Have you been to Coarse yet?
As it approaches four years of being probably the best restaurant in Durham, it’s now joined by little sister restaurant Isla, named after owner Ruari’s little ‘un.
I say now, Isla is also approaching its second birthday having opened in July 2024. If you remember, I loved Coarse. It’s perfectly pitched. Durham needed it. I said then:
I still feel like Durham is wildly underrepresented by great restaurants. Hopefully Coarse builds on the success of the likes of Barrio Comida to make Durham the dining destination it really should be. We shall see.
Well, we know what happened with Barrio. Aside from Faru, which is bloody great, but at the top end (££££) for Durham, Ruari is, between Coarse and Isla, carrying the entire Durham restaurant scene on his own.
The vibe I get from Isla is something like: sharing gastropub cooking in a light and breezy casual restaurant setting. If you added some wood panelling and that ‘old pub smell’, it’d remind me a lot of the Travellers Rest.
What that means in reality, is ‘small plates’. It’s become a dirty phrase. Abused by many: too often it means £11.95 for five fried balls on a plate designed for three to share. You can get away with it, if the cooking is good. It rarely is.
When we’ve ordered at Isla, it’s been the joyfully tough decision of thinking what not to choose, because everything on the menu sounds great. What you get here is probably what chef wants to eat, just not as dressed up as it is at Coarse.
It sits happily somewhere between Coarse’s formality and structure, and more gently in a space where you just order whatever, have a load of wine and enjoy the afternoon. It’s nice inside, full-length windows keep it airy and light, and the tables are well spaced. The young waiting team give a positive vibe befitting of the space. It all makes it ‘feel’ like a Durham restaurant.
I’ll go through some of the dishes we’ve had over a few visits to give you a flavour — but you pick what you want. Short of a couple of plates which should stay on the brunch menu (prawns on toast isn’t really an interesting treatment, and there are only so many fried things you should order in one go), the menu is full of temptation. Portion sizes vary, though. Korean pork belly bites are glorious but a few mere morsels, and the pickles with cheese are at best, a smattering. Order a few dishes and ‘see how you get on’.
Some of the smaller small plates — arancini, cauli fritters, broccoli are familiar and ‘just’ good. But for each of these there’s an equivalent that stays in memory. Order the rostis, these are as good as any potato dish I’ve had in ages, and the bar for potato continues to rise. These are crisp and crunchy. Soft and not too greasy. I wish we’d ordered more. A dozen places in Durham would fry some pre-bought hash browns and call it a day. These are a labour of love.
Other faves — the featherblade is everything you want from a hunk of beef. It falls apart with a gentle prod. There’s a rich gravy, crispy onions. It’s a pleasure to eat.
Scallops are textbook, in a classic combo which isn’t anything new but supremely executed. The soufflé will stay on the menu forever, it’s a cracker — lots of cheese and lighter than you think. There’s a chicken schnitzel with wild garlic butter. Howay…
If you look back on thoughts about Travs and Coarse, you’ll see that Ruari puts ‘nduja on everything, and I’m still not complaining. Here it’s on potatoes, Mac and cheese, and notably, with monkfish, kale and crème fraîche. This is a classic dish and it’s a genuine banger. Everything just harmonises. Monkfish, well it’s always good when it’s cooked well, then spicy sausage tickles your palate and smoked crème fraîche ties it all up. Great dish.
If Coarse took Ruari’s repertoire (including this monk dish) and refined it — smartened-up plates, elevated service, then Isla strips it back closer to the original story. Both work, because whether it’s the tasting menu or the casual version, it’s stuff that works together, cooked well.
If you’re oenophile-ish, it’s one of Durham’s better offerings, too. Pro Tip: Head to Crush next door for afters and a post-match analysis. Isla doesn’t really have a glass above a tenner. So as with the food, it’s easy to over-order. ‘Go on then’… I don’t think they change very frequently, but you’ll not go wrong. Do start with the £6.50 cava. No regrets.
These desserts look simple — you can see where the brunch menu ends and the main menu begins — but worthy of mention as they were all surprisingly delicious. Not dishes I’ll crave for years afterwards, but just well executed, solid flavours, textures — crafted. Again, the bar in Durham is low, but Isla leads the way.
It’s a city that still needs another four or five places like this. But until then, Isla is a casual version of everything that makes Coarse one of my faves. Spend the four quid and twenty minutes to get the train down to Durham, sink a few wines, order as much as you like and enjoy a genuinely strong take on small plates that wouldn’t be at all out of place in NE1.
Contact: islabycoarse.restaurant
Address: 53 North Rd, Durham, DH1 4SF
Opening: Tues–Sat: 09:00ish–22:00ish (check the site for up to date info)
