10:34am Thursday 25th February 2010
By Adrianne Maslen
THE changes at By the Bay Restaurant in Lyme Regis in recent months have been remarkable, with a fresh new menu and sophisticated décor to match.
The friendly welcome by the attentive staff, the local musicians playing in the corner, and the stunning views of the bay and Cobb from the panoramic windows all made this a very relaxed dining experience.
We were shown to our seats at a prime spot by the window, where we sat by candlelight and were served instantly.
The waiter competently advised us on our wine choice and delivered the bottle of French Sauvignon Blanc with a basket of bread.
I opted out of a starter in favour of a dessert, although my companion went for the West Country crab stack, which came beautifully presented with cucumber slices and a red pepper dressing.
Carrying on the fish theme (given that the fish was freshly bought in from local suppliers), my companion chose the pan-fried cod loin for his main meal, served with sweet potato mash, a garlic and rosemary butter sauce and vegetables.
This was again elegantly presented and packed with flavour, although more sweet potato mash would have been appreciated. With hindsight, we should have had a side order of chips or sautéed potatoes.
I decided on the chicken breast stuffed with vine tomatoes, spinach and gruyere cheese, served with buttered cabbage and turned potatoes. The chicken was moist and the sweetness of the tomatoes contrasted well with the richness of the cheese.
The presentation was once again flawless and would not have been out of place in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
I had also been tempted by the Ashdale beef sirloin steak, while my partner enviously watched the ‘gourmet’ fish and chips passing our table, with the battered fish so big it was hanging off the plate.
It was an easy choice for dessert – the sticky toffee pudding served with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream – and my companion went for the cheese and biscuits, which included all West Country cheeses.
The sticky toffee pudding was melt in the mouth but very rich and a generous portion, so I failed to polish it off completely. While the sophisticated menu and décor might not have been out of place in a top restaurant run by some ‘celebrity chef’, we didn’t find eating at By the Bay the least bit pompous.
They have managed to get the balance exactly right between refinement and informality and I look forward to another relaxed and enjoyable evening there.
* By the Bay Restaurant, Marine Parade, Lyme Regis, 01297 442668. Opening hours: Wednesday and Sunday – 10am until dusk, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – 10am to 9pm, Monday and Tuesday – closed.
My By the Bay bill
Bread basket: £1.95
West Country crab stack: £6.95
Pan-fried cod loin: £13.95
Stuffed chicken breast: £13.25
Cheese and biscuits: £6.95
Sticky toffee pudding: £4.95
Bottle of Sauvignon Blanc: £12.95
TOTAL: £60.95
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