Porthleven Restaurant Guide

Jude Kereama’s cooking takes inspiration from his half Maori and half Chinese Malay origin, and fans say it just “gets better and better” at this “wonderful restaurant full of atmosphere” in a “picturesque” fishing village on the “deep south-west Cornish coast”, which he runs with his wife Jane.

“A lovely harbourside location”, plus a “glossy and glamorous” interior – created from a former warehouse – help win a very high level of feedback for this celebrity-branded fish and seafood restaurant; and “when all is on form, this branch of the Stein empire is one of the better ones”, delivering on the promise of “excellent local fish, perfectly cooked” that the name leads you to expect. Some misfires are reported (“starter was gritty and main slathered in buttery sauce”), but mostly it earns a good rep. As one regular notes: “food and service is somewhat dependent on what you choose and which waiter or waitress you get: results can be very good, if not cheap, and service can be rather disinterested and impersonal, or friendly and efficient”.

The “more relaxed sister of Kota” is an “informal, light-filled room overlooking the harbour”, and a “useful alternative for lunch when Kota is closed – (Great British Menu chef) Jude Kereama’s presence is much in evidence here”: result? “assured” Pan-Asian cuisine that’s “much more imaginative than the usual seaside fare”.