The Magpie Cafe, Whitby

This place is James' favourite fish and chip place in the whole of Whitby.  Normally there is a queue that stretches out of the front door, down the steps and along the road.  And therefore we have only been here once before.

The Magpie Cafe has a very extensive menu, all kinds of seafood and shellfish.  Different kinds of fish that I've never even heard of, let alone tried before.  It has classic chippy options as well as a whole host of other seafood dishes.  But we came for the fish as chips!  My favourite thing about the menu is that due to a long list of fish options, there is a section which explains to you what each type of fish is like, look, taste and texture.

James had the regular haddock and chips, I opted for a small woof (YES, WOOF!) and chips.  We shared a dish of mushy peas, and there was more than enough for two.  Mine came without skin, which is how I prefer my battered fish.  The woof was meaty and moist without being overly oily, just this side of cooked.  But small?!  The pictures show that this small was the average chip shop's idea of a normal sized portion.  Makes a refreshing change from most restaurants who think that to be successful the portions must be tiny.  James' regular haddock was enormous and had the skin on, which is how James likes it.  Again the fish was perfectly cooked.  The batter on both was crunchy and dry, exactly as I would wish it to be.  The chips were crisp on the outside and almost perfectly fluffy in the middle.  Only my Grandad makes better chips!  Chunky and thick cut.  Again, I ended up eating them with my hands in the middle of the restaurant, scooping the mushy peas up with the chips.  The peas were perfect.  Thick and...well, what can you say about mushy peas?  They were mushy!  The right texture and consistency.  The dishes were automatically brought with a dish of tartar sauce and a bottle of tomato sauce.

I have to say, The Magpie Cafe gets my first 10/10.  I have only ever had the fish and chips so I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but they were faultless.  The waitresses were so pleasant and friendly, even when the weather was so appallingly cold and wet!  I can understand why the queue is always so long.  It's worth joining it.

Marine, Whitby

This restaurant was the first one we dined in together when we first came to Whitby.  We were out late looking for a place to eat and we found Marine.  I say 'found', it's slap bang on the quayside opposite the fortune teller.  Ever since we first ate here, we make a point of coming every time we are in town.

As we entered this time, we were greeted by a gentleman on a piano.  He was taking requests and whilst he may not have had a classical voice, he was very talented and he kept the atmosphere upbeat without being overbearing.  It was very inviting, especially when it was about -10 degrees outside.  The seasonal menu boasted all kinds of seafood, from mussels and oysters to lobster and paella.  There is also a meat section, but as I said in my previous post, I'm strictly a seafood girl when I hit the coast.  Especially when it's so fresh (caught that morning). 

We both plumped for the seafood chowder to start.  According to James,a chowder is always seafood, but I won't hold that against them.  It was full of lumps of fresh fish and clams.  The broth was thick and creamy, the flavour was deep and satisfying.  I have to say, it was very filling for a starter.  James had it previously and it was just as good as we remember.

For a main I had the fisherman's pie.  Mistake.  The pie itself was gorgeous.  The mash that topped it was crispy on top without being burnt, the sauce was thick, rich and buttery. It was billed as having prawns, chunks of fish and queen scallops.  I found one scallop which was perfectly cooked, fat and meaty.  The prawns and the fish in turn were each very well cooked.  But the sauce itself was cloying and lacking in seasoning, and I have to admit, after the chowder this dish was simply too rich and filling for me.  I would have each of the courses again, but not one after the other.  For a chowder starter one should choose a lighter main and vice versa.  James, it being his birthday, opted for a whole lobster.  Whilst more expensive then when last we had them, for a fresh lobster cooked with either thermidor or plain with a drizzle of lemon for less that £20 can't really be argued with.  James had it with thermidor.  Again, the sauce was too rich for me but he loved it.  It was meaty and salty, and came with a little grappling hook stick thing for pulling the last bits of lobster out of the shell.  James, being a caveman, didn't need such a fiddly thing.  The lobster was served with salad, fries and a wedge of lemon.  The fries were crisp but nothing extra special.

 
I give Marine a 9/10.  The food was delicious, the atmosphere fantastic and the wine list extensive.  We opted for the house sauvignon blanc and it was light and zesty, perfect accompaniment with so much seafood.  I tend to mark down anything I have to add extra seasoning to, but still my favourite restaurant yet in Whitby.

The Board Inn, Whitby

James and I adore Whitby.  We go for at least one night every year, so this year we went for James' birthday.  We ended up setting off late due to car trouble and were starving when we got there.  We've been to The Board Inn before for drinks, it's a stereotypical Yorkshire pub, with a 19th century decor.  Its serves your everyday pub fare as well as a selection of seafood dishes (it is the coast).  James opted for a steak and ale pie, whereas when I'm in Whitby I eat seafood only!  So I had the scampi. 

James' pie was delicious.  It came with mash and peas which were soft, buttery and light, as they should be.  The pie had the best gravy I've tasted in a long time.  I even dipped my chips in his left over gravy because I'm one of those that eats with my fingers in public.  My scampi was just heaven.  It was salty and crisp,the breadcrumbs were light, not too much oil.  I hadn't had scampi in a long time, it was exactly what I wanted.  It came with garden peas, salad and fries.  I'm not normally one for fries but they were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  I would definitely have the scampi again from here next time we go.

The dishes we chose happened to be two for £13, which wasn't bad to say that most places in Whitby are quite pricey, even the pubs.  There was also salads, sandwiches and paninis available.  The pub itself has a back room that looks over the bay and harbour.  They often have live music in the evenings and the staff are very friendly and polite.  We have kind of adopted it as our 'Whitby local'.

9/10.  The only reason I haven't given it 10 is because I'm a chips not fries kind of girl and with it being a pub the drinks were a tad over priced.  I fully recommend it as a hidey hole with a view.