It took quite a while to select a main course, as I dithered and swithered over sole, cod and halibut. Eventually I selected Grilled Fillet of Cod, with confit potatoes and crushed truffle peas. This is in fact a gourmet take on Fish & Chips with mushy peas. Served on a long rectangular white platter, the artistic presentation is superb. And then the first taste. Heavenly, delicate, tender flakes of pure white fish, beside a stack of chip-shaped, al dente potatoes with crushed truffle-scented peas. Absolutely fabulous. Meanwhile my partner chose Grilled Fillets of Lemon Sole with roast cherry and basil risotto. Again this is exquisite just to look at. Two neatly rolled fillets of Persil white sole were placed on a bed of risotto, again all cooked to perfection. Another dish, which I could have been tempted with, is the Poached Smoked Haddock, with crushed potatoes, poached egg and hollandaise sauce. For those who prefer meat there is always an alternative such as Terrine of Foie Gras to start followed by Breast of Duck with Dauphinoise potatoes.
Portions are just perfect and the pace is leisurely so that you don't feel overly full after two courses. Service by the way hits the mark - a young team of men and women are attentive, professionally trained, yet not too fussy or formal. While this is definitely a fine dining experience, the ambience is relaxed and fairly casual.
The Seafood Restaurant So, after a breather, time for pudding. Nothing too heavy with desserts like Crème Brulée with plum compote and hazelnut tuile, or Tiramisu. I opted for the Pear and Bramble Mille-feuille, expecting very thin layers of filo pastry in between the fruit. Unfortunately this turned out to be a more modern version with the layers made of crunchy sesame biscuits. Not quite the same thing as the classic French pastry. My partner however was oohing and aahing over his Crème Brulée. Then to finish a strong dark espresso. We shared a half bottle of white wine at a very reasonable £ 10 and a bottle of sparkling water.
The Dinner menu is more extensive with a superb choice of six starters and main courses but featuring a similar menu style as at lunchtime. Starters may also include Thai Crab Salad or Smoked Haddock Rarebit with creamed leeks followed by Poached Red Snapper with wilted spinach and mussels.