Loch Fyne is a small chain of seafood restaurants, located in unusual and historic buildings around the country. They specialise in high quality fresh and smoked fish and shellfish, all from sustainable sources. (They have removed swordfish, skate and monkfish from the menu due to their 'at ... Read review
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Advantages: Stylish, lively, good variety of quality seafood Disadvantages: No good if you hate fish!
Loch Fyne is a small chain of seafood restaurants, located in unusual and historic buildings around the country. They specialise in high quality fresh and smoked fish and shellfish, all from sustainable sources. (They have removed swordfish, skate and monkfish from the menu due to their 'at risk' status.)
The location in Winchester is particularly interesting, a 16th century jailhouse, one of the oldest buildings in Winchester. They ... ...supplied by their sister company Loch Fyne Oysters.
There are some non fish dishes on the menu, including beef and venison, but don't go there if you can't stand the smell of fish as it does tend to permeate the room!
Now down to the good stuff:
Starters generally cost £4-7 and include mussels (choice of two versions), oysters (natural or two varieties of cooked), several options of smoked salmon and gravadlax, ... more
Loch Fyne is a small chain of seafood restaurants, located in unusual and historic buildings around the country. They specialise in high quality fresh and smoked fish and shellfish, all from sustainable sources. (They have removed swordfish, skate and monkfish from the menu due to their 'at risk' status.)
The location in Winchester is particularly interesting, a 16th century jailhouse, one of the oldest buildings in Winchester. They have kept most of the original features, including galleries and beamed ceilings, and used lots of natural wood in the floors, panelling and furniture. The addition of art, photography and various marine items completes the stylish, 'medieval bistro' (!) look. There is also a courtyard area which is usually full during the summer months.
The atmosphere is usually pretty lively, so it isn't the place for a romantic candlelit meal for two. And the service is relaxed and informal, which can mean slow at busy times. One Saturday night we waited nearly an hour for our starters, which left us somewhat plastered with wine on empty stomachs! But the food is well worth the wait if you are a seafood lover, and you know it is being prepared as you wait.
The menu is based largely on fresh seafood prepared simply . Hot dishes are cooked to order and cold dishes prepared from an impressive display of seafood on ice. Unusually the prices are not 'market price' but all stated in the menu and pretty consistent across the chain. Apparently they can do this because a lot of the produce is supplied by their sister company Loch Fyne Oysters.
There are some non fish dishes on the menu, including beef and venison, but don't go there if you can't stand the smell of fish as it does tend to permeate the room!
Now down to the good stuff: Starters generally cost £4-7 and include mussels (choice of two versions), oysters (natural or two varieties of cooked), several options of smoked salmon and gravadlax, various soups and salads. You can buy the oysters individually or by the half or full dozen, allowing you to mix and match or make up your own platter if you have a large group. Main courses are around £8-12, and some typical examples are tuna steak, whole sea bass, and salmon steak, along with shellfish and the non seafood dishes. They are each served fairly simply, perhaps with a light sauce, allowing the flavour of the ingredients to come through. There are also hot and cold platters served on a spectacular tiered dish - with lobster for £35 or crab for £25. These typically include hot mussels and clams in the top dish with prawns, langoustines, oysters and the crab or lobster on ice on the lower level. It gets pretty messy and fingerbowls are provided! Veg/potatoes are extra (around £2), but you do get a basket of fresh bread included. There are desserts on the blackboard, so they vary from day to day. Typically around £4 they might include creme brulee, sticky toffee pudding or ice creams, with cheese as an alternative.
The portions, particularly the starters, are fairly large, so we tend to have a starter each (I particularly recommend the stronger of the smoked salmons, or the lobster bisque) and then share a crab platter between two, with a side order of chips. The food cost then comes to around £20/head, but you could go seriously overboard (scuse the pun) and spend a lot more. We've never made it to dessert!
The restaurants are open brasserie style throughout the day and there is often a special lunch menu available (it is seasonal) with two courses for around £10.
The wine list is reasonably extensive with a good selection at various price levels. You can get a decent bottle for £10-15.
And if you fancy yourself as a bit of a Floyd (Keith, not Pink), you can always buy the fresh fish from the counter and cook it at home!
