Harbourside Restaurant, Pier Hotel

On the quay in the heart of old Harwich, with splendid views of the Stour and Orwell estuaries the Pier at Harwich combines two historic properties and offers a choice of two quality restaurants and fourteen comfortable bedrooms.

The Pier is a very much a family concern, it is owned by the Milsom family who also are the proprietors of the highly acclaimed Le Talbooth Restaurant, Maison Talbooth Hotel and Milsoms Hotel and Restaurant in Dedham, Near Colchester.

You're left in no doubt about the nautical connections throughout the decor of the whole hotel, and the ambience is pleasantly carefree. Happily this also applies to the staff, who are relaxed and friendly but effective in a jolly sort of way.

On the first floor with large windows to make the most of the view, the Harbourside offers a sophisticated atmosphere and a wide ranging menu heavily laced with seafood, as one might expect from a property against whose foundations the sea itself washes and gurgles. Choices can vary from the traditional such as a classic Dover sole to the modern and oriental. Grilled fillet of wild sea-bass competes with pan-fried skate wing with baby caper and butter sauce, roast monkfish with crayfish sauce, tournedos of salmon, seared scallop and asparagus, not to mention the celebrated Pier fish and shellfish platter.

Starters offer a plate of home-smoked salmon - simply served with lemon and brown bread and butter, a terrine of smoked salmon, local crabmeat, prawns and leaf spinach with lime mayonnaise, and naturally local oysters, crab and lobster.

The smokehouse produces the most superb home smoked salmon with spiced brown shrimps, or a warm salad of smoked duck breast with pink peppercorn dressing. But for real treats the smoked eel terrine takes some beating.

Mains follow a similar piscatorial theme, but some concessions have been made with rump of English lamb, pan-fried sirloin steak with fat chips, and flash-fried calves' livers with a Madeira sauce all on offer. There is also a very intriguing invitation to customers who would like fish and chips or Chef's fish pie, which are regarded "as simpler dishes". When I tell you the pie contains cod, salmon, prawns, scampi and scallops in a saffron and white wine sauce, topped with creamed potatoes, that sounds pretty good to me. Dishes are appetizing, generous and exceptional value.

It is pleasing to report that after the sustained effort of creating such wonderful starters and main courses, the desserts are every bit up to the same standard. Puds that caught my eye included the Scots cranachan baked cream with a honey and whisky syrup, a chilled raspberry mousse with a raspberry liqueur sauce, and a chocolate and Grand Marnier torte with white chocolate sauce.

There is an extensive wine list centred on white wines with a particularly strong South African section.

For information on both the hotel and the two restaurants, their Website provides masses of detail from the menus to the wine list and more.