have a new found respect for our great river. It’s been a month since the event, and I haven’t turned into a mutant being (some may beg to differ) so give #Riverfood a go.
Just one of the lovely views from onboard
the MV Royalty – London Bridge
Look out for competitively priced events. If their first event is anything to go buy, you’ll be in for a treat at the next one. This event was £24.95, which included a welcome cocktail (other drinks are extra); food, and a boat trip up and down the Thames, though this is not guaranteed.
Food I Fancy was a guest of Coopers Restaurant Consultants.
