Last night I went to dinner with one of my oldest and dearest friends. When we met (many moons ago) he had a …. well lets say an ‘attachment’ to his ‘lazyboy’ arm-chair and endless episodes of ‘Jackass’….. but alas 10 years on he is a very succesful business man, script writer and what I recently discovered a rather fabulous restaurant critic. The latter being the reason for our dinner date and of course the much-needed wine and gossip!

Over dinner I asked M what made a good critic and what rules he had to adhere to whilst writing his critique. His reply was “No rules I just try to be funny”. It got me thinking it can’t be THAT hard to be a critic right? I can hear M’s sharp intake of breath as I type….. well maybe it isn’t that easy but all you need to do is say what you think, be honest and know what you’re talking about. So I’ve decided to give it ago I’m going to write a review of the meal we had and see how easy (or hard) it really is! Let me know hat you think!

‘Harbourmaster’ Aberaeron.

Nestled along a narrow harbour street in the small fishing village of Aberaeron is a cobalt-blue gem aptly named ‘ The Harbourmaster’. Whilst if you are not from the area an I can appreciate the effort it would take to visit this establishment. I can happily say its worth a trek. I have heard many a good thing of this restaurant  so my expectations are high when we arrive to dine. Greeted warmly we were invited to have a drink in the bar before being shown to our table. I scan around and notice that for a week night in a small town the bar is surprising busy a good sign I feel! Myself and M take a seat and enjoy a much-needed catch up(its been a while) over a crisp, fruity glass of Sauvignon Blanc. While M has a pint…ever the man!

When being shown to our table I take in the attention to detail of the decor. White wash striped bare pine, original wooden floorboards and a continued nautical theme throughout. We are given the table for two right by the open fire-place. Forgive me M for shooting straight to the seat furthest from the beautifully glowing fire. I hate to be to hot whilst I eat. I could see he wasn’t to impressed. I did offer to mop his brow!

I start with pan-fried scallops with caper and raisin purée, and caramelised cauliflower. Beautifully presented it’s a wonderfully balanced starter. The three perfectly cooked scallops swim like islands in the punchy puree and although M’s crab spring rolls look divine I am more than happy with my choice. My taste buds are left feeling as though someone has just had a ‘free party’ in my mouth.

For the next course I opt for a fillet of wild sea bass with gingered beetroot, Cardigan Bay crab ravioli and a citrus salad. This dish just looks exciting. The bold colours of the beetroot and salad allow my mind to drift off to thoughts of warmer climates. The sea bass couldn’t be any fresher without swimming on my plate and its cooked to culinary perfection, skin crispy and fish moist. My only real criticism of this dish and this is being picky is that the balance wasnt quite on the money. The beetroot and ginger puree was incredible sweet now don’t let me miss lead you it was absolutely mouth wateringly good and the combination of the roots worked as a great team. I would say that there was a little too much puree and not enough citrus. I really needed the citrus punch, unfortunately it was lost in the sweetness of the puree. For me citrus and fish go hand in hand like a culinary Will and Kate ( topical,  no?) but unlike the royal couple they were not allowed to marry in this dish. However with this in mind I lapped up every morsel and if I’m honest I’m being finicky!

When asked if we would like to see the desert menu I looked at M wondering if his thoughts match mine. Thank god they do.”Be rude not to!” we say in unison. Our waitress tells us there is no creme brulee. I can’t deny the fact I am a little disappointed, it’s usually my desert of choice, but upon looking at the menu I am comforted by the many more delicious loveliness on offer. I (after much deliberation) settle on the chocolate fondant. I’m glad they were out of creme brulee! A naughty little desert that finishes of my meal on a high note.

As I said I had heard only good of ‘The Harbourmaster’ prior to my visit and I can honestly say I could say nothing to change that opinion. The perfect location, inviting atmosphere and the attention to detail decor along with the high standard of food make ‘The Harbourmaster’ a unique dining experience for this area.

As M and I have our post meal cigarette on the harbour wall. We reflect on the meal.We both agree that it’s up there with the best we’ve had, and as I look at the boats bobbing peacefully on the water its one of those rare moment when I think “it doesn’t get much better than this”

See EASY