I tried lobster for the first time as part of Lisa Goodwin-Allen's new menu at Michelin-starred Northcote

That was the plain - and true - opinon of my fellow diners at Monday’s press launch of Northcote’s new Summer Gormet Menu, as I stared down the barrel of eating lobster for the first time in my life.

Not through lack of opportunity - completely a mental block on wanting to put something that has tentacles and come out of the sea, in my mouth.

But I wanted to stop being a wuss, because fish dishes are big hitters on the menu, which marks Lisa Goodwin-Allen’s return to Northcote after a brief departure. In an unsual step, she’s made lobster the main dish on the menu instead of meat, and there’s also a tubot dish, due to it’s seasonality and abundance.

It’s cooked on the barbeque from raw, and later poached in butter from lobster heads. On top is frozen foie and mooli radish, with tarragon tweels, with a seabuckthorn puree and thermidor sauce.

So, what was it like? Well, actually sublime. The lobster - hidden under pretty sprays of greenery, was meaty, succulent and had a subtle flavour, complimented well with the foamy, rich (and cheesy) thermidor sauce. I would describe the whole plate as delicate, but the seabuckthorn puree sbsolutely packed a punch and stole the show. Lisa described it as being ‘like Marmite’, and I loved it.

Another fish dish on the menu was the wild turbot, poached in its own stock and served with courgette puree, guanciale (Spanish cured pork cheek), a pillow of Ricotta cheese, a bacon emulsion, bacon cracker and pork bacon sauce.

This was another visual delight, with the eyes drawn to the two-tone courgette wheels. The fish was of course cooked beautifully, but again, for me, it was an accompaniment that really stood out. The smoky bacon transparent jelly-like disc, right in the centre of the plate fooled the senses. There’s no way you’d know how much salty, smoky, meaty goodness this was hiding. Then in a further twist, the lemony-Ricotta pillows cut through all of the richness, bursting with flavour.

The chilled Isle of Wight Tomato dish, served with warm sundried tomato bread and the greenest basil butter I’ve ever seen, really was a refreshing taste of summer. I could have been sat in a greenhouse, washed over with sounds of lawnmowers and birds eating this. The tomatoes, though small, packed in some big flavours, helped out by a rich garnish of goats cheese sauce, pickled radish, and tomato consume jelly. Lots of textures, loads of colour, and one that just reset your palette.

And talking of refreshing and something quintessentially summery - strawberries. The dessert, simply called English Strawberries, was indeed simple, but delightful. Served in a deep bowl with steam coming from tiny balls of strawberry places on the side, this panacotta-style clotted cream pudding wobbled it’s way both into my mouth and into my heart. I loved how the comforting almond-flavoured tweel worked with the richness of the panacotta, the sharpness of the berries and the sweetness of the elderflower preserve. A show stopper, for sure.

There were also ‘snacks’ beforehand - a one-mouthful-sized take on the butter pie, and a small but mighty corned beef hash. Just right to rev up the senses before the main event.

Northcote offers both a wine flight and an alcohol-free version. As I was driving, I opted for the teetotal version, and was pleasantly surprised. Gone are the days of it all tasting like Shloer - now the wines smell and taste like wine, but without the sharp kick. Some were sweeter than others, but all refreshing and fitting. There was even a carbonated tea drink, which had everyone talking around the table.

So, all in all, a hugely memorable meal. Lisa and her team, back with a bang, have managed to get me out of my comfort zone and mesmirised by flavour combinations I wouldn’t have expected, presented in the most beautiful ways.

A triumph. And you can try it for yourself for £145.00 per person.

For more information, visit: www.northcote.com

(On the day, the roast quail dish found on the Summer Gormet Menu was not presented.)