Seadogs

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2011 edition.

Having relocated from Rose Street to Hanover Street in early summer 2012, Seadogs now nuzzles in close to its sister businesses The Dogs restaurant and Underdogs basement bar. The ground floor space remains largely unchanged from its previous incarnation as Amore Dogs, the Italian Dogs spin-off. With high ceilings and multiple split-level dining areas including a balcony, it feels spacious and calm yet buzzes with young waitresses hurrying between the beeping dumb waiter and a turnover of hungry eaters. Seadogs is determinedly 'no frills' – an admirable approach, except that it does have negative as well as positive connotations. Seadogs' simple approach sees no-nonsense, friendly service, reused cutlery and mismatched glassware, but the house wine is fairly rough and some dishes lack finesse – the intriguing sounding Albion seafood casserole, a bland ratatouille-type base with a hunk of indiscriminate fish on top served in an iron skillet, perhaps sums up the rough-and-ready approach. Yet it's still manages to be an endearing place, fashioning itself as something more than a posh fish 'n' chips joint with a wide variety of British-rooted food at keen prices including starters of whitebait, fish pâté, chowder and mussels, while mains feature hake, coley and salmon (though no dogfish) as well as seafood pies and paella, both available as sharing portions.

• High point: No frills fishy food with friendly service
• Low point: Some might appreciate a few frills