REVIEW: Sumas Restaurant, Gorey Hill, St Martin, Jersey

Is there such thing as a perfect restaurant? I’m not sure. I guess it all depends on what your view of perfect is because mine is a little varied. The word “perfect” really depends on the venue, their ethos and ultimately what sort of food and the environment they serve it in. That’s what I love about Sumas Restaurant in Jersey – it has an element of almost every type of restaurant and encompasses in to one perfectly formed package. In short, Sumas really is near perfect. The restaurant is situated looking directly over the harbour and up to Gorey Castle. We were lucky enough to dine here on a beautiful day, seated in the outdoor terrace, next to the window with the sun beating down on our face and a light warm breeze.

I’m not entirely sure how long Sumas has been here for but from conversations on the island, it’s been around for a while and its reputation is astonishing. People I have spoken to in Jersey couldn’t give Sumas more praise even if they tried. The restaurant is sister venue to the luxurious Longueville Manor Hotel which is just a short drive away. We started our meal here with a glass of chilled rose Champagne and selection of incredibly well executed breads – the curry infused loaf was particularly special. The butter was nice too, for the few minutes it was solid at least from that blistering warm sun.

What better way to enjoy Jersey than with fresh oysters. Jersey is famed for them and these were quite possibly some of the best examples we’d ever eaten and I don’t say that every day. Our waitress urged us to try a poached variant alongside the classic and while it was utterly delicious, I still preferred the oysters in their most simplistic form, giving you that real taste and sense of the sea. An incredible starter of seared local squid, pickled carrot, fennel, radish and pesto was astonishingly good. The squid was cooked to sheer perfection and the flavours were dancing on the plate and exploding in the mouth. Elements of sweet, sour, salty – it had everything you could ever want from food but on a single plate. One of the most enjoyable things I ate while in Jersey.

Food isn’t the only thing that’s great here, the wine is too. A carefully selected choice of very good value wines. We opted for a thirst quenching Provence rose which paired beautifully with just about everything we ate. A Slaney Gold rib eye steak was one of our mains and while it may look a little ordinary, it was anything but. An absolutely stunning piece of meat which was accompanied by golden & crisp thick cut chips, steamed vegetables and a rich bacon lardon jus. Perfect for pouring over that steak. Pan fried local turbot was another stunner, served with a glossy  & vibrant Thai style coconut curry alongside juicy bok choi and roasted seasonal veg. Every mouthful of this dish was so well-balanced you really had to wonder just how far the kitchen team here could go if they wanted to. There is so much talent.

I’m not sure of the person’s name or just how long they have been working here but Sumas has an incredible pastry chef, creating desserts not only with style, but substance. We ate what was easily one of the best chocolate fondants that will ever grace a plate, served with stracciatella ice cream, praline and a passionfruit sauce. The fondant was every bit as decadent and well executed as we’d hoped, and more. Once your fork got anywhere near the delicate sponge, warm chocolate sauce came pouring out across the plate. A visually stunning mango & ginger mousse was also astounding, revealing a fruity centre in the centre of the light mouse sphere. The pastry chef really is an asset to this place.

Finishing up on some devilishly chocolate petit fours it was sadly time to leave Sumas Restaurant, yet it still meant we could appreciate the stunning views with a glass of wine from a neighbouring bar. Sumas is a rare occurrence these days. It’s not often you find a restaurant with such an impeccable dining experience and menu so tantalising and well prepared you’re left salivating even before the food arrives. Sumas will most certainly be top of my list when visiting Jersey and it should be at the top of yours.

9/10