King of fish on a throne of veg – top-notch seafood at the Crown and Anchor

We’ve been keen to visit this long-established hotel in Findhorn for something to eat. It’s the only hotel in the village, but it’s perhaps better known for its bar and restaurant.

Six months after being taken over by the Patersons – a well-known family in the village for being operators of the Findhorn Marina, and a line of businesses including Findhorn Marina, North 58 Sea Adventures, The Captain’s Parlour, and The Captain’s Table – yes they’re competing with themselves here.

But’s no bad thing, they’re getting your business wherever you eat, and when it comes to food, they know their onions.

Of course, the chefs are different, but the quality and focus are the same. There’s a lot of seafood on both menus. I had a large herb-crusted fillet of salmon, with a selection of roast peppers, potatoes and onions – and a wedge of lemon.

Perfect portions

I hate leaving stuff on a plate, so not generally a fan of oversized portions, but this was perfect. it looked huge but it presented like the king of fish that it is, on a ‘throne’ of glazed vegetables. And as the lemon seeped between the flakes of fish, it just eased apart, and while I’d like to wax lyrical about it sliding down my throat (like a fish), I did actually eat it properly, fully savouring the taste. The glazed veggies were perfectly cooked, probably not an easy feat when you partner potatoes with cherry tomatoes – and all helped down with a Fentiman’s Ginger Beer (I was driving).

My wife had the lasagne – cooked like it should be, with a creamy sauce, soft pasta and tasty beef – she’s a safe eater! Perfectly cooked fries and a freshly cut salad. She finished it too.

She also had a sweet, loaded with strawberries, cream, and presumably sugar, but not a crumb left on the plate. I had a coffee, as I always do.

Let’s talk about the ambience. The restaurant was ‘peaceful’, There was some other chat from other tables which made it social, but not loud. I personally don’t like music while I’m eating, and I’m pleased to say there was none, or if there was, it was quiet enough to aid my digestion, not disrupt it.

It’s far enough from the bar to be a space of its own, there’s a nice light coming in from the windows, and a rustic feel to the whole place.

But I particularly want to leave a mention for the staff. Our server Jen was polite, welcoming and helpful. I asked questions about the provenance of the food and she knew it all. She told us about the chef and where he had worked before coming to the C&A. Customer service at its best – which has become a stamp of the Paterson ‘crew’.

Great food, great ambience, great staff. Choice of indoor or outdoor seating. We’ll be back for sure.

Thanks to Simon for inviting us.