On a glorious hot day, most of our thoughts always lead us to the beach and being here in the North East we are spoiled for choice. If you are sick of the usual greasy fish and chips then you most definitely need to head to Latimer’s Seafood Deli & Cafe at Whitburn.
Highly regarded in the region and recently voted Fishmonger of the year 2015, Robert Latimer uses his vast experience as a fisherman to deliver high quality produce and has passed them on to his knowledgeable staff at the wet fish counter. Not only can you buy your fresh seafood, the staff will give you advice on the best way to cook and prepare dishes using your produce. This alone is what sets Latimers apart from other fish retailers.
With a beautiful sun terrace looking out over Whitburn beach, read on to find out what we thought of our visit.
Rocking up at 11.45 on a Saturday we thought we’d be spoiled for choice on seats but thanks to the long running and long standing reputation we were very lucky to bag the last 2 seats on the pretty outside terrace.
With Whitburn beach so close and the sun shining so bright, you could easily fool yourself that you are in the Med.
To whet our whistles we started with Oysters (3 for £4.95) which were freshly prepared and presented with lemon and Tabasco. Big, juicy and almost sweet to the taste, they were absolutely delicious. I am pleased the oyster had been separated from the shell as not everywhere seems to do this and it makes eating an oyster go from an effortless enjoyment to a fiddly task with a fork!
We followed up with a Latimer’s Seafood Platter with Dressed Crab (£14.95) to share. A huge, fresh feast was laid before us and we didn’t know where to start. Our platter contained prawns, crayfish, mussels in vinegar, salad leaves, a seafood and juicy crevettes to peel yourself.
Plentiful and simply presented on a quirky dish, everything was abundant and fresh. From the sweet white crab meat to the dressed seafood salad it was all very good and excellent value for money. For £14.95 you simply cannot do better. Maybe a side order of some crusty bread or Marie Rose sauce might be appealing to those non-purists
Of course we had to indulge in some chips too. Thick chunky chips, perfectly fried and crisp. Yum. They were a cracking accompaniment to the fresh seafood.
The service was prompt and pleasant and I know I have said fresh more times than I care to count in this review, I cannot convey how fresh everything is. Ok, not every seaside restaurant uses completely fresh fish and seafood. It’s the nature of the catering beast but you need never fear at Latimer’s.
On the way out, I recommend stocking up on some goodies to take home too!