Fishing for compliments!
This was our first visit for some months to one of the few specialist fish restaurants in the area, and we were pleased to see that the key elements of dinner at Loch Fyne in Chelmsford remain unchanged.
The small bar area, where, as we were early, our party of four, elected to have drinks first, is hardly cosy, but comfortable enough although we were disappointed to learn from the friendly bar staff, that draught beer was no longer available.
We asked to see the menus at the bar and after one reminder they arrived. The menu remains reassuringly the same, other than the very limited selection of ‘Specials’ and the wine list is reasonably varied and priced.
We all chose different starters as well as mains and ordered our wine, a well priced Muscadet Sur Lie, while at the bar too as past experience has shown us that at busy times the bar sometimes struggles to cope.
We were take to our table and after a slight wait our wine arrived, although it took three requests before we received a jug of tap water and glasses.
There was general agreement that the all the food was of a good quality and well presented and certainly my main course of smoked haddock on a bed of colcannon topped with a poached egg was as excellent as usual.
Towards the end of the meal, deserts f(or three of us) coffees and brandies were served promptly, as we requested and, despite it not being advertised an ‘Irish Coffee’ was also produced with a minimum of delay.
The bill of around £45 per head, including pre-dinner drinks and service was, we all felt, reasonable and the service freindly and efficient.
We will certainly be back and hope to find as few changes as on this visit, to what is a tried and tested formula.