A Fishy Sunday Lunch in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

After a Saturday that was marred by high winds and heavy rain we awoke on Sunday to clear blue skies, and decided to go down to Old Leigh-on-Sea, Essex and enjoy a long walk by the ‘sea’, in fact the Thames Estuary, before having lunch by the sea.

 

It appeared that lots of people had the same idea as the coastal path was swarming with keen walkers, many accompanied by dogs of all varieties, who were taking advantage of the sunny, brisk weather.

The point of this exercise was to work up an appetite as we had booked a table at a fish restaurant highly recommended by a good friend.

Leigh-on-Sea is famed for its cockle sheds which have been a favourite for years of East Enders who would make the trip down the river to visit the bright lights, seaside and longest UK pier ( 1 1/3 miles) at Southend-on-Sea. Part of the fun was to eat a plate of locally caught cockles by the sea, which you can still do, at Osborne Bros for example.

However we had booked a table ‘on the covered, heated terrace’ at Simply Seafood. The building was converted last year from a cockle shed to a very smart restaurant as well as wet fish shop.

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Faced with a great choice of fishy dishes on the menu we chose the Fresh Seafood Platter for two. At £26.95 it was good value and very British; as well as the usual suspects, prawns, mussels, crab etc there were also the ubiquitous cockles as well as jellied eels (another Cockney delight) and rollmops! As another nod at healthy eating we started with a mixed salad and a tomato and mozzarella salad; the latter shouldn’t be on a menu in winter as tomatoes aren’t good in the autumn, basil is out of season and the mozzarella doesn’t look appetising, crumbled over the salad.

The fish was good though the crab left a little to be desired (it wasn’t like the crustacean I’d enjoyed at Terroirs a couple of weeks ago). Shame too that there were no oysters, as billed on the menu. It was the first time that Wink had tried jellied eels and was suitably impressed – it’s easier to eat them on a plate than, as the day trippers did, from a cardboard dish on a charabanc with a glass of brown ale…

From a decent, short wine list (I enjoyed the headings for the colours of wine – very Essex…) we chose Kuki Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Marlborough, New Zealand. A classic NZ Sauvignon it had the weight to match the brininess of the fish; indeed it wasn’t fazed by the rollmops, which weren’t too vinegary and with a sweet edge.

We shared a chocolate sponge, had coffee and paid the reasonable bill (£67.55 plus a tip).

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It was a good lunch, pleasantly and cheerfully served, and we shall return to enjoy other delights from their menu.

As well as Simple Seafood and the cockle sheds there are art galleries, a couple of pubs, teashops and wet fish shops. I disagree with the sentiments expressed on the first line of the blackboard of a nearby fishmonger, but their fish looks good!

Do visit Leigh-on-Sea: il vaut le détour…

Have you visited Leigh? Or Southend-on-Sea? Have you tried cockles or even jellied eels? Let me know – do leave a comment below!

Sunset over the 'sea'

Marley's Ghost buys his supplies in Leigh-on-Sea...

Wildlife teems in Leigh-on-Sea

Local college wall art offering very good advice!

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