Surrey Restaurant - Loch Fyne in Farnham
Above: Loch Fyne is located in an attractive building in Farnham
Above: The presentation at Loch Fyne is spectacular
Above: You can even do a bit of shopping at the fresh fishery
A Scottish takeover in Downing Street? Yes indeed; however, this is not a reference to Gordon Brown as Prime Minister but the news that Loch Fyne has recently opened a new restaurant in Downing Street, Farnham, their 31st nationwide and their fourth in Surrey. I went along for lunch to see if the chain’s philosophy of “serving top quality fish and shellfish in relaxed and friendly surroundings” rings true with so many outlets to consider.
Relaxed and friendly? Without a doubt. The welcome was warm and jolly, and the main dining room bright and open and packed with couples, groups and a healthy spattering of families, with kids obviously welcome. My wife Mary Ann and I were seated in a quiet corner of the conservatory with views across the dining room in all directions.
The restaurant had only recently opened and the staff were still learning the ropes, not that you would have noticed from the virtually seamless service. My starter of six oysters on ice tasted as fresh as they looked and were complemented perfectly by a dash of shallot vinegar and a squeeze of lemon. Mary Ann chose moules marinieres, a generous mountain of succulent shellfish even when chosen as a starter.
For a main course, we decided on the hot and cold shellfish platter for two with lobster (you can chose crab as an alternative), which to some extent duplicated our starters. But no matter; the selection was so broad and inviting that the odd oyster and mussel were by no means unwelcome. The content of the platter varies depending on availability but ours included shell-on Scottish langoustines, crayfish, queen scallops, Atlantic prawns, crevettes, Cornish squid and cockles.
This was seafood heaven – everything super fresh, visually appealing as well as a joy to the tastebuds, and washed down with a half bottle of well chilled Muscadet sevres et maine 2005 – then another!
We even had room for something from the dessert board, crème brulee for Mary Ann and fruit ashet for me, both light and equally fresh.
From our experience, it’s easy to see why the Loch Fyne restaurant chain is prospering. Not only do they provide high quality food at a reasonable price, they also take pride in ensuring that all products and ingredients used are derived from wild, free range or sustainable source. You can even have a takeway of sorts; at the heart of the dining room is a fishmongers counter where you can purchase seafood!
Loch Fyne Restaurant, 3 Downing Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7NX. Tel: 01252 748030.
www.lochfyne.com
What we ate: Starters Six oysters on ice - £7.95
Moules marinieres - £5.95
Main Courses
Hot and cold shellfish platter with lobster (for 2) - £39.95
Desserts Crème brulee - £4.95
Fruit ashet - £4.95
Drinks
Muscadet sevres et maine 2005 (half bottle) - £9.00
The Verdict: Food and wine 9/10
Venue 8/10
Service 8/10
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