Waterfront Seafood Restaurant, Pewsey

(01672) 564020

The name Waterfront may well conjure up a mental image of an adjacent beach and the sound of lapping waves.

However this recently opened seafood establishment in what was previously a general bistro is about as far from the sea as you can get and it’s right at the side of the Kennet and Avon Canal with glorious views to the ramparts of Martinsell.

Patrick Johnson, who formerly ran the restaurant Panache in Swindon, has brought his seafood skills to the Waterfront, which seats less than 30 so booking is recommended.

I took along my wife Joy, who like me is not a great fish eater, daughter Claire and grandchildren Tom and Victoria, who love fish.

We were given a great welcome by front of house manager Lizzie that set the mood for a great evening.

To start with I ordered a smoked haddock and mozzarella fish cake that came with a delightfully dressed salad.

My wife and grandson started with tempura prawns served with a chilli dipping sauce while Claire and Victoria shared a plate of scallops, all of which were pronounced perfectly cooked and delicious.

For our main courses Victoria asked if she could have the tempura prawns with chips, while Tom tucked into what he said was a beautifully cooked sirloin steak; Claire had the house special seafood pie while Joy had a swordfish steak that came with a salmoriglio (olive oil, lemon and garlic) dressing and I had the battered cod with chips.

We all agreed that the food was extraordinary including the chips that we were surprised to find out were frozen.

We had been tempted to include the fish soup cullen skink among our starters and when we mentioned this to the waitress, after we had finished our meals, she brought out a complimentary bowlful and we all agreed it was just superb.

We were so well filled that we opted to share one dessert of a boozy chocolate cake laced with rum.

Throughout the evening Victoria had been asking us to score our dishes out of three and overall that came to 29 out of a possible 30.

The bill, including a bottle of wine and Cokes, came to a total of £87.29 after a 25 per cent deduction for a coupon we had clipped from that day’s Gazette. We all agreed it was value for money; great food in pleasant surroundings. We left planning when we could make a return visit.

Wheelchair access to the restaurant but not to the upstairs bar.

Open Tuesday to Thursday from 11am with last food orders at 8pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 8.30pm, Sundays 11am to 5pm.

Not open Mondays.

Large car park

Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Gazette without prior knowledge of the owners.