LOCAL seafood restaurant, The Old Fishmarket, located on The Pantiles, has announced that it has been awarded two AA Rosettes.
The popular Sankey’s restaurant celebrated its tenth year in business back in September. As well as the venue on The Pantiles, the seafood specialists also run a Seafood Kitchen and Bar on Mount Ephraim and a fishmonger in Vale Road.
The AA Rosette award, first awarded in 1956, is a prestigious nationwide scheme for assessing the quality of food served by restaurants and hotels.
According to the AA, two AA Rosettes are awarded to excellent restaurants that ‘aim for and achieve higher standards and better consistency’. It will also be apparent to inspectors that there is a greater precision in the cooking, and obvious attention to the selection of quality ingredients.
Despite booking the restaurant in for an AA inspection to celebrate a decade in business, Sankey’s owner and local councillor Matthew Sankey explained that to ensure the service and food that the AA inspector receives is the same as every other customer, the inspection was completely ‘incognito’, so they had no idea that an inspector was present.
Following the inspection he told the Times that he was ‘delighted’ by the accolade.
He said: “The Old Fishmarket is the absolute expression of my passion for fresh seafood and hospitality. I know that sounds totally cheesy, but that’s the fact.
“It’s a no-holds-barred approach to the very best fish that the British Isles have to offer. In September last year, she turned 10 years old, which I’m incredibly proud of, having been told that I was completely mad, and that it would fail within months.”
Mr Sankey added: “I’m delighted to share this award with our entire team – not just those working with us today, but those who have worked with us from the start.
“Whilst it’s my family name above the door, Sankey’s is very much a team operation, and these rosettes are for each and every single person who has been a part of it.”
