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Saturday Guardian 5th July
2008
Top Ten outside tables... Tresanton
Hotel Cornwall... Trawlers on the Quay Looe
Sunday Telegraph - 27
January 2008
Trawlers on the Quay restaurant: Watch the daily catch come
in just feet away from this airy restaurant decked with local art. John
Dory, fresh from the fish market along the quay, is served with crab
thermidor.
Holiday Cottages Magazine
- May 2007
‘What of Looe?. We visited it twice, first to sample the
much-recommended Trawlers on the Quay restaurant. As its name suggests,
it’s just yards from where the fishing boats tie up and the thriving
fish market: Looe may be known as a holiday resort, but it has a real
working side.
“It’s as good as Rick Stein’s and half the price”, was the
recommendation that sold the restaurant to me, and it turned out to be
spot on. The fish, of course, is all locally caught and fabulously
cooked. You can even drink local wine from the highly rated Camel Valley
vineyard - we got off to a fine start with a glass of sparkling Pinot
Noir rose, which is pink champagne by another name.
Even in February, you need to book ahead to secure a table. We were
squeezed in on a Saturday provided we ate early. The restaurant was
filled by 7.30pm with almost entirely local diners – always a good sign.
My starter was seared scallops with a butternut squash puree, basil
pesto and a fresh parmesan crisp - the scallops were sweet and succulent
- while Eve had Cornish seafood gumbo, which was spicy and full of fishy
bits and pieces. Along with these came a selection of freshly baked
breads - a real speciality of the house, baked each morning by co-owner
Mark Napper.
Sticking with fish, I had a trio of Looe fish caught that day, with a
Camel Valley white wine sauce, while Eve loved her pan fried monkfish
wrapped in pancetta. Other possibilities included duck, local beef and
risotto. Sadly, we had no room for the puddings, but others were oohing
and aahing over them.
Of course, half Rick Stein’s prices is still not cheap. We paid £75 for
two courses and one bottle of wine but that was for really memorable
food based on the freshest ingredients. The cooking is accomplished and
simple enough to let the natural flavours shine in all their glory.
Compared with the £50 you can pay these days for a very run-of-the-mill
pub meal for two, it was incomparably better value. In summer you can
eat at tables by the quay, but even in winter the setting is great, with
views past the fishing boats and the lights of West Looe reflected in
the river’. John and Eve Kerswell
Toptable.co.uk
“Trawlers on the Quay was a lovely modern restaurant with a great
menu, featuring fabulous locally caught fish. The trio of fish as a main
course was sea bass, john dory and lemon sole when we were there - all
the fish was delicious. Great starter of crab and local lobster,
accompanied by yummy home made breads. Puds were great - recommend the
trio of pots; lemon posset, crème brule and a chocolate orange panacotta.
Very busy and lively place - arkwork for sale on the walls.” AOH
28.04.07
Eat Out Cornwall
“Just found your very useful web site and would like to add our
favourite Cornish restaurant Trawlers on the Quay - we have visited many
times – well worth the drive from Gloucestershire. Small intimate
atmosphere - fabulous location watching the catch being landed. The food
is quite amazing and we can heartedly recommend all the fish dishes
especially the scallops and the trio of pots and must also mention the
quite unique and and delicious home made breads All local produce –
food miles obviously work here! Can’t wait for our next visit”. Clive
and Yvonne Edmonds
The Which 2007 Guide
Grading 3 –
“Right on the Quay, with views of buzzing harbour side activity, the
pale-blue fronted Trawlers is right in the heart of the action, and wears
its Cornishness with pride (even the bottled water is from Bodmin). With
the fish market steps away, a menu that emphasises seafood is probably no
surprise, although there are a couple of meat dishes and some vegetarian
specials as well. Expertly steamed Fowey mussels, a classic gratin of
scallops with a light-textured sauce, and perfectly sautéed John Dory and
brill, plus deftly handled Cajun spicing complementing bass, cod and
succulent monkfish. Velvety leek and potato soup with puffy ham beignets,
clean flavours in lemon posset and utterly correct crème brûlée show that
skills don’t stop at fish, as do ‘truly delicious’ breads and rich coffee
with chocolate truffles. A modest but interesting wine list starts at
£13.50, with most bottles below £20, and there are local beers and cider”.
The Hardens
London and UK Restaurant 2005 Guide
Grading ‘very
good’ – “locally caught seafood, given a twist by a Louisiana chef” is
making quite a name for this quayside outfit – in the evening, it can get
“crowded”.