Saturday, 22 November 2014

The Labworth, Canvey Island: at least there is one good reason to go there

25th September 2014
I have looked at maps of Essex for year, and when you are in Westcliff (often) or Southend-on-Sea (also often), it makes you wonder what goes on in Canvey Island. There is a petrol industry presence, and you can learn all you need to know about Canvey at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canvey_Island . There is a famous Dutch house there, but despite several attempts, we could not locate it. Nevertheless, it is worth a visit, jut to go to the Labworth, the number 1 restaurant in Canvey. The restaurant is housed in a renovated grade II listed building, which I believe is based on the appearance of the bridge of the Queen Mary.

A comprehensive web site is on http://www.thelabworth.com/home/4576695922 and I would recommend looking at the video to appreciate the location. We went there for Lunch, but it is also open for dinner. It is a strange site to behold, and  Midweek, at the end of September, we found the place pretty packed, and presumed that there had to be a good reason for this.
For a little more than pub prices, you get good food. This is my steak and ale pie (after my trip to Iceland, I cannot stop calling this dish steak and whale pie).
It ticked all the boxes, being hot (8.9 on CHOF scale) , good quality and sufficient quantity. This is a good place, and the locals know about it.
There are good views of the Thames estuary, more atmospheric than breathtaking and afterwards it is only a short walk from the Canvey mural depicting the floods.

So, I would recommend this place without hesitation. A jewel in the somewhat tarnished crown of Canvey Island.

No comments:

Post a Comment