Quay 33

After a exhausting 5 and half hour journey via coach from London to Plymouth I had been given the order not to cook as I was being taken out for dinner. Now, I just want to point out that it is very unusual for me to eat out in as many consecutive days- not that I wouldn't like to, it's just my purse, and my waistband do not approve of being tugged on a regular basis. But hey I was still on my holiday so why not!

It was a stereotypical summers evening and we decided to head straight down to the Barbican as I had been wanting to try a restaurant- Quay 33. A pretty place on the corner with it's light blue exterior and light wooden interior- it looks like somewhere you would take your Mum or the in-laws for lunch.

I had been craving calamari and luckily the restaurant cooked a fresh batch for me although it wasn't on their evening menu. I am not one for deep fried food as I do not enjoy biting into thick soggy batter with it's greasy overkill however calamari is the exception. Quay 33's calamari tasted fresh, well cooked and well seasoned with a good crispy batter, it certainly settled my craving. It was worth the risk.

My main was selected from the specials board as I fancied a nice fresh, crisp salad and the only option they had was a salad nicoise with a tuna steak. This is something I have never tried before- tuna steak. I am a huge lover of fish (which is almost an understatement and not a quality my marine conservation boyfriend admires the most) and it is rare when I do eat red meat so the thought of a 'meaty fish' had always put me off. So I had to bite the bullet and face my fears- 'I'll have the salad nicoise please.'

It was well presented with hard boiled eggs, olives and new potatoes. The only thing I found slightly disappointing was it being dressed in a little olive oil. I love olive oil on a greek salad but I felt with the potatoes and eggs it needed to be matched with a creamier dressing with plenty of seasoning. The tuna steak was not bad, I however couldn't stomach the whole lot. 

The restaurant was 'nice' but it didn't pull at my heart strings. There are a lot of restaurants on offer so due to it not quite reaching the 'wow' factor, I doubt I will be back in a hurry.