The Galley is the upmarket dining room of the Oyster Smack Inn situated on the main high street of Burnham on Crouch. We stumbled upon the Galley purely by accident, after deciding that the pub looked pretty average from a distance. However, my gut instincts told me something was a bit special about this place as we drove past. I can spot a foodie haven from a mile away, subtle lighting and talkative diners filled the windows, this was going to be special, and it was.
We waited nearly an hour for a table, which was totally fine, it being 8pm on a Saturday night and we didn't have a reservation. After sinking a couple of drinks and looking at the menu we were seated in the cosy part of the dining room. The menu is short (and all the better for it) and contains loads of fabulous fresh seafood, caught locally and served fairly simply. The scallops were fresh, tasty, complete with roe. Nice. I went for oysters, with a mega-zingy and tasty shallot and red wine vinaigrette, yumbo. For main I went for the sea bass which was cooked especially well and melted in the mouth. Wowsers. Only downside? The rabbit special had run out, damn it, as I would've loved to have tried it.
Everyone agreed that the food, service and ambience were all top notch. Locally sourced ingredients, cooked in innovative ways and a laid back dining room with just the right amount of formality make this restaurant and pub a rare, rare find in this corner of the world. Highly recommending if you're in the area. read more