You might think boaters would give a wide berth to a restaurant with a name like this. But don’t, says Phil Sampson, especially if you want a steak cooked just the way you like it
ON THE ROCKS
When I began boating Mrs S bought me a book, presumably to give me a shove in what she considered to be the right direction. Entitled Shipwrecks of the Wight, it reveals how thousands of boats have perished around the island over the years. Floundering on the rocks was how many of them ended up, so it was with some trepidation that I reserved a slot at an eatery of that very name a month or so ago. But I needn’t have worried, for as many boaters venturing to the Isle of Wight know full well, On the Rocks is a great place to end up after a day at sea.
Located in Yarmouth, a stone’s throw from the Needles, Shingles and multiple other nautical hazards, On the Rock’s proposition is deliciously simple. There are no starters, or even a proper menu as such, just a list of main courses. Pick your favourite cut of steak, or seafood, lamb, chicken or halloumi and that’s it. Regardless of what you choose, every dish comes accompanied by a bottomless portion of fries and salad. Oh, and there’s one other thing: you also get your very own ‘rock’ – apre-heated stone upon which to cook your food – for this is a do-it-yourself culinary adventure.
Hebe, the assistant manager, explained that the rocks are volcanic and heated to 460°C in a process taking seven hours. I didn’t happen to have a thermometer on me to check my rock’s temperature, but watching my ribeye sizzle its way to the table, with a pall of smoke in its wake, convinced me Hebe knew exactly what she was talking about.
Sitting forlornly next to my part-cooked steak were a gaggle of uncooked king prawns, my side dish to be lobbed onto the rock at the moment of my choosing. And that’s an important point, for the experience is all about enjoying food exactly as you like it – rare, medium or well-done steak, moist or wellcooked prawns; it’s entirely up to you as you do the cooking. It also means, of course, the
