On a recent invite, I went for the baked crab thermidor – a comforting cheesy starter that’s so good it also comes as a main. The catch of the day was a shrimp dish, which was a little bit on the modest side, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it. I’d also recommend the fries: a friend recently told me you can tell how good a restaurant is by the quality of their fries, so in this case, they definitely come out on top. Best thing is you can expect to spend no more than £40 for three courses and a cocktail. Not bad, eh?

File under: After work drinks, dinner with work buddies, places for seafood lovers and date nights.

Check out pics from my visit below – and for more info about Crab Tavern, visit ww.crabtavern.co.uk. 

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Pic: Jamie Smith

Which makes new opening Shrimpy’s restaurant something of an anomaly, located as it is at The Filling Station, a former BP garage overlooking Regents Canal. Sat at the back of King’s Cross station, it’s visible from the road but gives no indication of what lies beneath (except for the neon green signage reminiscent of some lonely American diner, which is itself a sort of clue). The restaurant is run by the guys behind Bistrotheque, who commissioned architects Carmody Groarke to turn the space into a semi-permanent structure, replete with fibreglass walls whilst artist Donald Urquhart’s drawings adorn the walls of the dining area.

The food itself draws on influences from all corners of the American continent, with a menu featuring corn chowder reminiscent of the Deep South, ceviche, a Peruvian favourite, and a twist on the hamburger, replacing with the usual beef with soft shell crab, legs and all. As the name implies, the rest of the menu is heavy on the fish, with octopus, monkfish and lobster so strict vegetarians might not be best pleased. But, for everyone else, it’s way better than a Ginsters.

Shrimpy’s is at The Kings Cross Filling Station, Goodsway, N1C 4UR. For more info visit  www.shrimpys.co.uk (Words: Jane Duru) 

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Joined by a pescetarian buddy, we worked our way through the compact and mid-priced menu which features what you’d usually expect from a seafood joint; oysters (we’ll get onto those later), fish and chips for the comfort-eaters, a few meat selections for the reluctant  and a variety of curious-sounding and experimental dishes, which suggests a chef who understands it never hurts to give  seabass and cod a bit of a kick.

For our starters, the bouillabaisse was strong to taste, but well-balanced with fresh tomatoes, while the crab cakes had a thai twist and were livened up by the most subtle of coconut sauces. However, our favourite was the  seafood escabache, a refreshingly chilled assortment of crayfish, scallops, octopus, avocado and plum tomatoes, accented with lemon balm.

It was also two-thumbs up for the mains, and where the autumn vegetable pie was the more homely offering, the eclectic ocean fish – with its combination of sea bass, cod, mussels and scallops – was a worthy special with an impeccable risotto.

Then came the oysters. In fairness, you’ve got to be into oysters to judge them and so it was a good thing we went for the oyster experience – a selection that’s partially-cooked and seasoned with your choice of yuzu gelée (a lemon and orange fusion from Japan), chorizo & sherry vinegar, tempura & sweet soy sauce or parmesan & horseradish.  The latter flavour was definitely the most distinctive, successfully masking the freshness and texture of such a unique delicacy.

Two brilliant  and beautifully presented desserts wrapped up the meal; the classic lemon tart with the delicious mojito foam and a guilty madagascan manjari chocolate & praline cake, with pickled cherries. These were enjoyed with the remarkable Gavi di Gavi Nuovo Quadro – an extremely clean and light white wine, recommended by one of the many wonderful waitresses here.

It was a very memorable feast – aren’t those the best? – and where it’d cost about  £120 with drinks for two people, it’s worth it for such great service and a quality effort in offering beautiful seafood in the heart of the city. (Words: Matilda Egere-Cooper) 

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