Quay Restaurant and White Hart Bar, The

The Quay Restaurant and White Hart Bar is the latest culinary expedition by Damien Hirst and is home to a unique and substantial collection of the artist's works with the Harbourside room dedicated to his Pharmacy theme and many other examples throughout using butterflies, fish and shells.

Hirst has backed Simon Browne and his team in this refreshing restaurant and bar. Formerly The White Hart Inn, the classical fronted building has been beautifully restored and now relates well to the stunning views out to the Atlantic and the traditional harbour of this ancient port.

The Quay is now in its fourth year and The Bar, Harbourside and Atlantic dining rooms all do the business every day, offering a substantial menu that covers the whole range from nibbles to go with your drinks to a good three course dinner. A typical meal could take the form of a rich crab bisque with freshly home baked sourdough bread; red mullet, braised fennel and chorizo  and warm chocolate fondant with Vanilla Ice cream.

The insistence on local seafood is understandable and welcome, and two fantastic seafood platters are now available including lobster, crab, mussels, clams and oysters. Two or more people can share a Grand Platter for £58. If meat is what you are after there's always plenty of game in season from nearby Exmoor, and there's a generous t-bone steak from locally bred, well hung beef.

West Country cheeses are a force to be reckoned with, and at the Quay they tend to include little known but superb farmhouse varieties. For larger parties bespoke menus can be arranged with Head Chef Laurence Hill-Wickham and his wife Jen who has recently joined the team as General Manager.

Don't miss out on the Sunday lunch either! If you check the weather and the tides there's no more exciting venue for a lunchtime feast than The Atlantic room; it's in the form of an upturned boat and virtually floating in the Ocean.

A wine list that would delight the heart of the average oenophile awaits your attention, with some very interesting contributions from the world over, including a local Sharpham Dart produced by Ruth and Maurice Ash and a sparkling wine from nearby Camel Valley. Clearly a list compiled by somebody who knows and loves wine.